World Cup Coverage

[AthleticoSpizz]

Despite FIFA and UEFA's best efforts

The World Cup will remain free-to-watch-for-all on terrestrial TV

They lost their appeal to maximi$e their assets by selling it off.

Just...as it should always be....it'll make sense to you all one day

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Have to say I'm very surprised and very chuffed that the Euro courts back this tbh

Fook you Blatter & Fook you Platini

[RedRum]

Could you imagine the outrage if everyone had to pay for sky sports to watch England?

[Super_horns]

A positive decisions in our favour by the EU for once some might say..

[LUX]

Could you imagine the outrage if everyone had to pay for sky sports to watch England?

we already do for the Ashes.

Plus I'd rather pay Sky than watch anything on ITV


#contrarylux

[6ft Kerplunk]

^ 'greed Lux. Imagine how terrible it would be if we actually got some knowledgeable indepth analysis at a World Cup.

[Magic Hat]

Could you imagine the outrage if everyone had to pay for sky sports to watch England?

we already do for the Ashes.

Plus I'd rather pay Sky than watch anything on ITV


#contrarylux

Can’t really expect a terrestrial channel to dedicate 25 days from 10 till 7 for the Ashes though. It’s the main reason to have Sky in the first place.

[6ft Kerplunk]

You can. BBC have BBC3 and BBC4 sat there doing nothing during the day.

[Magic Hat]

You can. BBC have BBC3 and BBC4 sat there doing nothing during the day.

Of course. Sorry I'd forgotten we've all gone digital. Sort it out BBC, so I don't have to pay for Sky.

[Wax Jacket]

If that England football team were on sky I'd cancel my subscription

[stealthpapes]

Could you imagine the outrage if everyone had to pay for sky sports to watch England?

we already do for the Ashes.

Plus I'd rather pay Sky than watch anything on ITV


#contrarylux

Can’t really expect a terrestrial channel to dedicate 25 days from 10 till 7 for the Ashes though. It’s the main reason to have Sky in the first place.

I thought C4 used to do it and I'm fairly sure I was off school and watching the Ashes in the early 90s on BBC2 (I actually think I saw that famous first Warne wicket 'live')

[Whore Jackie]

^ 'greed Lux. Imagine how terrible it would be if we actually got some knowledgeable indepth analysis at a World Cup.

Actually think that both BBC and ITV's pundit choice at the last World Cup / Euros did lead to some better analysis. Just a pity they don't use them domestically.

[Super_horns]

^ quote]

Actually think that both BBC and ITV's pundit choice at the last World Cup / Euros did lead to some better analysis. Just a pity they don't use them domestically.

The overseas based ones mainly...

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Can’t really expect a terrestrial channel to dedicate 25 days from 10 till 7 for the Ashes though. It’s the main reason to have Sky in the first place.

I thought C4 used to do it and I'm fairly sure I was off school and watching the Ashes in the early 90s on BBC2 (I actually think I saw that famous first Warne wicket 'live')

Yes, the ashes used to be live, every ball, on BBC2, certainly as far back as the mid 80s. In fact ever summer series was covered in full, along with the one-day internationals. They'd show a fair bit of live county cricket too - mainly the Sunday league, but also cup cricket.

[Ian Royal]

we already do for the Ashes.

Plus I'd rather pay Sky than watch anything on ITV


#contrarylux

Can’t really expect a terrestrial channel to dedicate 25 days from 10 till 7 for the Ashes though. It’s the main reason to have Sky in the first place.

I thought C4 used to do it and I'm fairly sure I was off school and watching the Ashes in the early 90s on BBC2 (I actually think I saw that famous first Warne wicket 'live')

Yep, used to love lazing infront of the Ashes of a summer

[Alexander Litvinenko]

Can’t really expect a terrestrial channel to dedicate 25 days from 10 till 7 for the Ashes though. It’s the main reason to have Sky in the first place.

I thought C4 used to do it and I'm fairly sure I was off school and watching the Ashes in the early 90s on BBC2 (I actually think I saw that famous first Warne wicket 'live')

Yes, the ashes used to be live, every ball, on BBC2, certainly as far back as the mid 80s. In fact ever summer series was covered in full, along with the one-day internationals. They'd show a fair bit of live county cricket too - mainly the Sunday league, but also cup cricket.

Except it wasn't "every ball" - you'd lose some for the news at lunchtime, and if play over-ran they'd cut it off unless it was really dramatic.

There isn't a free-to-air broadcaster who's prepared to dedicate the time needed without a break - and guarantee that coverage.

[bobbybottler]

Plus they (BBC2) were prone to cutting away from important passages of play to cover the 2.45 from Newton Abbot

[From Despair To Where?]

Plus they (BBC2) were prone to cutting away from important passages of play to cover the 2.45 from Newton Abbot

A small price to pay to not give money to that tax dodging Aussie scumbag.

Fond memories of Test Cricket on BBC2 in the 80's, the unbeatable Windies, the 81 and 85 Ashes Series, India 9 down, Kapil Dev smacking Eddie Hemmings for 4 consecutive 6's to save the follow on with the No11 promptly going 1st ball of the next over.

And who can forget the 2005 Ashes on Channel 4.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Except it wasn't "every ball" - you'd lose some for the news at lunchtime, and if play over-ran they'd cut it off unless it was really dramatic.

There isn't a free-to-air broadcaster who's prepared to dedicate the time needed without a break - and guarantee that coverage.

I think cutting off for the news etc was more about broadcasting rules (over being contractually obliged to show the news) rather than an unwillingness to show the full play.

If a station is prepared to clear the decks for a full day of broadcast, it makes little sense to suggest that seven hours of coverage is unacceptable, but they'd be fine with 6 hours and 45 minutes if they broke off for the news.


Either way, the implication that before sky came along test match coverage was limited is way off the mark.

[Alexander Litvinenko]

Except it wasn't "every ball" - you'd lose some for the news at lunchtime, and if play over-ran they'd cut it off unless it was really dramatic.

There isn't a free-to-air broadcaster who's prepared to dedicate the time needed without a break - and guarantee that coverage.

I think cutting off for the news etc was more about broadcasting rules (over being contractually obliged to show the news) rather than an unwillingness to show the full play.

If a station is prepared to clear the decks for a full day of broadcast, it makes little sense to suggest that seven hours of coverage is unacceptable, but they'd be fine with 6 hours and 45 minutes if they broke off for the news.


Either way, the implication that before sky came along test match coverage was limited is way off the mark.

I'm not saying it was limited - but it certainly had some restrictions, and it certainly wasn't "every ball".

And a free-to-air just isn't prepared to clear the decks for a full day of broadcast cricket - that's a simple fact. It doesn't suit them or their audience profiles.