Sky secures rights to the Ashes coverage until 2012

Plans to add the Ashes to a list of sports reserved for free-to-air broadcasting have been put back until 2012, by sports minister Hugh Robertson.

Robertson said that the economic crisis and the impending digital switchover were the key reasons for delaying the decision about sport’s listed events.

He also said that he was awaiting the outcome of the BBC’s strategy review, which covers sports rights, and the Ofcom Pay TV Review.

In a written statement, the sports minister explained: “I fully support the principle of protecting major sports events for free-to-air coverage. But with digital switchover concluding in 2012, this will result in the widespread availability of a significantly increased number of television channels, many free-to-air.”

Based on rules drawn up in 1998, certain sporting events are guaranteed to be aired on terrestrial channels, due to their sporting significance as the so-called ‘crown jewels’. These include the FA Cup Final, Wimbledon finals, European Championships and the Grand National, amongst others.

Last year, a ten-month review was conducted by former executive director of the FA David Davies, along with a panel of sports stars and broadcasters, regarding sports reserved for terrestrial channels.

It recommended that events such as the football World Cup and European Championship qualifiers, the Open golf championship and home Ashes test matches should be added to the list.

It also suggested dropping the winter Olympics, the Derby and rugby league Challenge Cup final.