STUNELL CALLS FOR TEST CRICKET TO RETURN TO FREE-TO-AIR TV
July 13, 2009 3:26 PM
Mr Stunell is calling for the Ashes to return to Free-to-Air Television
Hazel Grove MP Andrew Stunell has today called for Test Match cricket to return to free-to-air television after the excitement of last week's first Ashes Test, which saw last wicket pair James Anderson and Monty Panesar surviving a nail-biting last 40 minutes to secure a draw for England.
"I am keeping my fingers crossed for a thrilling and successful Ashes series. But the only way to see it live is by paying a subscription to Sky, and I think it is time it was back on free-to-air television, like other national sporting events," said Mr Stunell.
The England and Wales Cricket Board opted to re-award the rights to Sky when they were up for renewal last summer, allowing the Satellite broadcaster to continue showing live cricket until 2013.This is the first time the Ashes has not been shown on free-to-air TV since television coverage of the sport began.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport are nearing the end of a consultation reviewing the "protected" list of sporting event, those assured of live free-to-air coverage, and Mr Stunell is calling for cricket to return to the "A" list, and to terrestrial TV screens.
Commenting, Andrew Stunell said:
"The Ashes is one of the highlights of the sporting calendar, yet millions are left unable to watch England's battle to regain the urn without paying a fee. With no Ashes Test at Old Trafford this year either, local fans can't even go in person to watch the series.
"Cricket is the only major sport to have no live coverage on free-to-air television. There would be an outcry if the FA Cup Final or The Open Golf tournament weren't shown on terrestrial TV, and rightly so.
"And only last week we saw an absorbing final at Wimbledon between two of tennis' current greats. The Ashes is on a par with all of these events, yet Cricket no longer features on the protected list of sporting events.
"The government must ensure that at least some live cricket - including the Ashes and the World Cup - are put back on the A List of events and made available to free-to-air broadcasters where the entire population can enjoy it."
The Second Test, at Lord's, starts at 11.00am this Thursday.
ENDS
The current list of sporting events protected under the Broadcasting Act 1996 is:
Group A (Full Live Coverage Protected)
The Olympic Games
The FIFA World Cup Finals Tournament
The European Football Championship Finals Tournament
The FA Cup Final
The Scottish FA Cup Final (in Scotland)
The Grand National
The Derby
The Wimbledon tennis finals
The Rugby League Challenge Cup Final
The Rugby World Cup Final
Group B (Secondary Coverage Protected)
Cricket test matches played in England
Non-finals play in the Wimbledon Tournament
All other matches in the Rugby World Cup Finals Tournament
Six Nations Rugby Tournament matches involving home countries
The Commonwealth Games
The World Athletics Championship
The Cricket World Cup - the final, semi-finals and matches involving home nations' teams
The Ryder Cup
The Open Golf Championship
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