Match of the Day pundit pinpoints big difference at CBS – ‘It’d never happen at the BBC’

Former England defender and Match of the Day star Micah Richards has shed light on a key cultural difference between the BBC and American network CBS, which he covers the Champions League for

Match of the Day’s Micah Richards has opened up about a ‘mad’ party thrown in his honour by network CBS the night before the Champions League final. The ex-England star admitted that the BBC would never plan such an event.

Richards, who retired in 2019 and immediately transitioned into punditry, provides insight across various platforms. He has starred on Match of the Day and brought laughter to Sky Sports’ coverage of the Premier League. CBS began broadcasting European football five years ago, introducing him to an American audience.

While working for stateside employers, Richards has made it clear that culturally, things differ from appearing for the BBC, which operates under a Royal Charter and is, therefore, a public corporation funded primarily by TV license fees.

Operating for the public good means the historically revered Beeb holds itself to incredibly high standards, and coverage of the FA Cup and World Cup, for example, is no exception.

The 36-year-old has now illuminated a huge difference between the British broadcaster and the US-based CBS, epitomised by a party thrown the night before last month’s Champions League final.

“We got there, the sun is shining. I was drinking until about four o’clock in the morning on the Thursday night. Friday night, CBS only threw me my own party!” a bewildered Richards told Gary Lineker and Match of the Day colleague Alan Shearer on The Rest Is Football podcast.

“Bearing in mind we’ve got the Champions League final on the Saturday night and I’ve been hanging for weeks before that as well. Imagine us at the Beeb throwing a party the night before, say, the FA Cup final or the World Cup final.

“It would never, ever happen. CBS just embrace it. I got there thinking it’s just a CBS party. I get there, the big massive flyer says: ‘Big Meeks’ Party.’ It was madness.”

While cultural differences would likely prevent the BBC from allowing its staff to indulge in such revelries and borderline unprofessionalism, CBS’ Champions League final broadcast went off without a hitch.

Richards appeared alongside presenter Kate Scott and fellow ex-pros Thierry Henry and Jamie Carragher. Actor Tom Cruise and David Beckham were also part of the build-up to the kick-off in Munich.

Yet, Richards’ path to the German capital was not without its tribulations, and he detailed that a fear of flying made for an awkward journey.

“For those who don’t know, I don’t like flying. So, me, the absolute idiot, decides to look at a route from Harrogate all the way to Munich,” he continued. “I thought, ‘Ok, if I get to London, it’s not gonna be too bad.’ So I get to London, which is three hours door to door.

“Then I went to get the train from London, and it was supposed to go to Brussels. It got cancelled, so now I’m sweating, thinking what I could possibly do! I’m scrambling on my apps.

“I went from London to Paris, then I had to wait a couple of hours. Paris to Stuttgart. Had to wait a couple hours, then Stuttgart to Munich, and when I got there, I was absolutely exhausted.”

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