Free-to-air Ashes decision delayed until 2013

The decision on whether the Ashes cricket test series should be granted protected status and screened on free-to-air TV has been delayed until 2013.

Last year, the Davies Report recommended adding the Ashes to its recommended list of protected sports. It also said that all England football World Cup or European Championships qualifying matches — home and away — should be available on free to air TV.

However, minister for sport Hugh Robertson said today the list of free-to-air sports would not be reviewed until the end of the Digital Switchover, due to conclude at the end of 2012.

"I fully support the principle of protecting major sports events for free-to-air coverage," said Robertson. "But with Digital Switchover concluding in 2012, this will result in the widespread availability of a significantly increased number of television channels, many of which will be free to air and reach the majority of viewers.

"Add to this the BBC's Strategy Review, which will cover sports rights, and the Ofcom Pay TV Review, and the broadcasting context for changing the position now is increasingly unclear.

"In the current economic climate I am also concerned not to take action which could adversely impact on sport, in particular at grassroots level. I have therefore decided to defer any review until 2013, when we will look at this again."

The England and Wales Cricket Board, which sold Sky the rights to screen the Ashes until 2013 after agreeing a £300m deal last year, is known to be very concerned about the future of the grassroots game if the Ashes was available on a free-to-air basis.