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BBC bosses were today told to budget for a major bid to put home Ashes Tests back on free-to-air TV.
Former Football Association executive director David Davies, who led a review of listed events, said the corporation was expected to give a “higher priority” to broadcasting sporting clashes of national importance.
Asked whether the BBC should do more to win the rights to broadcast home Ashes, he said: “Do I think they should dig deep in their responsibility to protected events? Yes I do.”
He issued his warning after it was revealed that 39 BBC executives earn more than the Prime Minister, who is paid £194,000. Cricket fan Alan Simpson, Labour MP for Nottingham South, said: “It seems crazy that they can pay their top brass telephone number salaries and soap celebrities even more when they can't find the money for a serious bid for the Ashes.”
The panel led by Mr Davies also urged BSkyB and ESPN to consider broadcasting a small number of major events free-to-air. He said this would increase competition with the BBC, and other broadcasters, to show “crown jewel” sporting fixtures.
The panel revealed a proposed new lists of events which should be protected for free-to-air live coverage:
Cricket home Ashes Test matches.
Home and away qualifiers for the football World and European Cups (listed to respective home nations), and the Finals of these Cups.
The summer Olympics
The FA Cup Final (in England, Wales and Northern Ireland)
The whole of Wimbledon
The Grand National
The Open Golf Championship
The Rugby Union World Cup
Wales matches in the Six Nations.
The Scottish FA Cup (Scotland only).
Flat racing's showpiece, the Epsom Derby, the Winter Olympics and rugby league's Challenge Cup final would be axed from the live-showing list.
The panel said a B-list of events where highlights have to be shown free-to-air should be ditched. This list includes all cricket Test matches played in England, the Commonwealth Games, the World Athletics Championship, the Ryder Cup and the cricket world cup.
Sporting bodies have warned they could lose millions with the reforms to the protected list and are threatening legal action to block the shake-up.
Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw is expected to respond to the recommendations within the next two weeks.
A BBC spokesman said it welcomed the Davies Panel's recommendations.
* The Prime Minister today said he is on “very friendly” terms with Sun owner Rupert Murdoch. Gordon Brown said he has “a great deal of respect” for the media tycoon, above. His tabloid was embroiled in a row with No 10 this week over Mr Brown's letter to grieving mother Jacqui Janes. Mr Brown added: “I hope he has some respect for me.”
Reader views (1)
be truthful they are over egging it a bit this cricket is still a minority sport which we are not even good at, is that the same david davies who was a reporter on the telly ,my he's done well for himself
- Anon, leicestershire, 13/11/2009 15:50
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