S7
When did TV channels start to screen a continuous reminder of the score on live sport – and how did it evolve? That's the subject of this thread.
By its nature, the use of a near-constant scoreboard on TV was aimed at more casual viewers. Until the 1990s, only a few graphics would usually appear during a football game – The Football Attic explains how World Cup graphics evolved in this era. Other sports differed slightly, but the scorebar was one of the biggest visual changes in sports coverage. Nowadays, some score-bugs are aimed at the most dedicated fans and are completely bewildering to outsiders.
The received wisdom is that Sky Sports invented it in 1992, but there had been innovations elsewhere – in Australia, World Series cricket made heavy use of graphics. From 1981 onwards, the score popped up in the corner whenever a run was scored in WSC. It wouldn't add up to a large proportion of game time, no more than a quarter. Maybe 50% if England were bowling.
Australia v Pakistan, 14.01.1982 / Australia v West Indies, 11.02.1984 (watermarks removed)
Snooker also had frequent score updates at important points in a frame (e.g. in the 1985 final).
(UPDATE) This thread has determined that Sky didn't invent it. There was a scoreboard in 1983/1984 on Channel 4 basketball, for about 90% of game time. (Thanks Closedown)
A few questions for anyone who isn't bored yet:
– When existing channels added the scorebar, was it mentioned on-air?
– Was a continuous score graphic attempted anywhere else before '92?
– When was the last live UK football game without the score staying onscreen? (By choice, rather than an error.)
– First use of scorebars in any other sport / in other countries?
– First use in highlights/MOTD
– Your favourite designs?
– When would a decent-looking scorebar/clock have first become technically feasible?
Below (split to avoid one gigantic post) are some of the first games in the '90s to employ the device, found using YouTube videos and game info from the excellent ITV Carousel and a Digital Spy thread. More info and corrections would be appreciated.
By its nature, the use of a near-constant scoreboard on TV was aimed at more casual viewers. Until the 1990s, only a few graphics would usually appear during a football game – The Football Attic explains how World Cup graphics evolved in this era. Other sports differed slightly, but the scorebar was one of the biggest visual changes in sports coverage. Nowadays, some score-bugs are aimed at the most dedicated fans and are completely bewildering to outsiders.
The received wisdom is that Sky Sports invented it in 1992, but there had been innovations elsewhere – in Australia, World Series cricket made heavy use of graphics. From 1981 onwards, the score popped up in the corner whenever a run was scored in WSC. It wouldn't add up to a large proportion of game time, no more than a quarter. Maybe 50% if England were bowling.
Australia v Pakistan, 14.01.1982 / Australia v West Indies, 11.02.1984 (watermarks removed)


Snooker also had frequent score updates at important points in a frame (e.g. in the 1985 final).
(UPDATE) This thread has determined that Sky didn't invent it. There was a scoreboard in 1983/1984 on Channel 4 basketball, for about 90% of game time. (Thanks Closedown)
A few questions for anyone who isn't bored yet:
– When existing channels added the scorebar, was it mentioned on-air?
– Was a continuous score graphic attempted anywhere else before '92?
– When was the last live UK football game without the score staying onscreen? (By choice, rather than an error.)
– First use of scorebars in any other sport / in other countries?
– First use in highlights/MOTD
– Your favourite designs?
– When would a decent-looking scorebar/clock have first become technically feasible?
Below (split to avoid one gigantic post) are some of the first games in the '90s to employ the device, found using YouTube videos and game info from the excellent ITV Carousel and a Digital Spy thread. More info and corrections would be appreciated.
Last edited by sbahnhof 7 on 2 December 2016 10:15pm