keepcricketfree.com

[Stephen Bailey]

The BBC only ever covered deciding matches in Ashes series from England's overseas tours.

How long ago were they doing that? I can't remember that to be honest.

 

[andrew_nixon]

How long ago were they doing that? I can't remember that to be honest.

The last match they showed was way back in 1987.

 

[Stephen Bailey]

The last match they showed was way back in 1987.

That would explain why I can't remember (the year I was born)! Cheers Andrew.

 

[Steve Moore]

Realistically, It would be very difficult for Free to Air to give coverage to the Away Cricket when it is on at so many different timetables dependent on where in the world it is... Particually as it is on for the large amount of the day/night, with such a small audience if it's on right through the night. Therefore, although I don't receive SKY I have no qualms about them showing it.

However, Home coverage is different, It needs to be free to air because it does generate a large fanbase and, more importantly, for the sport to grow in this country of a successful team, we need to have kids able to watch it.

Anyway, how's the fight going and I reckon, like with Prem. Football, we have a case to take this to the EU

 

[Stephen Bailey]

Agree with everything you've said Steve.

It's hard to judge how well the campaign's going really, although it's great to see so many people supporting it. The last piece of information I found was this:

http://www.planetcricket.org/forums/showpost.php?p=227904&postcount=135

 

[Kev]

Source www.kentccc.com

[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]BSkyB and the ECB have announced special offers on Sky digital subscriptions exclusively for cricket clubs and members of affiliated clubs.

The offers follow the award to Sky Sports of exclusive live rights to international and domestic county cricket in England and Wales, for seasons 2006 to 2009.

These special offers are:

Members - All members of first class counties, minor counties, and the MCC will be eligible for special offers. New subscribers can get Sky Sports free for 12 months when they subscribe to any Sky digital package; paying as little as ?15 per month for all five Sky Sports channels.

Existing subscribers to Sky digital can upgrade their set-top box to Sky+ for free when they take a Multi-room subscription for ?10 per month. The set-top box, mini-dish and standard installation are free and the offers are open until the end of April 2006.

Clubs - Sky are offering a special offer to all ECB affiliated clubs. The offer allows affiliated clubs to show the full range of Sky Sports programming in their clubhouses and pavilions for the reduced rate of just ?90 per calendar month; less than half the usual price. The set-top box, mini-dish and standard installation are free.

ECB chief executive David Collier said: ?I think this is an outstanding deal for clubs and county members and one that could also form part of a membership drive by counties.

?We are extremely pleased with the offer from Sky which will enable cricket followers to subscribe to Sky Sports for ?15 per month. We are also grateful for Sky?s continued and loyal support of cricket.?

Robert Tansey, Sky?s director of sports marketing, said: ?These are special deals purely for the clubs and their members.

?When we were awarded a new contract for live cricket last year we promised a good offer to clubs and their members. We are sure they will be pleased with the deal we have delivered and delighted with our live coverage over the next four years.?

Sky Sports have exclusive live rights to all international and domestic cricket in England and Wales from 2006-2009. Coverage will include exclusively live coverage of every Test and one-day international and exclusively live coverage from each of the domestic competitions.

Sky Sports have also followed England live every winter and will show each of the five one-day internationals and three Test matches exclusively live from Pakistan this winter. Next winter the Ashes tour will also be exclusively live on Sky Sports.

Sky Sports also features live coverage of; Barclays Premiership, UEFA Champions League and Coca-Cola League football; international, European and domestic Rugby Union; Super League and tri Nations Rugby League and live golf from the PGA European Tour, US PGA Tour, US Open, PGA Championship and Ryder Cup.

To take up one of these offers, new domestic subscribers should call 08701 942 074, existing domestic subscribers should call 08702 403 479, and clubs should call Sky Business on 08702 40 40 30 - quoting ?Company offers/ECB

MEMBERS
Standard prices - The standard price for subscription to the five Sky Sports channels, and a range of other programming, through Sky digital is ?34 per calendar month.
Sky Multi-room - Enjoy all the same great channels you get with your main Sky TV subscription on another TV in the same home; you can watch cricket in one room whilst another family member watches Sky News, for example, in another room.
Sky + is a digital video recorder and receiver in one; it lets you record and store your favourite programmes so you can watch them whenever you like. You can even pause and rewind live TV and with over 40 hours of recording time you will always have something you want to watch.


CLUBS
The channel packages available from Sky Business for clubs are:

1 - Sky Entertainment Package with Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 2, plus Sky Sports 3 as a bonus channel and Sky Sports Xtra as an additional channel - ?90

2 - Sky Entertainment Package with Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports 2 & Sky Movies 1, plus Sky Sports 3 as bonus channel and Sky Sports Xtra as additional channel - ?95

3 - Sky Entertainment Package with Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports 2 and Sky Movies 2, plus Sky Sports 3 as a bonus channel and Sky Sports Xtra as an additional channel - ?95

4 - Sky Entertainment Package with Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports 2, Sky Movies 1 and Sky Movies 2, plus these bonus channels: Sky Cinema, The Disney Channel, The Disney Channel + 1, Playhouse Disney, Toon Disney, Sky Sports 3 and Sky Sports Xtra as an additional channel - ?100

For more information, media should contact the ECB communications department on 0207 4321 200 or Sky Sports publicity on 0207 800 4254

[/font]

 

[Stephen Bailey]

From cricinfo:

Richard Caborn faces Commons inquiry

Minister will back ECB deal with Sky

Cricinfo staff

November 29, 2005

Opponents of the TV deal between BSkyB and the England board (ECB) have been dealt a blow in their bid to have the contract reviewed with news that Richard Caborn, the sports minister, will today defend the decision to sell the rights to the satellite broadcaster.

Caborn will state his case to a special inquiry being held by the House of Commons's culture, media and sport select committee into the contract which will mean that no cricket in the UK will be available on free-to-air TV for the next four years.

Lord MacLaurin, the ECB chairman at the time a so-called gentlemen's agreement was made with the government, will also give evidence. But Caborn will tell the committee that he is bound by the law and not informal arrangements. And David Brook, who has been leading the Keep Cricket Free campaign, will also be heard.

There will be some solace for the lobbyists, however. Caborn is likely to confirm that a review of the listed events will take place as part of the digital switchover starting in 2008. Test cricket in England was listed, which meant that it had to be on free-to-air TV, until the gentlemen's agreement.

But Brook will not be one of those appeased by Caborn's announcement. "We do not want cricket re-listed," he told the Guardian. "The solution we want is next summer's series against Pakistan to be on free to air on the BBC or Channel 4. They should pay Sky Sports an appropriate sum to compensate them.

"We are told, none the less, that it's a done deal, that to unravel it would cost millions. This is spin of a type that Ashley Giles could only dream of. There is plenty of precedent to change things, if there is public and political desire to do so and if there is a spirit of co-operation between the parties involved."

What David Brook says is absolutely correct. It's been mentioned several times but the Australian prime minister didn't put up with it when the Ashes were potentially only going to be pay tv. Sometimes I wish I was Australian!

 

[themuel1]

From cricinfo:



What David Brook says is absolutely correct. It's been mentioned several times but the Australian president didn't put up with it when the Ashes were potentially only going to be pay tv. Sometimes I wish I was Australian!

I know what you mean

 

[andrew_nixon]

What David Brook says is absolutely correct. It's been mentioned several times but the Australian president didn't put up with it when the Ashes were potentially only going to be pay tv. Sometimes I wish I was Australian!

Australian Prime Minister actually. They don't have a President, at least not until they get rid of the monarchy that is.

Something similar happened in the Republic of Ireland when Irish Rugby Union internationals were sold to pay TV. The Irish Prime Minister got all parties together to work out a deal where coverage was shared.

 

[Stephen Bailey]

Australian Prime Minister actually. They don't have a President, at least not until they get rid of the monarchy that is.

I have no idea why I said president!

Something similar happened in the Republic of Ireland when Irish Rugby Union internationals were sold to pay TV. The Irish Prime Minister got all parties together to work out a deal where coverage was shared.

Are we really so incompetent in this country that we can't sort things out? There is never any agreement, or atleast that's the way it seems.

 

[Sureshot]

Don't say Ireland is part of this country Stevie, an Irishmen will bite your head off.

 

[aussie1st]

From cricinfo:



What David Brook says is absolutely correct. It's been mentioned several times but the Australian prime minister didn't put up with it when the Ashes were potentially only going to be pay tv. Sometimes I wish I was Australian!

Thats cause Howard loves his cricket. I don't know if thats the same for Blair.

 

[andrew_nixon]

Don't say Ireland is part of this country Stevie, an Irishmen will bite your head off.

Well part of it is......

 

[Skater]

Cricket fans will be in short supply again if kids don't accidentally find cricket while channel-hopping on a boring summer afternoon in July.

 

[andrew_nixon]

Thats cause Howard loves his cricket. I don't know if thats the same for Blair.

Blair loves any sport, especially when he can get some publicity from it.