KEIGHLEY MP John Grogan is spearheading a campaign for more World Cup matches to be broadcast on TV for free.

He this month tabled a motion in Parliament calling for matches in all future cricket World Cups and Women’s Football World Cup to be added to the list of events which by law must be offered to ‘free to air’ TV.

The motion was backed by members of the Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrats and Scottish National Party.

Speaking in the House of Commons he expressed MPs’ delight that at its peak 7.9 million people watched the final of the cricket World Cup on Channel 4 and Sky, and that coverage of the Women's Football World Cup Finals on BBC TV attracted audiences of over 11 million.

He said. “This house considers that these events will have inspired a generation of girls and boys across the land, and further considers that action should be taken now to ensure that future major world cups should be available to live to all.”

Mr Grogan noted that 18 of the matches in the Cricket World Cup were available free to air in Australia but only the final could be seen in the host country.

Mr Grogan said such events should be listed, not least because of the substantial amounts of public funding which had gone into supporting cricket over the decades.

Mr Grogan added: “This house notes that the Wimbledon Men's Final, which is a listed event, attracted a peak of 9.6 million viewers which shows the value to bringing the nation together for events year after year.”

Mr Grogan tabled the motion because in recent weeks he has talked with children and young people in the constituency.

He said: “At Ilkley Football Club the Women’s and Girls’ teams were full of excitement at the action from the World Cup in France.

“The other visit was to a local primary school in Keighley during the early rounds of the cricket World Cup. Very few of the children appeared to know that it was taking place and many had not heard of Yorkshire players like Joe Root.

“It is sad that the Open Golf Championship is again hidden away on subscription TV. The Sport’s Governing Body the R&A has just extended Sky’s contract for the Open until 2025.

“Just like cricket, TV audiences have as a result plummeted for golf, and participation in the sport is declining.

“It is surely time for the Government to review the listed events and I am pleased that there is support for this from Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Tom Watson.

“The Secretary of State for Media, Culture and Sport, Jeremy Wright, has also said that the governing body should put more of the great sporting events on free to air TV.

“In reality the only way this is likely to happen, beyond the odd public relations gesture, is if the law is amended and the listed events are expanded.”