How should the top matches be spread between paid for and free-to-air television?
All national matches should be on free-to-air channels is my personal view. I like the system in the UK where the BBC has access to highlights on Match of the Day, while subscription channels squabble over live matches. The only problem is that international matches are on subscription channels as well. But really, the choice should be up to the various football associations. If they want people to follow football, they should ensure that certain games are free. I do not see many people paying to watch matches with the current credit crunch, especially if it means having to subscribe to different TV channels. Cricket made a mistake in the UK when they sold out to Sky, especially as being on free-to-air television enabled loads of people to watch the Ashes winning series, and increased the popularity of Cricket. Since the swtich to channel five with its limited coverage, the number of the general population following the game has dropped, and that will mean less people being interested
