Hugh Robertson, the sports and Olympics minister, has revealed that a decision on sport’s listed events will be deferred until the end of the digital switchover process in 2012.
An independent review, headed by the former Football Association executive director David Davies, had recommended in November 2009 that the Ashes cricket series return to free-to-air television, along with England’s World Cup home and away qualification matches, the Open golf championship, Wimbledon and the Rugby World Cup.
But today, at a London briefing on the listed events, Robertson said: “I fully support the principle of protecting major sports events for free-to-air coverage.
“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.
“Add to this the BBC’s strategy review, which will cover sports rights, and the Ofcom pay TV review, and the broadcasting context for this decision is increasingly unclear.”
Robertson, who stated his opposition to the Davies recommendations before becoming a minister two months ago, believes the cost of a second review now could not be justified if another had to take place in two or three years’ time.
He added: “The current economic climate also points to us not making a decision at this time which could adversely impact on sport at the grassroots. I have therefore decided to defer any review until 2013, when we will look at this again.”
Today’s announcement means the current list, drawn up in 1998, will remain in force. That will be welcomed by sports governing bodies, many of which were vehemently opposed to Davies’s recommendations, which the previous Labour government had provisionally endorsed.
The status quo comprises two categories of protected events. Group A – the so-called “crown jewels” which must appear on free-to-air TV – are: the Olympic Games, the World Cup, the European Championships, the FA Cup final, the Scottish Cup final, the Grand National, the Wimbledon tennis finals, the Rugby World Cup final, the Derby and the rugby league Challenge Cup final.
Group B events must be shown at least in highlights form on free-to-air television. They are: cricket Test matches played in England, non-finals play at Wimbledon, Rugby World Cup matches outside the final, Six Nations matches involving home countries, the Commonwealth Games, the World Athletics Championships, the Cricket World Cup final, semi-final and matches involving the home nation teams, the Ryder Cup and golf’s Open Championship.
As well as making additions to Group A, Davies had recommended abolishing Group B entirely.