How moronic can you get about online sports rights? This summer’s Ashes cricket series online, being held in Australia, has banned online video coverage of the much-anticipated battle between Australia and England, starting in Brisbane on November 23. The online shutdown applies not only to match play, but to post-match press conferences, player interviews and even interviews with fans.
It follows other such bans by Aussie leagues NRL and AFL, but earlier this year the Victorian Racing Council (VRC) relented after trying to ban online reporters from covering the Melbourne Cup.
Only the BBC website - under a commercial deal with Cricket Australia - will be allowed to webcast Ashes matchplay, press conferences or player interviews inside venues. Australian fans are likely to be blocked from the BBC content.
Ridiculous.