It’s the end of the line for Soccer AM as the iconic Saturday morning football show prepares for its final episode.
Sky announced earlier this year that after nearly 30 years on the air the company was evolving and looking in a new direction.
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But its time is over, and the conclusion to the 2022/23 season brings down the curtain on a show that started in 1995 and provided some memorable moments.
It also helped launch the careers of several broadcasters, including talkSPORT’s Andy Goldstein and Max Rushden.
Why was Soccer AM cancelled?
Ultimately, there are plenty of reasons why Sky decided to put it in the history books.
The final episode is set to take place on Saturday, May 27, but it remains to be seen exactly what they have planned for the final show.
But it will be replaced at its usual 10:30 a.m. location by Saturday Social.
The hope is that Saturday Social will attract a younger audience as the current cast is made up of football YouTubers and content creators.
And that’s one of the reasons the show was scrapped because a lot of the original audience is older and Sky needs to find a way to keep younger people interested.
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There were also great elements of the show that became stale and were removed.
The ‘Soccerettes’ section, which was inappropriate, involved women wearing their team’s football kit and answering innuendo-laden questions while being encouraged by male guests and the audience.
This was dropped in 2015, while the show also had to be delayed by ten seconds to account for swearing and rude comments.
In its latest iteration, starring Jimmy Bullard and John Fendley, the comedy has remained and the show has adapted to changing times.
But not enough, and YouTube’s growth and ever-changing public perceptions led to the show’s demise.
There is also a belief in the PR world that its decline began once Tim Lovejoy and Helen Chamberlain left.
Also, given its previous reputation, many celebrities were afraid to appear on Soccer AM and have their reputations tarnished.
Ultimately, the Saturday morning staple couldn’t shake off its “Lad Mag” past or face competition from YouTube.
However, the show will leave many lasting memories for people of a certain age across the country.
