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Root backs return of free-to-air cricket

Joe Root believes it is "important" that cricket in England returns, in part at least, to free-to-air broadcasters.

Joe Root grew up in the era of terrestrial television, and admits it helped him get hooked on cricket  •  BRUT Sport Style

Joe Root grew up in the era of terrestrial television, and admits it helped him get hooked on cricket  •  BRUT Sport Style

Joe Root believes it is "important" that cricket in England returns, in part at least, to free-to-air broadcasters.
Root, the new England Test captain, described himself as "very fortunate" to grow up in an era before cricket went behind a paywall. And he feels another generation of supporters can be inspired, just as he was, if some cricket can once again be broadcast free to air.
"I think it would be great to have it on terrestrial telly," Root said. "The more people we can get watching the game can only be good for it.
"I was very fortunate to be able to turn on Channel 4 in the morning and watch the cricket. There was the Cricket Show on before that. Then I would go down and watch Dad play at the club in the afternoon. The more opportunities we can give to kids - even if it is highlights packages - the better."
Root's comments come in light of Tom Harrison, the ECB chief executive, conceding that he would like some of the new-team T20 tournament - due to begin in 2020 - to be shown free to air. While the game in England and Wales has earned unprecedented wealth over the last decade, it has come at a cost. The relevance of the sport has diminished sharply, with recent research suggesting only two percent of children in England and Wales thought of it as their favourite sport. Another survey suggested more children recognised a wrestler than Alastair Cook, the England Test captain at the time.
Clearly, the thinking at the ECB has now changed. And while current plans suggest that no more than eight of the new-team matches will be broadcast free to air, and Root was keen to praise the service provided by the ECB's current broadcast partners, he concluded "you can't beat the fact that it is going to be available for everyone".
"The coverage we currently get is fantastic," Root said. "Sky have done a great job in the way they have gone about it. And if you watch what BT have done, they have been very good at doing things slightly differently but they have been entertaining as well. They continue to make it interesting to viewers.
"But you can't beat the fact that it is going to be available to everyone and not just those who are subscribing. It would be great to get more and more viewers and people watching the game.
"It doesn't need to be exclusive. But making sure people have access to cricket on a broad spectrum is important."
Root's sentiments were echoed by James Anderson. "I think it would be good for the game," he said. "Having seen the effect that the Big Bash has had in Australia being on free to air, I think that has certainly drummed up more interest in the game."
Joe Root and James Anderson were speaking on behalf of BRUT Sport Style, the new fragrance from men's grooming brand BRUT

George Dobell is a senior correspondent at ESPNcricinfo