Jowell Pledges Cricket Coverage Review – In 2009

Culture secretary Tessa Jowell has told MPs that there will be no review of television cricket coverage until 2008-9, heading off a backbench uprising against Sky’s exclusive coverage of test matches played in England in 2006-2009.

The deal, which gives Sky a monopoly over matches played within Britain, as well as one day internationals and test matches, has led to calls from MPs to restore coverage to free-to-view television.

In a charge led by Labour MP John Grogan, over 150 MPs are believed to have registered their anger at Sky’s dominance of cricket’s broadcast rights, which were scooped earlier this year at a cost of £220 million (see Sky’s Cricket Deal Gets Thumbs Up As Five Scoops Highlights).

Voicing his concerns yesterday, Grogan told MPs that free-to-air cricket coverage was “in the interests of the many, rather than the few,” stating that those unable to afford Sky’s subscription charges should not be denied access to the live broadcasts.

In response, Tessa Jowell told the Labour backbencher that Sky’s deal with the England Cricket Board (ECB) was intended to “maximise the income from broadcasting revenues,” so that more funds could be directed towards the English team and “grassroots cricket.”

However, Jowell did promise to review the arrangement for cricket’s broadcast rights “at the appropriate time” following a “high level of interest” following England’s recent Ashes win (see Channel 4 Cricket High Stumps Rivals).

The current arrangements for cricket coverage will see Five air highlights of test matches between 7:15pm and 8:00pm on match days, following a lack of interest by other broadcasters in acquiring the rights to highlights at their auction earlier this year (see Five Set To Scoop Cricket Highlight Broadcast Rights).

DCMS: 020 7211 6200 www.dcms.gov.uk Sky: 08702 40 40 40 www.sky.com