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Can ITV recover from missing Steven Gerrard’s goal and Robbie Earle’s sacking? As ITV bosses anticipated the World Cup and its bonanza of bumper ratings and revenue, only in their worst nightmares would the events of the first few days have unfolded as they actually did. There was, briefly, a dream start: England’s opening game was minutes old when captain Steven Gerrard scored . Unfortunately 1.5 million viewers missed it because ITV1 HD had gone to an unscheduled ad break . On the upside, the 15 million watching on standard ITV1 didn’t miss it; on the downside the World Cup is the defining moment for the push into high-definition television. And then ITV found itself embroiled in a row about ambush marketing. Most people have little sympathy for Fifa’s obsession with brand rights and its outrage at the 36 women in orange dresses (hardly inappropriate for a Holland game) advertising Bavaria beer . But, it was ITV’s grave misfortune that they were using tickets obtained via Robbie Earle, an ITV pundit. Earle says he was “naive” – and I hope he was [Full disclosure: I am a Port Vale fan and Earle is a Vale legend ]. ITV had little option but to sack the former Jamaican international . All of which has been unfortunate for ITV when its coverage has been every bit as good as the BBC’s. Adrian Chiles has made a smooth transition to the ITV host slot and is, if truth be told, a much more interesting broadcaster than Gary Lineker. Personally I find the ITV panelists much more interesting than the same old faces on the BBC. In the post-match stakes it’s Colin Murray v James Corden : a battle of the annoying, but I’m voting for Corden on this one (even if it is only because he’s Shouting for England with Dizzee Rascal ). Meanwhile, ITV might even have the edge with commentators in this tournament. Although Clive Tyldesley is not to everyone’s taste he is a familiar voice and has plenty of experience. Meanwhile the BBC will be without John Motson for the first final in aeons. Motty should have been pensioned off years ago, what with his inability to work out what was actually happening on the pitch. Guy Mowbray will instead commentate on the final for the BBC , although I think Jonathan Pearce would have been a more interesting choice. Anyway, unfortunately for ITV, when it comes to the simulcasting of big games, the public choose the BBC without thinking, meaning that the channel will end the World Cup much as it started it: unappreciated. Sport TV ITV BBC World Cup 2010 Steve Busfield guardian.co.uk

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World Cup 2010: BBC v ITV