Cricket coverage needs an innovative solution

THE article about Roly Scott’s inability to access visual cricket coverage raises a serious issue (ODT,

6.1.21).

Should not all New Zealand citizens have the right to view our national teams through freetoair transmission?

The Government needs to review this, although the funding of the codes involved needs to be resolved — partially by advertising?

New Zealand Cricket is between a rock and a hard place. Like many sports, it has lost players and needs funding for promotion and support of the game.

So does it stay with Sky — which has lost two major events (Rugby World Cup and cricket) recently to Spark Sport — or go for streaming via Spark which many will access on smartphones? Seemingly, Spark offered the better package.

Where to from here? Clearly, no media provider would agree to share coverage with a competitor. But why not? Two different media between them could offer NZ Cricket an attractive rights package and share the sportscasting — half the grounds each.

This would be an appropriate response in line with Jacinda

Ardern’s appeal to be kind to each other — a path straight between the rock and the hard place. Does the world have to return to the same old, same old postCovid?

Each audience gets its coverage, Spark sells its app, Sky subscribers get what they pay for and remain with

Sky, and NZ Cricket is well funded. David Moir

Caversham