Roger Mosey can suck my nipples

I subscribe to the BBC News/Sport email service – every day, or every week, they send you an email containing the top headlines from the categories you select. It helps you keep up to date with what’s going on. I’ve just received the latest BBC Sport email, from Director of Sport Roger Mosey. He spouts some bullshit about not reminiscing over the last year or making a bunch of resolutions, instead he looks forward with fervour as to what’s going to be on BBC Sport in 2006.

2006 will be one of our busiest ever years – with the Winter Olympics, the Commonwealth Games and the World Cup all on the BBC – and we’ll be offering you a greater range of sports coverage than at any point in the BBC’s history…

Let me end not with a New Year’s resolution – because we know what happens to those – but with some promises about your relationship with BBC Sport.

I think it’s been true in the past that the BBC hasn’t listened as much as it should, and it hasn’t been as accountable as it could have been to our audiences.

Too little too late Rog. Seriously, where was all this 6 months ago, when the question over who should have rights to English Test Cricket was being debated? Why did you not listen to all the debate then? Listen to the millions of people who are completely pissed off that it’s going to Sky? And fuck me if it’s even not too late to sort it out – you could still make a bid for the cricket and ensure that a national team competing in international competition remains on its own national media service.

But no. What do we get instead? Showjumping and curling. And maybe some highjump. Well gee if if I’m not just salivating in anticipation. What a load of cock. Sod you Rog. I’ve tested his promise in the newsletter to respond to every email he receives, by sending the following:

Dear Mr Mosey,

In response to your recent Sport newsletter, foretelling the wonder of BBC Sport in 2006, and in direct reference to your request for comments etc. I have one for you. I’ll frankly be very surprised if you don’t get many very similar emails to this effect.

Put simply – it is still not too late to acquire English Test Cricket for the BBC. I certainly appreciate it is not a simple issue, but I don’t see how you can possibly allow for coverage of one of England’s national sports teams go to Sky – a service that forces people who wish to watch to buy an expensive subscription. I already pay a license fee to use the BBC services, and frankly, I expect to see the sport I want to see on it. I couldn’t care less about football, or athletics – about the only sports I enjoy on television are rugby, snooker and cricket. So you have 2 out of 3 there.

It’s a disgrace that our national team, who are currently the 2nd best team in the world, who have just regained the Ashes after 20 odd years, do not earn a place on national television.

It is not too late. You can still get test cricket and be a national hero. Well maybe not, but you’d certainly be doing yourself a few favours.

I look forward to your reply,

Yours sincerely,
Matt Thornton

UPDATE: He replied…

Hi Matt

Thanks for writing. I wish it were that simple.

I’ve been doing this job for just over 4 months and the position I
inherited was that Sky had signed a four-year exclusive deal for live
test cricket on TV.

Since then we’ve done the following:
*Acquired the TV rights to the highlights of the Cricket World Cup -
which will bring more than 60 hours of cricket to BBC Television in
March/April 2007
*Said we’ll bid for TV rights next time round – subject to them being
value for money
*Added to our strong radio cricket portfolio

So with that, combined with our online services, we’re serious about
cricket; but to get live tests back on tv in the short term would need
the changing of an agreed commercial contract – and that, I suspect, is
unlikely.

Best wishes
Roger

But this is still a cop-out. It really is. He claims that a highlights programme and extra radio coverage will suffice until they get a chance to thinking about bidding again… when will that be… 2010? And what are the chances that the BBC will be able to afford it then? Absolutely fuck all. Nope, I think we have seen our last ever live test, heck maybe even any live cricket, on the BBC. Which is wrong. ALL wrong.

More info: Keep Cricket Free.