The National Heritage select committee’s report on TV Sports coverage and sponsorship published yesterday calls for viewers to have guaranteed access to national sporting events such as the Wimbledon finals, the FA Cup Final and the Derby. Satellite pay channels should not be allowed to buy them for exclusive access. The committee decided that the 1990 Broadcasting Act, which included eight “listed” events, did not go far enough in protecting viewers.
The report states, “exclusivity in transmission of listed sporting events should be prohibited not only for pay for view services but also for subscription services.” It also says the list of events should be kept under review. The eight listed events are:
Cricket test matches involving England
The Derby
The FIFA World Cup Finals
The FA Cup Final
The Grand National
The Olympic Games
Wimbledon Finals Week
Scottish FA Cup Final
Not surprisingly the report has led to a disappointed reaction from BSkyB; Vic Wakeling, head of sport at Sky Television said, “We are disappointed that the committee appears to be turning its back on subscription television and Britain’s leading role in developing it.” He added that it should be the right of sports bodies themselves to decide coverage.
ITV’s Andrew Quinn, Chief Executive, said, “It is good news for viewers…to limit access to great occasions only to those who can pay would not be in the interests of sport.”
The committee is also highly critical of tobacco sponsorship. It recommends no further tobacco-sponsored events should be broadcast by any terrestrial channel once existing contracts have expired. Gerald Kaufman, the committee chairman, noted that the ITV companies and Channel 4 had decided not to broadcast events sponsored by tobacco companies, and it was “quite extraordinary” that the BBC continued to do so. Events affected would include the Embassy Snooker Championships and the Benson and Hedges Cricket Finals. This leaves a loophole for satellite channels, which come under international control. The committee says there should be talks on ending tobacco sponsorship throughout European television.
The report also urges that ways should be found of bringing more sponsorship money into sport to benefit young athletes.
Sports Sponsorship and Television Coverage; National Heritage Committee HMSO £11. 071 219 6120.
