SPOTY 2023

[Mr Larrington]

Shortlist announced:

• Stuart Broad
• Frankie Dettori
• Mary Earps
• Alfie Hewett
• Katarina Johnson-Thompson
• Rory McIlroy

Prog is on the 19th.

[alfapete]

Any predictions?
FWIW I wonder whether McIlroy has done enough to split the vote with Broad, allowing Earp to come through on the rails to win?
They're all very worthy, more than can be said in the past.

[Hair_Today_Gone_Tomorrow]

Any predictions?
FWIW I wonder whether McIlroy has done enough to split the vote with Broad, allowing Earp to come through on the rails to win?
They're all very worthy, more than can be said in the past.

Actually, I would say the opposite. None of them are particularly worthy. They are the best of a pretty poor bunch this year - not helped by their being no mens World Cup in football, no Olympics, no outstanding successes in individual sports etc

Stuart Broad and Frankie Dettori are only there because they are retiring - should be up for life time achievement awards, not SPOTY

[Flite]

Can't believe Dettori hasn't won it before?
But can't be bothered to look it up.
No standout names to me.

[alfapete]

I'd vote for KJT personally but I haven't watched it for years.

[rogerzilla]

Earps will walk it, won't she?

[citoyen]

I'd vote for KJT personally but I haven't watched it for years.

I'm a big fan of KJT both as an athlete and a person but I'm not really aware of what she has done this year specifically - I have a vague recollection of her winning gold in some major tournament but I don't really follow athletics closely.

Earps seems to be the most obvious choice.

I've not given two hoots about spoty for years though. Just give it to Bob Nudd.

[Flite]

The only reason  I would vote would be to stop a football player winning, but I fear that is a lost cause.

[John Stonebridge]

The British Men's World 1,500m champion not even on the shortlist - strange when middle distance runners won SPOTY 3 times in 6 years 1978-1983. 

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/spoty-2023-shortlist-osullivan-kerr-b2462533.html

Haven't watched in years, used to be a big family TV set piece back in the day. 

Mary Earps will no doubt win it, fits the perfect SPOTY winner profile of "England footballer who didn't win the main prize" (cf Beckham, Owen, Gascoigne).   

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Sports go in and out of fashion.  Athletics isn't in fashion.  Perhaps track cycling nicked its crown because Britain won so many medals.  It really requires an individual to transcend their sport.

Frankie was 3rd in 1996, having ridden all 7 winners on a major race card at Ascot - a feat pretty much unique in horse racing.  I suspect being nominated 27 years after that must be a record.  The only other jockey (not equestrian) to receive the award was Tony McCoy - in part because there was a huge campaign by the racing community to vote for him.  There were even races such as the "Vote AP McCoy for Sports Personality of the Year Claiming Stakes". 

If I was to vote, it would be a toss-up between him and KJT.  But like other posters - it isn't the attraction it used to be.  It's been replaced by Strictly Come Dancing, where we will be glued to the final later today.

[Mr Larrington]

And to the great surprise of, er, not many:

Sports Personality of the Year - Mary Earps
Young Sports Personality of the Year - Mia Brookes
Lifetime Achievement - Sir Kenny Dalglish
Unsung Hero - Des Smith
Helen Rollason - Fatima Whitbread
World Sport Star - Erling Haaland
Team of the Year - Manchester City
Coach of the Year - Pep Guardiola

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Its a reflection of why I follow sport on other channels that BBC Sport Football

[Flite]

Didn't watch it, don't think I missed much.
But if over 50% of the awards go to footballers, there really is something wrong.

[Peter]

Didn't watch it, either, but it was inevitable that it would go to Earps because she hasn't won anything and Stuart Broad has only 600+ Test wickets and a Test score of 160+ with the bat.  Add to that a career of winding up the Aussies and it was obvious he had no chance, whereas Earps (who is innocent, by the way), was mentioned almost everyday in the last two years by the BBC News web page.  Talk about Shootouts at the OKs Corrals.

[Flite]

In better news;
Emma Finucane is the BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year.

[Basil]

Llongyfarchiadau. 

[Mr Larrington]

Didn't watch it, don't think I missed much.
But if over 50% of the awards go to footballers, there really is something wrong.

On the other hand, Mary Earps' winning is making colossal bellend Piers “Morgan” Moron cross, so that’s a definite plus in my book.

[Jaded]

Didn't watch it, either, but it was inevitable that it would go to Earps because she hasn't won anything and Stuart Broad has only 600+ Test wickets and a Test score of 160+ with the bat.  Add to that a career of winding up the Aussies and it was obvious he had no chance, whereas Earps (who is innocent, by the way), was mentioned almost everyday in the last two years by the BBC News web page.  Talk about Shootouts at the OKs Corrals.

He's big; he's bad; he's better than his dad.

Unsung hero.