The Ashes part of television's 'crown jewels'?

The return of live Ashes coverage to terrestrial television after 2013 would cost the sport at least £120 million, English cricket officials will argue after a ten-month review of events reserved for free-to-air broadcasters. The ECB is expected to demand an independent economic impact study before the government adds the Ashes to the “crown jewels” list, writes Ashling O’Connor in the Times.

The ECB argues that protecting the Ashes would threaten its grassroots programme and future investment in the game because free-to-air broadcasters, which struggle to schedule five-day Test matches lasting up to 35 hours, would not pay as much for the rights. The sport’s governing body is also worried about the future of Test match cricket as a commercial product if pay-TV operators could buy only England’s less glamorous fixtures against opposition other than Australia.