Record TV audience for 2nd Ashes Test

[King_Ponting]

and channel 7 slicing theirs.. How could seven honestly put dead beat shows like lost ahead of the ashes?

 

[luckyeddie]

and channel 7 slicing theirs.. How could seven honestly put dead beat shows like lost ahead of the ashes?

Last year, Channel 4 in the UK pulled the plug on the test match coverage (the hour added following a rain delay) to show a RE-RUN no less of a programme called Hollyoaks (something watched by adolescent schoolgirls, I'm told).

That was the moment, as far as I was concerned, they deserved to lose the rights to cover cricket in any way, shape or form.

It would be interesting to know what their (Channel 4) audience is on Saturday afternoons for the donkey racing compared to what it would be for the cricket. Perhaps they ought to consider shoving that out on to FilmFour on satellite instead.

 

[chalky]

To be fair to the ECB Sky probably put the best offer forward so in a business sence this is merely a business decision for them to make extra cash (if done right hopefully back into England cricket). Although if it is not available on free-to-air then it again it may be no point in putting money back into the grassroots level.

I think the deal was done by one of County Chairman. So you know where the money will go to be wasted by county chairman on Kolpak players or some overseas pro who comes over for two weeks What is in the counties interests is very rarely in English crickets interests look at how hard the ECB had to fight to get in central contracts, promotion & relegation whilst being obstructed all the way by the counties.

Just looking at it seems very shorsighted of the ECB to negotiate the TV deal before the Ashes. It seems obvious to me that viewing figures & attendances would be very high thus giving the ECB more barganing power when negotiating. Look at the situation now record viewing figures, record shirt sales front page media coverage surely the televison and sponsorship rights would be at their peak right now. Or perhaps they expected England to get thrashed thus wanted to do the deal before the Ashes.

My solution to the problem would be like you have in America for the major golf tournaments. The thursday & friday are covered by a cable company, and have the weekend (and monday) covered by terrestrial TV. You would still get most of the hardcore fans subscribing to Sky anyway and still give the rest of populationa access to cricket.

 

[luckyeddie]

Setting the record straight as far as the bidding war for coverage of cricket goes, Channel 4 were only interested in 'Cherry-picking' - some of the test series over forthcoming years attracted NO BIDS at all from terrestrial TV - and the BBC have baled out of cricket coverage anyway.

Sky's bid covers every ball of every single England ODI and Test Match home and away - says it all as far as commitment is concerned.

 

[chalky]

Setting the record straight as far as the bidding war for coverage of cricket goes, Channel 4 were only interested in 'Cherry-picking' - some of the test series over forthcoming years attracted NO BIDS at all from terrestrial TV - and the BBC have baled out of cricket coverage anyway.

Sky's bid covers every ball of every single England ODI and Test Match home and away - says it all as far as commitment is concerned.

I didn't realise that was the case I thought you had to bid for the rights for home tests over a period of 4 or 5 years.