ITV will not be showing the final of Euro 2008, after the commercial broadcaster decided it did not want to risk the humiliation of audiences opting to watch the match on the BBC. The last time the two went head-to-head - for the 2006 World Cup final between Italy and France - nearly five times as many viewers chose the BBC.

A repeat will hardly impress advertisers, although the commercial broadcaster describes the decision as “purely for this tournament”.

This time around, the BBC’s coverage will also be the last time that John Motson, the veteran commentator, takes the lead on a match after 29 years as the corporation’s lead commentator for finals. ITV has no personalities that generate the same level of affection or emotion with the public.

An audience of 13.9 million watched the 2006 World Cup final, which went to a penalty shoot-out, on the BBC, and only 2.9 million on ITV. Greece’s surprise win over Portugal at Euro 2004 produced a similar result: 10.8 million tuning in to BBC; 3.4 million watching on ITV.

The broadcasters normally go head-to-head only in the final. Broadcasting regulations mean that the leading tournaments have to go out on free-to-air television, and the BBC and ITV share the rights for a relatively low price, with no real competition in the bidding. ITV benefits particularly because it would otherwise struggle against its main rival. Even so, BBC executives were surprised when ITV chose to roll over. In return, the commercial broadcaster has the choice of the semi-finals.

ITV has not beaten the BBC in viewing figures for football since 1970, when the commercial broadcaster launched the expert panel, which starred Malcolm Allison, the Manchester City manager, in a six-strong team that reinvented football coverage. Since then, though, the BBC has been gradually moving ahead.

As recently as the 1990s, ITV was at least within touching distance. More than six million watched the World Cup final in Italy in 1990 – the figures for France ’98 were similar – and, while the BBC’s audience was double that, the ITV team in the days of Brian Moore and Jim Rosenthal could at least take heart from those numbers.

Those commentators and presenters have moved on – Rosenthal was sacked after 28 years this January – and ITV has few names that command affection with the public, despite the experience of Steve Rider and the analysis of Andy Townsend.

ITV is seeking a new anchorman to help to change its profile, although the attempt to lure the popular Adrian Chiles from the BBC failed. However, it will take more than just a new presenter, or commentator, to reverse firmly entrenched viewing habits.