Credit: Thibault Penin on Unsplash.
Free TV Australia says Amazon Prime Video's acquisition of exclusive rights to the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup proves warnings raised at last week's Parliamentary Showcase about streaming giants threatening access to sport broadcasts.
The industry body says the deal underlines the urgent need for the government to update anti-siphoning rules to protect Australians' access to live and free sport.
The anti-siphoning scheme aims to promote the free availability to Australians of television coverage of events of national importance and cultural significance.
"Just three days after we told parliamentarians that streaming giants pose a real threat to universal free sport access for all Australians, Amazon has proven our point," said Free TV chief executive Bridget Fair.
"Amazon says it will be making this tournament available for free, but we all know with Amazon there's no such thing.
“Only a tiny minority of Australians are currently Amazon Prime subscribers. This is just a means to grow their subscriber base, acquire user data and upsell. This deal shows how quickly our major sporting events can be snapped up by global streaming platforms that have no obligation to provide universal access.
"The need to close the digital loophole in the anti-siphoning list is more urgent than ever. Global streaming companies are coming for our beloved national sports.
“We all know how this scenario plays out – offer the event for free until the competition is knocked out and then make everybody pay. Ultimately, Australians will be forced to pay to watch their national teams compete.
"This latest acquisition highlights a critical gap in the current anti-siphoning list – it only covers world cup cricket tournaments played in Australia or New Zealand, but not elsewhere. Our national team should be accessible to all Australians regardless of where they're playing.
"With families already struggling with cost-of-living pressures, we cannot allow access to our great sporting moments to depend on which subscription services Australians can afford. The anti-siphoning rules must be updated to ensure free access whether Australians choose to watch on broadcast television or free BVOD services."
Fair said the timing of the announcement, just days after Free TV's Parliamentary Showcase, demonstrated why the industry had invested in educating policymakers about these risks.
"Tuesday's showcase brought together network executives, on-air talent and political leaders to highlight how free television serves all Australians – including live and free sport that brings Australians together, no matter their post code or pay packet.
“This Amazon deal is exactly the scenario we warned about – and why urgent action is needed to protect free sport for future generations."
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.