Election Set To Postpone TV Decision
Plans to revise the list of free-to-air television sporting events have been put on hold because of the 6th May election.
The Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) had been set to make a decision on which sporting events would make the list in June this year.
Events such as the home Ashes Test series and Wimbledon were set to be discussed but the DCMS said: ‘There will be no announcement in advance of the election.’
David Davies, former chief of the Football Association was set to head the review panel set up by the DCMS, which then recommends what sports should be added to or dropped from the list of special status events.
England’s football tournament qualifying matches, golf’s Open Championship and the Rugby World Cup were among the proposals to be included in the free-to-air list but the Epsom Derby and the Winter Olympics were set to be omitted.
The England and Wales Cricket Board recently announced its strong disagreement at proposals that the Ashes could be included in the free-to-air list as it claims the income it generates from current TV deals benefits the game through to grassroots level.
The Conservatives Party has said it would back the ECB if it won power in the forthcoming election.
