The Steve Bracknall Podcast YouTube channel will carry live coverage of a major grassroots football fixture next month.
The BBC has secured rights to stream the Sheffield Imperial Cup quarter final between The Royal Oak and The Nags Head, described as the biggest Sunday League match staged.
The game will take place at Sheffield FC on Easter Sunday, offering a historic setting for a fixture that has built a large online following through Game’s Gone: The Steve Bracknall Podcast.
Viewers can watch from 2pm on 5 April via the YouTube channel, with full radio coverage also available on BBC Radio Sheffield. Commentary will come from Adam Oxley and Lee Turnbull, alongside build up and post-match analysis.
The decision to stream the match follows the podcast’s launch late last year across YouTube and BBC Sounds, where it releases new episodes every Thursday. The show has grown an audience through behind the scenes access to Royal Oak FC and its assistant manager Steve Bracknall.
Steve said: “This is the biggest game in Sunday league history. Whilst on the surface it’s two rival teams battling it out for a place in the Sunday Imperial Cup semi-finals, it’s also a celebration of the grassroots game in this country. The match sold out to members within hours leaving many fans disappointed.”
He added that making the game available online and on radio would allow wider access, saying supporters around the world could now follow the match live.
Jonathan Wall, Director of BBC Sounds, said: “We can confirm that the Royal Oak vs Nags Head will be streamed live on Games Gone: The Steve Bracknall Podcast YouTube channel on Easter Sunday.
“The subscriber numbers have been positive and the scale of interest around this match makes it important that supporters have open access to the coverage.”
BBC Radio Sheffield sports journalist, commentator and Football Heaven podcast presenter, Adam Oxley said the fixture stands out among local rivalries he has covered, calling it “unique” and highlighting its mix of drama and community football.
