Free Ashes will cost ECB millions

If the government goes ahead with plans to make sports events like The Ashes available for all to see on terrestrial television as part of the so called “Crown Jewels” plan, it could mean the collapse of cricket in the UK.

For a few years now the English Cricket Board (ECB) has enjoyed the benefits of a multi million pound deal with the satellite sports provider Sky Sports.

However, if any future deals between the ECB and the Sky Sports were to be banned, this could mean massive losses for the sport.

In fact, according to the ECB, moving The Ashes to the BBC would cost the sport around £138 million over a four year period.

These losses could mean top players leaving the UK to seek out big money deals abroad.