17-03-2024, 08:48 PM
Being a "lovely company" doesn't come into it. I've said my piece on the Olympic deal and how I don't think it complies with the crown jewels rules, and I've little time for WB Discovery, but for me the blame lies in regulation not being enforced considering the "crown jewels" list specifies they are protected in their entirety.
On the flip side though with the 2026 expansion of the World Cup to 104 matches there is an argument the rules need relaxing on that - indeed potential an argument the BBC and ITV covering 52 matches each in a month isn't sustainable.
I think having 50% of all group and round of 32 and 16 matches FTA, including all featuring home nations and guaranteed first picks, then all matches from the QFs onwards protected might make practical sense. That should be extended to the Rugby World Cup too, where current just the final is protected.
With the Olympics full protection would be my ideal, but failing that every medal event and any session featuring GB participation. At the very least any medal event featuring Team GB should be protected.
As for the FA Cup the previous deal of nearly a decade had alternating first picks, which I think alternated by year, which is probably the fair compromise. As ITV have basically picked up the pay TV package yes Man Utd v Liverpool probably would have been on pay TV, but then Man City v Chelsea in the semi finals would likely have been FTA.
I would assume that would be the first pick for the BBC at the semi final stage but the potential of an upset in the other tie may be too much too resist.
On the flip side though with the 2026 expansion of the World Cup to 104 matches there is an argument the rules need relaxing on that - indeed potential an argument the BBC and ITV covering 52 matches each in a month isn't sustainable.
I think having 50% of all group and round of 32 and 16 matches FTA, including all featuring home nations and guaranteed first picks, then all matches from the QFs onwards protected might make practical sense. That should be extended to the Rugby World Cup too, where current just the final is protected.
With the Olympics full protection would be my ideal, but failing that every medal event and any session featuring GB participation. At the very least any medal event featuring Team GB should be protected.
As for the FA Cup the previous deal of nearly a decade had alternating first picks, which I think alternated by year, which is probably the fair compromise. As ITV have basically picked up the pay TV package yes Man Utd v Liverpool probably would have been on pay TV, but then Man City v Chelsea in the semi finals would likely have been FTA.
I would assume that would be the first pick for the BBC at the semi final stage but the potential of an upset in the other tie may be too much too resist.