MUFC1987 said:
I don't see how any Terrestrial Station can demand that the Test Matches be on Free to air TV. Channel 4 only cared about Cricket when it suited them. They wanted the home Tests as they knew people would watch, but which Broadcaster travelled around the World to Provide us Coverage? Sky.
Who cares about the Domestic game in England and gives us coverage of that, at least a couple of times a week during the summer? Sky. In comparison, I remember sitting up till about 12:30am last year to watch highlights of the C & G final on C4, only to see about 30 minutes of rogramming with about 20 minutes of actual cricket.
No terrestrial channel has demanded it be on FTA (free-to-air), they just believe the ECB's decision was a massive mistake.
Only Sky show the overseas and domestic competitions because only they have the capabilities of showing it and have the money to go with it, and the ECB is more than willing to take the money. You really think Channel 4 didn't care about cricket? Every year Channel 4 made a loss on it and they were still willing to put in a bid to show the second test series each summer with Sky showing the first. But no, the ECB "had" to take the money Sky was waving in front of them.
Sky's viewing figures have been appaling (200,000 is a number that has been heard a lot). For the first test against Sri Lanka, they struggled to break the 100,000 viewer mark. To put that in perspective, Channel 4 had more viewers for the Bangladesh series same time last year and Bangladesh aren't as good as Sri Lanka. I may have posted figures for the Bangladesh series somewhere in the thread previously.
MUFC1987 said:
In short, Sky care, it's what, ?25 a month to watch sky? That's hardly break the bank stuff is it?
Wrong. After the current online offer of Sky Sports/Sky Movies being free for six months if you order before the 31st July, it will cost you ?34 a month. That is disgraceful is you just want the sports or movies channels. However, the price you have to pay is irrelevant, cricket should be free-to-air and available to the young people who are going to make up the future of the sport in this country in say 10 years time. It is probably the second biggest sport in England at the moment since the rugby union team has gone downhill.
ste_mc_efc said:
ive signed, do you mind if i post the link on another forum or 2?
Feel free! (sorry!!)