Jeff Stelling has taken aim at Sky Sports’ approach of pursuing younger demographics through influencer-led content.
He described the broadcaster’s strategy as fundamentally flawed and risks driving away loyal viewers.
The TV legend departed the network in 2023 after a quarter-century fronting Soccer Saturday.
He now continues to maintain a demanding schedule at talkSPORT, where he presents morning programmes alongside Ally McCoist on Mondays, Tuesdays, and occasionally Wednesdays, starting at 6am.
Speaking on his former employer, Stelling said: “There’s a drive to get younger viewers, right throughout the media. I’ve never been convinced that was the right way to go.
“We all know that kids today don’t watch as much TV as they used to. Young people will get their entertainment in different ways, so chasing them as an audience is misguided.
“What you risk is alienating the audience you’ve already got by changing to suit a younger audience that isn’t [watching].
“Stick with what you’ve got, stick with quality programming, quality presenters, quality pundits, and hopefully when the people who get their news on social media get to their mum and dads’ age, they might find themselves watching TV instead and enjoying that same quality product that their parents watched.”
Jeff Stelling described the broadcaster’s strategy as fundamentally flawed and risks driving away loyal viewers
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The Jeff Stelling Show with OLBG marks the broadcaster’s debut in podcasting, where the host plans to explore the personal narratives of his guests from across the world of athletics.
The 70-year-old, who received an MBE at Buckingham Palace in 2024, named Sir Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho as his top choices when asked about his ideal interviewees for the show.
He described the Portuguese manager as an “enigma” who is “charming, graceful, funny, moody, offensive”, a combination that clearly intrigues the seasoned broadcaster.
He explained: “It was an opportunity to do a podcast which wasn’t just sports-based but to find out a little bit about people’s lives.”
Jeff Stelling received an MBE at Buckingham Palace in 2024
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Stelling added: “It will be people from the world of sport but we may not concentrate on which games and trophies they’ve won.
“I’d like to hear their backstory.
“In this day and age, they’re so managed that we hear their answers about that game, that race, that match, but we don’t necessarily know them as human beings.”
Stelling insisted he feels the same as he did decades ago and will continue working as long as opportunities arise.
Stelling also suggested that younger audiences may eventually gravitate towards television as they mature
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He said: “I love it. I feel exactly the same as I did when I was in my mid-30s, my mid-40s, my mid-50s. I don’t see any reason to stop.”
His message to broadcasters remains clear: prioritise excellence over demographic chasing.
He said: “Stick with what you’ve got, stick with quality programming, quality presenters, quality pundits.”
Stelling also suggested that younger audiences may eventually gravitate towards television as they mature, provided the standard remains high.
