Free to air events

The former FA executive David Davies published his response to a review on ‘Free to air’ sports. The review was ordered by previous Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport, Andy Burnham, and a panel was commissioned to assess the events that really matter to society in the modern age and looking beyond the interests of any single sport. 

The panel recommended that the following high profile events should be protected for free-to-air live coverage: The Summer Olympic Games; FIFA World Cup Finals Tournament; UEFA European Football Championship Finals Tournament; The Grand National; The FA Cup Final (in England, Wales and Northern Ireland only); The Scottish FA Cup (in Scotland only); Home and away qualification matches in the FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Football Championships (listed in the Home Nation to which they relate); The All-England Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship; The Open Golf Championship; Cricket’s Home Ashes Test matches; The Rugby Union World Cup Tournament; and Wales matches in the Six Nations Rugby Championship (in Wales only).

The panel also concluded that if the Government chooses to continue listing events to ensure free-to-air broadcast coverage, there should be a single list of live events.  It has been suggested that the current second round of protected coverage of highlights is now insufficient and out-of-step in a multi-channel, digital and online world.

Sport England will be monitoring the Government’s response to the panel’s recommendation.