Free-to-air TV coverage 'by 2015'

Domestic cricket could return to free-to-air television as early as the 2015 season, according to Surrey chief executive, Richard Gould.

Stung by news of falling participating numbers and a drop in the average number of spectators per game in the re-launched NatWest T20 Blast, the counties are keen to reverse an apparent decline in interest in the sport.

Something approaching a consensus has formed among the county chief executives who feel a return of some cricket on free-to-air television would help spark a revival.

"The highest priority of county chief executives at the moment is getting county cricket back in front of the pay-wall," Gould, who was recently on the shortlist for the CEO role of the ECB, told ESPNcricinfo.

"We need to get a domestic highlights package on free-to-air television as soon as possible. It would help promote and develop the game. We have looked at the contracts and we understand we can do that now."

Sky currently have an exclusive broadcast deal with the ECB up until the end of 2017 and an option to extend that until the end of 2019. While some other county chief executives feel that Sky would need to agree to any move to free-to-air and are nervous about speaking publically in case it irritates the broadcaster at a delicate time, Gould hopes that Sky understand the positive aspect of such a move.

"I would hope that all parties can benefit from this," Gould continued. "Sky have been hugely supportive of the game and they make take the view that seeing some cricket in front of the pay-wall acts as an advert for the excellent coverage they offer behind the pay-wall.

"Sky would retain first choice of the domestic games they show, but there is no reason why we could not put together a highlights show of five or six minutes per game from other matches and bundle them together.

"We need to get more out of the domestic game, and the T20 game in particular. Sky currently pays around £65 million a year for coverage which, to put it in perspective, is about the same amount as a club towards the bottom of the Premier League - a club like Burnley - receive from them each year. We are currently offering great value for money.

"At Surrey, we have been showing some cricket on our website for some time which has shown that there is an interest out there and it could be we progress with an on-line partner. But, in an ideal world, I think it would be preferable to find a partner to show it on television."

Sky insisted there had been no such discussion about the 2015 season and declined to confirm that they had taken the option to extend their deal up until the end of 2019.

While ESPNcricinfo understands that a similar deal was close to agreement ahead of the 2014 season, it is believed that the coverage would have remained on Sky but accessible through their free-to-air Pick channel.