Live cricket to return to UK terrestrial TV

[Skater]

A review is to recommend that home Ashes series be added to the "crown jewels" list - sporting events that have to be shown live on terrestrial TV by law. The move is likely to be fiercely opposed by Sky Sports.

The Ashes to return to free-to-air television - Telegraph

 

[Themer]

It should be in my opinion. I have Sky Sports and they do a better job than the rest but I'd rather it be on Terrestrial giving everyone the chance to watch the game. Gives the whole series a bigger feel like in 2005 when the whole country got behind the country.

 

[Leggie]

It's about time.

 

[pcfan123]

Think of how many kids did not get to see this Ashes, if you want future generations to love and appreciate Test Cricket, you have to make it accessable. ECB needs to stop acting like the BCCI and stop bending over and grabbing their ankles at any oppertunity to make a buck.

 

[Leicester Fox]

woop woop


it's the sound of da police.

Good news

 

[Stephen Bailey]

It's a start.

 

[Highlander999]

Completely for this, especially now I don't even have access to Sky Sports, except for the pub.

 

[harrisb]

woopeedoo, the ashes, 5 test matches every 18 months.

honestly, surely every Home England match and World cup should be on Terrestrial, Every Home England Football match is, and so is the world cup and the european championships.

 

[Skater]

woopeedoo, the ashes, 5 test matches every 18 months.

honestly, surely every Home England match and World cup should be on Terrestrial, Every Home England Football match is, and so is the world cup and the european championships.

Football's totally different, because matches last only 90 minutes and can be positioned at prime time to suit broadcasters. Cricket matches would saturate the terrestrial schedules, it is simply not possible to have every England home match live on Free To Air.

Not to mention Sky Sports do a fantastic job with the coverage.

 

[TheGreemSim]

Despite having Sky Sports I completely support this.

 

[Params7]

Cricket isn't free to air in England? I thought it was its national sport O_o

 

[Skater]

Cricket isn't free to air in England? I thought it was its national sport O_o

Cricket is our second sport. All live cricket is on pay TV here. Although, with this news, home Ashes series will be free to air.

 

[Kev]

Its recommended that it go free to air, doesn't mean it will. Even then will a broadcaster actually bid for it? Nobody bothered to bid against Sky (although that just may be apathy based on the fact that they can't afford it or justify the air time).

During the Ashes series (or possibly the ODI series that followed) Giles Clarke was asked about Cricket on terrestrial TV during the lunchbreak on TMS and he basically just turned the interview into a rant against the BBC because they bid for what he called an unknown and unwatched sport - Formula One. Do some research Giles, The British Grand Prix was watched over the weekend by 250,000 people trackside and it's the most watched sport in the world (allegedly). Cricket can only dream about accommodating 125000 people for one day's sport. It fits nicely into a Sunday afternoon's TV schedule too boot.

Much as I like cricket and dislike Sky. It's just not right to call it the second sport in the UK anymore and without Sky's money all the counties would have gone bust several years ago. Having said that, I'd much rather it was free to air.

 

[zimrahil]

Cricket matches would saturate the terrestrial schedules, it is simply not possible to have every England home match live on Free To Air.

Well prior to Sky in 2006, every home England test series was shown by BBC/Channel 4 for past 30 years or however long it's been?

Much as I like cricket and dislike Sky. It's just not right to call it the second sport in the UK anymore .

[split hairs]Hasn't it always been called the national summer sport in the UK rather than the second sport?[/split hairs]

 

[madmusician]

Might I quote Mr Clarke: "The BBC could have used [the F1] money to buy two Twenty20 internationals a year." Yeah, he's a bit deranged...

The Wisden Cricketer - the world's no.1 cricket magazine (quote comes from bottom of page)

I'll believe it when I see it, with the Conservatives not wanting to upset Murdoch, then they might not push it through when they come into government, but it may well still happen. Not till 2016, though (that's when the Ashes after next is, isn't it?), as Sky already have a signed contract for 2013.