Behind a paywall

I didn’t bother to watch the second Rugby Union test between South Africa and the British and Irish Lions. By that, I mean I didn’t bother to watch a recording of the match because we’d been to a Big Family Celebration when the game was going on. Having abandoned the idea of avoiding the score and watching it ‘as live’, it was rather obvious that the Lions were doomed to lose. Let’s be honest: who wants to watch a game when you know your team has already lost?

I can’t help but think that the authorities have missed a trick by putting the Lions behind a paywall. I have this very old fashioned – outdated, indeed – opinion that major sporting events, like the Lions tours, should be available to everyone. Whilst the laws of rugby union are largely impenetrable and refereeing decisions are often a matter of opinion or choosing which, of many possible penalty decisions, to make, the power and intensity of the game can be an enthralling watch. The powers-that-be naturally decided that rather than getting the biggest possible audience for its prime ‘product’, they’d take the money from Sky TV and Talk Radio, meaning that those watching would be, by and large, existing rugby union supporters. Growing the game? Not even an afterthought.

Rugby Union is not alone. It’s northern cousin Rugby League sold its soul to pay TV decades ago. And so did golf, cricket and obviously the greediest sport of them all, football. Now we are left with highlights, often on minority channels. No wonder so many sports are suffering from falling numbers of participants.

I know we will never go back now that money is the tail that wags the sports dog. Yet we can still see how the nation is affected when it enjoys the collective experience of watching a game together. Some 31 million people watched the Euro 2020 final when England lost, of course, on a penalty shoot out to Italy. Even during these dark Covid times, I can imagine the effect on youngsters who want to get out there and try to be Harry Kane or Jack Grealish. (I’d want to be Jack Grealish, good looking bastard that he is.) Not just that, but many of the players have become genuine role models, showing what can be done by way of hard work and ability. They were the very best of us.

Our British and Irish Lions appear to be the best of us too but we are denied their presence on our TVs as of right. Instead, this legendary tour is played out not in front of millions but in hundreds of thousands, just like test cricket. It’s not an argument I am going to win since it’s already been lost.

I might tune in for the third and final test next week and I wish we could all do so. But then again, I might not, if I get a better offer (meeting up with family and friends, the pub, that kind of thing).

At the ‘do’ I was at yesterday, I discreetly checked the Lions score from time to time. No one really cared and one person, who is normally an avid sports viewer, asked of the Lions, ‘Oh, who are they playing?’ That’s not how it should be, is it? When the Lions are playing we should all know about it and we should all have the chance to watch it.

It’s a broken record, but I’m going to keep on playing it. Give us back our sports, Messrs Rich Bastard TV Companies. You might have the money but it’s our sport.