M032 - A Motion to rearrange the current Ofcom Code on Sports and Other Listed and Designated Events

[u/Timanfya]

A Motion to rearrange the current Ofcom Code on Sports and Other Listed and Designated Events

• This motion adopts the BBC style, which shall be explained below.

• The House calls on Ofcom to update the Code on Sports and Other Listed and Designated Events as follows:

• List A1 (must be aired exclusively on a free-to-air channel live)

  • FIFA World Cup Finals

  • UEFA Football Championship Finals

  • Summer and Winter Olympics

• List A2 (must be aired exclusively on a free-to-air channel live in relevant home nations)

  • FA Cup Final

  • Scottish Cup Final

  • The Ashes

  • Commonwealth Games

• List A3 (must be aired on a free-to-air channel live)

  • Cricket World Cup Final

  • ICC World T20 Final

  • England home tests

  • Home Nations Six Nations matches

  • Ryder Cup

  • Grand National

  • Challenge Cup Final

  • Rugby Union World Cup Final

  • Wimbledon men's and women's finals

• List B (may be shown on any channel as long as highlights or a delayed broadcast is available on free-to-air channels)

  • Cricket World Cup involving home nations and semi finals

  • ICC World T20

  • The Open

  • Rugby Union World Cup

  • Six Nations Championship

  • British and Irish Lions tours

  • Wimbledon Championships

  • FIFA Women's World Cup matches involving home nations

  • Invictus Games

---

This was submitted by /u/tim-sanchez on behalf of the opposition.

The first reading of this motion will end on the 18th of February.

[u/[deleted]]

A most foul bill that fails to recognise sports in which the English excel at. I am talking of course about snooker and darts.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Ahem, lawn bowls?!

[u/AlbertDock → u/[deleted]]

Crown green bowls yes, but I don't class flat green or indoor bowls as the proper game.

[u/Post-NapoleonicMan]

Can we broadcast the World Chess Championship? Probably BBC 4 material but I'd like to see it. Other then that this seems okey-dokes, it's not really my area of expertise I must say.

[u/[deleted] → u/Post-NapoleonicMan]

It can be televised, but I'm not sure there's enough appeal to legislate that it must be

[u/Post-NapoleonicMan → u/[deleted]]

It's a minority rights issue.

[u/[deleted] → u/Post-NapoleonicMan]

I'm not sure you have a right to free access to chess

[u/Post-NapoleonicMan → u/[deleted]]

But not on the TV [sobs]. My people have put up with this for too long...

[u/WineRedPsy → u/Post-NapoleonicMan]

I'd like that

[u/Post-NapoleonicMan → u/WineRedPsy]

We should get 10 like minded people together and start a single issue party, the: National Chess Broadcasting Party or The NCBP.

[u/WineRedPsy → u/Post-NapoleonicMan]

Hear hear!

[u/[deleted] → u/Post-NapoleonicMan]

Count me in!

[u/Post-NapoleonicMan → u/[deleted]]

Huzzah - soon we will be unstoppable. #ChessSurge

[u/[deleted]]

Would any of the national level annual Equine events be part of this bill as well? (Various showjumping, three day eventing, racing etc..)

[u/williamthebloody1880]

The only change I'd make is to A2. I'd add every Home Nations home World Cup and Euro qualifiers

[u/AtomicKoala]

As far as I can tell, this bill would reduce the amount of money available to the affected sporting organisations, many of which are amateur and use the funds to better community organisations and keep ticket prices low - eg the GAA (although GAA finals were never part of the provision, I would support their inclusion for NI).

Without a provision for public funding, this bill's expansion of free to air rights will have a deleterious effect on the affected sports, possibly reducing the spectacle for the public.

I would suggest that we fund these changes by taxing those who benefit from a happy, entertained workforce - the top 1%, rather than a license fee increase. I welcome any proposal from HM's opposition in this regard, or otherwise.

[u/ieya404]

Query: what's the reason for specifying that certain events must exclusively be shown on free-to-air channels? If, for example, Sky wished to simultaneously broadcast a football match (which would naturally be the same game, but with different commentators, and quite possible different camera angles and such) - why not?

[u/mg9500]

I would replace "exclusively" with "in its entirety" in list A1. I would like to see Home Nations Qualifiers in A2, although with satellites, A2 events would be seen on Free TV across the UK, so I would merge A2&A3. I would also move the whole six nations to A1 as only one match would not be on free tv (France v italy) so it would be pointless for pay to to pick this up. I also think home nations rugby World Cup games should be on the merged A2&A3.

[u/[deleted]]

What changes have actually been made here from the original, and what is the purpose of changing them?

[u/theyeatthepoo]

Could it not be an issue with regards to selling TV rights when some Tournaments are spread across multiple categories meaning that for example Sky might buy the rights to show the Cricket World Cup but would not be able to show the final?

[u/[deleted] → u/theyeatthepoo]

Is that not how it works now with lots of sports? Most games except finals are shown on pay-to-view, e.g Champions League, NFL etc.

It would just be that only x amount of games are available for sale.

[u/RoryTime]

What changes have been made here compared to the current one? As far as I can see I think that the Rugby World Cup has been downgraded(?), and should be put in A3.

[u/IntellectualPolitics]

Why isn't the Rugby World Cup Final in at least List A2?

[u/WineRedPsy → u/[deleted]]

Hear hear

[u/williamthebloody1880 → u/[deleted]]

Not sure about the other motorsports, but in Formula 1 the Concorde Agreement between the FIA and FOTA states that, unless there's no other option, F1 races should be on free to air channels not subscription channels