UK Terrestrial Coverage of WC 03

[Neil Pickup]

Sky requests Cricket World Cup rights
20:40 GMT, Friday 29th November 2002 -- by James Welsh
Sky has asked the Independent Television Commission for the live and exclusive broadcasting rights to the 2003 Cricket World Cup, the Commission announced today.

Parts of the event - namely, the matches involving teams from the home nations, the semi-finals and the final - fall under the ITC's 'Group B' for listed events. Group B rules permit a satellite channel to broadcast exclusive live coverage if highlights or deferred coverage are available on a national free-to-air channel, such as BBC1, BBC2, ITV1 or Channel 4 - or if the channels have been "given a genuine opportunity" to broadcast such programmes.

The ITC says that as far as it knows, none of those broadcasters is interested in broadcasting highlights or deferred coverage - and therefore, since the opportunity was given - in principle, Sky may broadcast the event live and exclusively.

Noooooooooo!!!!

 

[Rik]

It's because Ch4 bought the rights and can't be bothered to show the match as it might interfear with their late night programs. Looks like we're stuck with highlights again...if that...

 

[Neil Pickup]

The ITC says that as far as it knows, none of those broadcasters is interested in broadcasting highlights or deferred coverage - and therefore, since the opportunity was given - in principle, Sky may broadcast the event live and exclusively.

Looks like No Highlights either to me.

 

[Gotchya]

Poor souls....how can they do this ? thats very very odd.

 

[Orin]

You guys are lucky. No coverage will b shown in Guyana. I have to buy a cable satalite.

 

[Neil Pickup]

You guys are lucky. No coverage will b shown in Guyana. I have to buy a cable satalite.

How are we lucky? We have no coverage!

 

[Orin]

Oh well sorry mate. It's the same rights problem our stations are having here also.

 

[V Reddy]

Lucky here that when Cricket is coming there is not a problem . Cricket is given a special treatment. Almost every International match is telecasted here. And some times the highlights of County Cricket and Pura Cup. Very Lucky:P

 

[Rik]

Lucky here that when Cricket is coming there is not a problem . Cricket is given a special treatment. Almost every International match is telecasted here. And some times the highlights of County Cricket and Pura Cup. Very Lucky:P

I live in England and we don't even get any highlights of County Cricket...great way of bringing awareness of Cricket up in England eh?

 

[Orin]

I live in England and we don't even get any highlights of County Cricket...great way of bringing awareness of Cricket up in England eh?

Thats a little harsh.

 

[Rik]

Thats a little harsh.

Thank Sky. Also they nick the 2nd Test of every summer from us.

 

[Rich2001]

I live in England and we don't even get any highlights of County Cricket...great way of bringing awareness of Cricket up in England eh?

Thats a little harsh.

It is but it's one huge cricle.

On one hand the national sport is Football and cricket isn't watched / played by enough people to warrent millions of pounds being spent on to get it bought to the viewers.....

But if cricket is never shown on TV how will people ever learn about it and want to get more involded etc

I think Channel 4 needs to try and get hold of a few One Day games to try and get tempt viewers to watch... I mean Test cricket is great for us lot, we understand and respect the battles... and only seeing 70 runs in a morning could be just as enjoyable as seeing 150. But the general view is big hitting is better and that's why we now have the 20/20 cup next season.

 

[Rik]

But the general view is big hitting is better and that's why we now have the 20/20 cup next season.

But it will probably only be showed on Sky. In England we don't have any non-pay-per-view channels to show it on. Ch4 are more interisted in their other programs and rarely show full matches, and Highlights on at odd times.

 

[marc71178]

Thank Sky. Also they nick the 2nd Test of every summer from us.

That was the only way Channel 4 could get it, by teaming up.

 

[Rik]

That was the only way Channel 4 could get it, by teaming up.

Shows what the world's coming to doesn't it? Bill Gates owns all the computers and Merdoch all the TV...

 

[Langeveldt]

QUOTE]It's because Ch4 bought the rights and can't be bothered to show the match as it might interfear with their late night programs. Looks like we're stuck with highlights again...if that...[/QUOTE]



Yeh and the highlights program from C4 is a weird one.

Hardly any action, some odd film clips and Mark Nicholas grooming himself, then the Ad break. In between they have to fit a match in![

 

[Rik]

QUOTE]It's because Ch4 bought the rights and can't be bothered to show the match as it might interfear with their late night programs. Looks like we're stuck with highlights again...if that...

Yeh and the highlights program from C4 is a weird one.

Hardly any action, some odd film clips and Mark Nicholas grooming himself, then the Ad break. In between they have to fit a match in![ [/QUOTE]

Your telling me! It's mostly talking and barely any action! The Natwest Final was appauling...loads of talking and the matchwinning stand being shown as quickly as possible with ill-fitting background music...