If a Bermudian living here, even if they were a retired pensioner already struggling with medical and living expenses, wished to watch on TV Bermuda's appearance at the ICC Cricket World Cup, they would have to fork out at least $200 for the rights through one of the cable companies via a pay-per-view service.
Sad.
Here's an idea. Since everybody else is doing it, why don't we request an SDO or something to get Government to pay whatever fees there are to broadcast this free-of-cost? This matter is of national importance.
It shouldn't be up to the BCB, their goal is to put out a competitive team and further foster growth of the sport. Nor should I fault the company that bid for the packages and signed their deal with the cable company, that's the free-market process.
Where I'm thrown for a bit is the fact that Bermuda Broadcasting, which I think is affiliated with the CMC/CBU, didn't get first rights to this event (and secure some Government subsidizing), since they already have rights to televise the Olympics no matter that the other local TV media outlet is aligned with NBC who have their own deal with the Olympics.
Because the head of the company that secured the media rights is a Member of Parliament, there could be a conflict of interests arising if this matter was up for debate. I'm not sure. But you'd like to think that if the FIFA World Cup final or even the Rugby World Cup final could be broadcast on local TV the Cricket World Cup could be done so, even if it's just Bermuda's matches as well as the final.
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As a follow-up, Government has been asked to subsidize (they say, "sponsor") this by the company who bought the rights to broadcast the CWC. To this I say, "Hell no". Why should my tax dollars go to something that I then cannot watch free of cost? This is where my concern about conflicts of interest comes in. I believe that it will be granted without much debate and we the public will get fleeced.
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