World Cup and Euros will stay on free TV
World Cup and Euros will stay on free TVMajor sporting events will continue be screened on free-to-air TV in the UK, the European General Court (ECG) has ruled.
The decision, challenged by both Fifa and Uefa, allows the UK Government to classify both the European Championships and the World Cup as free-to-watch events, with both on a list of ‘protected’ events of national sporting importance.
Fife and Uefa had said that this decision would interfere with their ability to get the best price from the sale of television rights for the events, and argued that not all games at the events should have to be shown on free-to-view TV in the UK.
It said that home national matches featuring the Scottish, English, Welsh and Northern Irish teams (only England has qualified for a tournament in recent history) could continue to be screened for free, while the rest of the matches should be on offer to subscription based broadcasters for the best price.
The European Commission decided to dismiss both actions against the current freeview policy, which will be allowed to continue.
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Comments
On one level this is good news. On another you have to wonder what the Government is doing regulating what events should be free to view and what ones can be paid-for. In this day and age of smaller Government and a reduced State perhaps it is time to get Whitehall out of the business of setting TV schedules.
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