YMCA gets a mention on 5Live!
During a discussion as to whether Ashes cricket should return to terrestrial television, ECB Chief Executive David Collier mentioned YMCA CC as a club that has benefitted from the Sky money when purchasing Golden Hill Sports Ground in 2008. The interview took place on Sunday mornings’s Sportsweek programme with Gary Richardson.
To hear the interview click on the link below…
[audio:http://www.goldenhillsports.com/sportsweek.mp3|titles=Sportsweek|artists=BBC Radio Five Live]
This is a very interesting debate. Initially I was completely in favour of as much cricket returning to free to air television as possible. However when you consider all the extra resources the ECB has been able to provide as a result of the increased television income it becomes very difficult to decide what is best for the sport.
Indeed Ed….as a Sky customer I get to see it anyway but for those without it I guess they would be for it returning to terestrial TV?? The question is at what cost though? the deal with the ECB was reported to be worth £300m which obviously benefits clubs such as ourselves through the grants/loans they can extend out of this income. Is grass roots funding more important to fund that than if people wish to pay a montlhy subscription to see it?
I am 100% in favour of ‘free to air’ broadcasting. A national sport such as cricket should not exclude the less well off.