BBC battles to save TMS after losing Sri Lanka radio rights
The BBC is desperately trying to keep its flagship Test Match Special
alive by moving stars of the radio show on to a new online app after losing all of England’s major overseas tours for the next two years.
Jonathan Agnew, Michael Vaughan and Phil Tufnell have been told to stay in the United Kingdom to record the show away from the commentary box as part of a fightback against TALKSPORT for the forthcoming tour of Sri Lanka.
Agnew and his colleagues are expected to pull together analysis from Sky Sports footage to make The Cricket Social while ball-by-ball coverage is provided by TALKSPORT. This will be the first time the BBC has not broadcast Test Match Special
since 2004-05, after being outbid.
“The majority of Test Match Special names will be in the UK,” a BBC spokeswoman confirmed. A statement added: “We will be building on our ever-popular online coverage, with the stars of Test Match Special presenting an interactive cricket show. The Cricket Social will broadcast on the BBC Sport website and app… this will complement the regular live text service and allow the audience to get directly involved in the coverage. The day’s action will then be rounded up in our TMS podcast with Jonathan Agnew and Michael Vaughan.”
Losing the international rights for the Sri Lanka, West Indies and South Africa series comes at a time when viewers and listeners are rapidly moving to tablets, phones and computers.
Barbara Slater, the director of BBC Sport, yesterday expressed concern as it emerged independent regulator Ofcom was considering whether rights for “Crown Jewel” television events, such as the Olympics, Wimbledon finals and the FA Cup final, should be adapted to reflect modern viewing habits.
She said: “Last year, which was a quieter year, the BBC were responsible for three per cent of the televised sport in the UK. That percentage translated to the highest percentage of viewership, which was 36 per cent. Imagine how much the impact of sport could be diminished if those viewing figures were dramatically reduced.”