Winter Olympics recommended for removal from list of 'crown jewels'
THE WINTER Olympics looks set to be dropped from free-to-air coverage following a recommendation to the Department of Culture Media and Sport published today.
UP IN THE AIR: The Winter Olympics expected to be removed from the 'crown jewels' list of sporting events protected for free-to-air coverage
While a number of high profile events, most notably the Ashes, have been recommended for addition to the current list of ‘crown jewels' - the sporting events protected for free-to-air broadcasting - the review panel made a clear distinction between the Summer and Winter Games.
The panel, led by former FA executive director David Davies, included the Summer Olympics on their recommended list, while the previous list did not make the distinction between the two events, and simply protected ‘the Olympic Games'.
It is a decision that has not gone down well at the British Olympic Association with chief executive Andy Hunt pointing to the approximately six million viewers, who tuned into the BBC to watch Great Britain's female curlers capture gold at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.
"We believe it is imperative that Winter Olympic sportsmen and women have the same opportunity as their summer sport counterparts," said Hunt.
"Take the success of Great Britain's female curlers at the Salt Lake City 2002 Olympics, which attracted a late-night audience of approximately six million free-to-air television viewers in the UK.
"We believe that the Winter Olympics are a pre-eminent international sport event, and, as the curlers proved in 2002, capable of commanding a large television audience which is just of significance to those who ordinarily follow the relevant sport."
The previous list was split into two categories - events which had their full live coverage protected and those that had only highlights on free-to-air broadcast channels protected.
The panel recommended that the B list be scrapped however, ensuring the Commonwealth Games and the World Athletics Championships would receive no protection.
The entire Wimbledon fortnight has been recommended for full free-to-air coverage, whereas previously, only the finals were on the A list, while the Epsom Derby and the Rugby League Challenge Cup final also look set to be removed from the list.
The next Winter Olympics is scheduled for next February in Vancouver, with approximately 40-50 British athletes expected to attend.
Last time out, at Turin 2006 - which was broadcast on the BBC - Great Britain captured a solitary silver medal, courtesy of skeleton slider Shelley Rudman.
But a clear distinction has been made between the Summer and Winter Games, after then DCMS secretary of state Andy Burnham ordered a review of the crown jewels list in December 2008, after the success of the Beijing Olympics.
He said: "The broadcast of big sports events get young people inspired by sport, driving sports participation and the creation of the next generation of sports stars.
"The sale of TV rights helps fund grassroots sport, so we need to get the balance right."
In 1984, more than 24 million free-to-air television viewers tuned in to watch Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean clinch Olympic figure skating gold in Sarajevo.
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Comments
Outraged
This is just wrong. So annoyed! We have some great athletes, proudly flying our flag in both forms of the Olympics, we should be given the opportunity to see them, support them and be proud of their pride. This should be an open access - anyone should have the ability to view in any form of media, free of charge. Any Olympics should be crown jewels.
Winter Olympics - Must Remain Free to AIr
What a waste of excellent sport and sportsmanship.
1 Whilst there are a number of satellite providers many TV viewers still use only terrestrial or at best free view television. The pleasure they get from sports they occasionally, or previously, enjoyed themselves will be removed by a panel that did so without any consultation of these viewers.
2 All those who have dedicated their passion, energy and dedication for many years to achieve such fantastic standards will not receive the public recognition / honour they deserve in representing their respective countries.
3 Removing this major event will also limit the interest of potential future athletes limiting the sport(s) in future years.
4 “Downgrading” this sport is as clever a decision as selling off school playing fields and reducing PE on the sports curriculum leaving us now with a potential future obesity explosion with all the costs in human life and NHS funds that this entails. We should be presenting as many forms of physical exercise and sport as possible to encourage physical activity and the development of future athletes.
Winter Olympics - what a disgrace!
And I thought that sport was something to be recognised and rewarded in this country - how wrong I am. Has the question been asked of the general public as to how they feel about the winter games were removed from free to air tv? It's absolutely ridiculous. I come from a very sports orientated family including my grandma who lives in an old folks who loves to watch every kind of sport. What happens to the the dreams and aspirations of our children who are only exposed to the likes of tennis, field and track etc. when there is such a huge variation of sports out there for them to try - yes INCLUDING winter sports. For me, it's a welcome relief to watch something totally different and see the skills involved. Why shouldn't our winter athletes get the same recognition as their summer counterparts - it's a complete nonesense. Action must be taken to stop this now.
Winter Olympics and free-to-air
This decision will do serious damage to Winter Olympics sports in the UK. We in Rotherham Investment & Development Office are particularly supporting Kristan Bromley, Shelley Rudman and Nicola Minichiello, as we have seen the massive effort they put into the sport and the superb backing from Bromley Technologies, on Rotherham's Advanced Manufacturing Park. To see the athletes' talents and the British technology that helps them perform so well disappear into the black hold of paid-for satellite channels would be a total waste.
Winter Olympics must remain Free-to-Air
The Olympics, be it Summer or Winter, has always been about inclusiveness. It is a world event and should therefore be accessible to as many people of the world as possible. By putting the Winter Games on pay-platforms people are automatically being excluded, which goes against the ethos of the Games and sport as a whole.
Shocking? Malicious!
I was flabbergasted when I came across this article! Born and raised in the US, I feel like the Olympics (summer AND winter) are such a part of our culture that it seems unimaginable that the general public won't have easy access to watch. I mean, isn't that part of the spirit of the Olympics? I can't believe the Winter Games won't be treated with the same respect and prestige as the Summer Games.
Winter Olympics Free air to air
Why do the winter athletes always appear to get the raw deal? All our athletes should be praised and recognised for their achievements and the government 'sings from the roof tops' about all our athletes. We are at last loosing that 'it's fine to loose' attitude and our athletes and Armed forces are starting to create a level of national pride. The Winter sports athletes have their greatest opportunity for medals at the next Winter games and at last raise awareness with the British public, that against all odds we are now growing into one of the worlds top winter sports nations. Commercial gain or British pride and recognition of the athletes in our winter sports? They sacrifice so much for very little reward and recognition. They are athletes and should stand beside their Summer Olympic colleagues. In the last 4 years we have secured an Olympic Silver medal in Skeleton with Shelley Rudman, a World championship and world record history making triple crown in 2008 with Kristan Bromley and a World Champion in the woman's 2 woman Bobsleigh last season, another long awaited result and Zoe Gillings in Snowboarding rising through the ranks. The guys get 1.5% of the overall support given to the Summer Olympics. If we invest in our people, show some pride and ownership and let them start to raise the British pride, which is lacking, we will grow to become a country with a winning mentality, like our commonwealth partners the Australian. Don't shut the door on out British Ambassadors
Shocking decision. The
Shocking decision. The Winter Olympics are just as prestigious as the summer Games and should be free-to-air
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