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Keep Cricket Free Update

In 2008 the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) intend to negotiate the next television contract which will run from 2010 season. Since the ECB signed an exclusive contract with Sky, TV audiences have plummeted to around one sixth of those when cricket was shown free to air on Channel 4.

It is worth noting that cricket is the only major national sport in the United Kingdom to have totally sold out to pay TV. Football, rugby union, rugby league, golf, racing etc all insist that some of their major events are on free to air TV not least to inspire future generations to take up their sports. In Australia and India all home test matches must by law be made available on free to air TV. In the United Kingdom in 1999, Test Match cricket was removed from the list of the “Crown Jewels of Sport” which must be made available at a fair and reasonable price to free to air TV. The Government has agreed to review this list again but not until 2008/2009 when the new cricket television deal will already be signed and sealed.

There is currently an election for a new Chairman of the ECB. All first class counties and the MCC have a vote. In the first ballot announced in August, the two candidates Giles Clarke and Mike Soper tied with nine votes each with one abstention. A new election is to be held, with both original candidates standing and a strong possibility of a third, Lord Bill Morris joining the fray if he can get the necessary nominations from three counties. Ballot papers will be sent out on September 10th and the result will be announced on 25th September. Mike Soper has talked in interviews about the importance of restoring some live cricket to terrestrial TV even if this means receiving less money from the TV companies as he is confident that any shortfall can be made up by increased sponsorship revenue.

Three ways you can help Keep Cricket Free

Write, ring and email your County Cricket Club Chairman urging them to vote for a candidate for ECB Chairman who supports strong efforts to get some live cricket on free to air television
Write to your local Member of Parliament and ask them to sign House of Commons Early Day Motion number 2017 tabled by John Grogan MP. The motion reads as follows and has already been signed by 43 MPs of all parties.

That this House notes that since moving to Sky from Channel 4, viewing figures for Test Match cricket are currently around one sixth of the Channel 4 average; further notes the commitment of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to review all listed sporting events, including cricket, around 2008-09; and, in view of the fact that the England and Wales Cricket Board is seeking to negotiate a new television contract for the years beyond 2010 next summer, urges the Government to bring forward the review of the listed events legislation to autumn 2007 in order that the case for the re-listing of the main Test Match series of the summer can be properly considered.
Make a small donation to the ‘Keep Cricket Free Campaign’, C/O John Grogan MP, 58 Gowthorpe, Selby, YO8 4ET to enable us to continue to get the message across on behalf of all cricket fans.