Two thousand quiz questions, 29 episodes and 116 contestants: that is a special incarnation of AZ-kvíz focused on football knowledge. While individual episodes are based on the same principles as the well-established AZ-kvíz on TV, there are some individual differences. Two elimination rounds produce two “finalists” who will compete in front of the “ATM”. However the winner will not reappear in the following episode; as each episode will have new contestants: two students of Masaryk University and two Czech Television, culture or sports personalities.
If a student succeeds, he or she gets to keep the winnings. All other amounts will be donated to the account of the volunteer centre of MU – MUNI HELPS. “It is a great honour for us to be able to take part in the programme, and for our volunteer centre MUNI HELPS which has been selected as the beneficiary. It will receive the winnings from the episodes where the celebrities will be the more successful contestants,” says Vice-Rector for Student and Alumni Affairs Simona Koryčánková.
Hosted by the famous long-term host of the original concept, Aleš Zbořil, the special episodes of football-oriented AZ-kvíz will air on ČT Sport every day of the championship from 20 November until 18 December at 10:30 p.m. “The idea to make or programming more interesting in this manner came in September, and it was a very short journey from the idea to the product. We started taping in November. After all, what can be a better way of testing football fans’ knowledge than a TV quiz show?” says Executive Director of ČT sport Jiří Ponikelský in a press release.
All 29 episodes have Masaryk University students as contestants. “I was camera-shy at the beginning but it got better after three rounds of questions,” says Matěj Pachlopník from the Faculty of Sports Studies. The contestant pool does not contain students of sports’ oriented fields. Among those who decided to apply was Zbyněk Špička from the Faculty of Economics and Administration, himself an active soccer player from the age of six. “I am being humble about this experience, but I am also hoping to make it as far as possible, maybe all the way to the ATM,” he said before entering the studio.
Standing next to MU students will be numerous famous personalities, like three-time Olympic medallist and biathlete Ondřej Moravec. “It was really cool; we learned a lot and we found out what we do not know, like you do. I enjoy a good football game, I play occasionally but I am generally clumsy on the pitch.” Moravec quipped. “Viewers will enjoy it; students have the opportunity to earn some money and we can do a good thing. I do have some links to football but I do not follow it closely,” said Czech Television’s ice hockey expert Milan Antoš.
Viewers can also look forward to cross-country skier and Olympic medallist Kateřina Neumannová, actor Jiří Čtvrtníček, Czech Television presenter Jakub Železný or commentator Robert Záruba. Reruns of all episodes will be available on ČT1 the day following the premiere shortly before noon.