Sky’s monopoly on Cricket – The Long Term Effects! (Plus general comments on Skys Cov

[Richard]

Unfortunately, no-one was interested in cricket - until, that is, a certain little urn took centre stage.

The gradual down-grading of cricket started in the 1990's when the 'crown jewels' status was lost

Late 1998 - and it wasn't "lost", Lord MacLaurin and Chris Smith placed a "gentleman's-agreement" in place that meant it was deemed no longer to be neccessary.
Sadly, the harsh realities of commerce do not allow for agreements between gentlemen.

 

[Richard]

I didn't know that. Wow, that is suprising. You would have thought Channel 4 would have made some effort at least....Do I sense a case them being in the huff? Saying that they have no reason to be as they should have stumped up the cash if they were that bothered.

No, they just haven't got anywhere near enough to come close to affording it.
Even C5 outbidded them in the 2006 bidding.

 

[Richard]

Sky deserve some praise for showing winter tours, much as I loved drifting in and out of sleep listening to Warne tie us in knots on TMS, you can't beat actually watching it. When was the last time terrestrial TV showed a winter tour, if ever (gen question)?

As far as I know the first time an overseas-tour was done BBB was 1990 in West Indies - Sky's first foray into cricket.

 

[Richard]

The Aus gov't, in one of the few correct decisions they've made, has legilslated that certain sports/events must be shown on free-to-air in the national interest. Fortunately, test cricket played on Aus soil is one of these.

Was the same here until August 1998.

 

[Richard]

We made the decision when our set-top box (which had never worked properly) finally died and refused to come out of 'stand by' mode. I said 'send me another, please' and they said something along the lines of 'Yoinks! That'll be 200 spondooliks then, kerchinggg!'. I mentioned that I'd had the full Sky package for about 14 years (I remember when there were just 16 channels - and 2 of them were naughty) and their attitude was disgusting, basically saying that if I was a new customer I could have one for nowt, but existing customers could spin on it.

So I spun - to the opposition.

You imagine NTL is taking Sky channels by piracy?
No - NTL gets them by paying Sky.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Incidentally, Sky are changing their cricket theme music...

Thanks to Yvette Thompson at Durham CCC for sending the following Sky press release on to me..

I quite liked Finished Symphony.

 

[Richard]

I think it's massively unfair to blame sky for anything, the amount of cricket they show is fantastic, the ECB put the rights to the TV coverage as low as they could go, but no terrestrial channel bid for them, why is that sky's fault?

As I've already said - C4 DID bid (albeit only half-heartedly) and if The ECB had been a bit more long-term in it's thinking - ie been a better-run organisation - I think they'd have accepted a much lower bid, realising that it was more likely to safeguard the long-term, rather than short-term, future.

It's a shame that they gave the rights away before the ashes, i reckon we might be in a different situation if the auction was done after.

I'm near enough certain we would have.

 

[Richard]

I assume sky have full rights to the World cup too then?

I'll be amazed if we see any World Cups on terrestrial TV in England until 2019.
Even then, that's not a gurantee.
The 2003 Cup was only on Sky, the 2007 one was always going to be the same, and there's no reason to assume 2011 or 2015 will be any different.

 

[Richard]

SKY SPORTS has selected one of cricket’s most recognisable tracks for its theme music this summer.

‘Dreadlock Holiday’ will be the soundtrack to Sky’s international and domestic cricket coverage for 2006 and will be heard for the first time this Sunday 23rd April, during Sky’s opening C&G Trophy match.

The song, which features the legendary lyric 'I don't like cricket, I love it, was written by Graham Gouldman and Eric Stewart and was released by their band 10cc in 1978, reaching number one in the UK chart.

Sky Sports has had the music re-recorded by and the lyrics amended to ‘We don’t like cricket, we love it’.

Six different versions of the music will be heard throughout the summer including a classical version for Test match coverage and a break beat version for domestic one-day competitions.

Paul Fuller, creative director for Sky Sports, said: “We at Sky Sports wanted a tune that was catchy, instantly recognisable and reinforced Sky Sports passion for all cricket. We don’t like cricket, we love it!”

The tune reinforces Sky’s on-air ‘We Love Cricket’ promotional campaign which promotes the breadth and pedigree of the broadcaster’s commitment to various levels of the game.

“We are delighted to give permission for this song to be used,” said Guy Moot, Managing Director, EMI Music Publishing. “It is one of those timeless classic songs that captures a spirit and mood and is synonymous with the country's summer game.”

This month Sky Sports begins the first of a new four-year ECB broadcast deal for international and domestic cricket.

At international level, coverage will include exclusively live, ball-by-ball, coverage of each of this summer’s England Test, One-Day and Twenty20 internationals against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Sky Sports will also show two women’s One-Day Internationals against India, and two England Under-19 One-Day Internationals against India.

Sky Sports will screen a record number of domestic matches exclusively live this summer with at least 60 games from the major domestic competitions. The first live match is this Sunday when Ireland make their televised debut in the C&G Trophy against holders Hampshire in Dublin.

The schedule includes eleven matches from the C&G Trophy, 14 matches plus the finals day from the Twenty20 Cup, 28 live fixtures and the final from the Pro40 plus two live games from the Liverpool Victoria County Championship.

Makes a change from Nas - Get Down and Stretch - Why Did You Do It? (Lock, Stock themetune)

 

[The Baconator]

I'll be amazed if we see any World Cups on terrestrial TV in England until 2019.
Even then, that's not a gurantee.
The 2003 Cup was only on Sky, the 2007 one was always going to be the same, and there's no reason to assume 2011 or 2015 will be any different.

Beeb's got highlights

 

[Richard]

Mind, I don't know how much help it'll really be.
Certainly much, much better than nothing, mind.

 

[Craig]

Oh and for the guy asking about costs....Sky is about £36 a month for the sports package. You cannot just have Sports alone and thats the minimum cost. I pay an extra £10 a month to have it in my room and on top of the Movies its £52 a month of which I pay £30

Thanks (that was me who asked).