Yorkshire back ECB over TV stance

Colin Graves stressed: The repercussions for our club and for cricket in general could be disastrous"

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Yorkshire chairman Colin Graves has echoed ECB chief executive David Collier’s concern over the recommendation that home Ashes Tests be reserved for free-to-air television.

An independent panel chaired by David Davies today proposed home series between England and Australia from 2016 be returned to the Government’s list of ‘crown jewel’ sporting events.

That would preclude pay-TV broadcasters such as BSkyB, who currently own the rights, from screening matches exclusively to subscribers.

Sky last year paid £220million to renew their exclusive arrangement with the ECB to show live home Tests until the end of 2013.

The ECB now fear being forced to sell only to free-to-air broadcasters would lead to a damaging drop in revenue, which it claims will have a "disastrous" effect for the counties.

Graves is urging Ben Bradshaw, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, to reject the recommendation.

“As a club we fully support the ECB’s response to the Davies report,” he said.

“It is essential for cricket that a competitive bidding process remains, particularly as terrestrial television companies have openly stated that they have no real interest in broadcasting cricket and would be reluctant to pay for these rights.

“The repercussions for our club and for cricket in general could be disastrous.

“The Prime Minister has stated that the next decade will be a golden era for British Sport, but if the Davies report panel’s recommendation is accepted by the Secretary of State it could have precisely the opposite effect for cricket.”