Published:
13-Nov-09
The UK's list of protected sports events that must be shown free-to-air should remain in place, a government-appointed panel has proposed. The panel suggested adding some events to the list, although a list B protecting highlights is out of step with 'a modern… on demand world' and should be scrapped.
The most discussed change would be the addition of cricket to the list – though only one series, the Ashes test matches between England and Australia played every four years. Football matches played by the home nations for qualification to Euro and World Cup tournaments, together with British Open golf, would also be added to the list, as well as the whole of the Wimbledon tennis tournament and the whole of the Rugby (Union) World Cup. The Derby and the Rugby League Challenge Cup final would be de-listed.
Under EU broadcasting legislation, governments are allowed to draw up a list of events considered to be of national importance which must be transmitted on a TV channel reaching most of the population (defined as 95 per cent in the UK). The UK's list in fact predates EU directives.
The panel quoted research indicating that 82 per cent of consumers believed they had a right to watch major events on free-to-air TV. It also noted that BSkyB and ESPN would both be able to reach more than 90 per cent of the population by 2012, indicating the UK's two major pay TV sports broadcasters would also be able to broadcast events free-to-air.
The government will next start a 12-week consultation and then make a decision about changing the list.
Our take...
The listed events rules essentially exist to prevent pay TV broadcasters signing up exclusive rights to major sports events. Cricket body the ECB has since 2006 had a deal with BSkyB which has UK rights to all international and domestic cricket. The current agreement runs though to 2013. An average of 856,000 viewers watched the climax of the Ashes series on Sky this summer, while the same match in 2005 – on Channel 4 – was watched by an average of 4.7m viewers.
Listing of football internationals may well attract more debate as it will involve not just matches played at home – rights to which are sold by the football associations of the home nations – but overseas associations and rights holders as well. The recent World Cup qualifier between Belarus and England was broadcast exclusively on the internet after the rights holder, Kentaro, said it was not happy with bids for the rights from broadcasters. Under the revised list, Kentaro would have been forced to accept the bids on offer.
Although some sports federations (such as the IOC, FIFA and UEFA) choose to make their events available on free-to-air, others will be unhappy that the legislation will impact on their ability to sell rights to the highest bidder via an open auction. BSkyB, in a submission to the government earlier this year, said rights holders should be free to decide how to commercialise their rights and that the list should not exist at all.
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