Rugby (Broadcasting)
The final item of business this morning is a members’ business debate on motion S3M-6642, in the name of Sarah Boyack, on the broadcasting black hole for Scottish rugby.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament notes Scotland’s commendable performance during the Six Nations tournament with a notable away win in Ireland; is disappointed that terrestrial broadcasters do not cover a broader range of rugby matches and tournaments at all playing levels; believes that more investment in the coverage of Scottish rugby is essential in order to promote sport in general to a wider audience, thereby increasing participation and health levels and to showcase the successes of Scotland’s rugby teams; notes the substantial contribution that rugby matches bring to the local Edinburgh economy, and would welcome efforts to ensure increased broadcast coverage of rugby in Scotland.
12:36
I thank the colleagues who have signed my motion. As we all know, members do not get this slot without cross-party support, and I am particularly pleased to have the support of colleagues from throughout Scotland. I hope that the fact that we are having the debate will send a message from Parliament and from the communities that we represent that we want better coverage of Scottish rugby on terrestrial television.
As Murrayfield is in my constituency, I take an interest in the sport, and I am impressed by the strong support for the game that is evidenced by the players and volunteers in local clubs and schools across the city. From the series of briefings that we have had over the years, it has been apparent that the sport has reorganised its governance structures and put in place plans for growth.
Rugby is a much loved sport in Scotland. The massive support for recognition for Bill McLaren certainly did not surprise me, and the way that the campaign grew on Facebook tells us something about the changing age profile of the sport.
In each of the past two years, MSPs have been involved in discussions about the development of schools rugby for boys and girls. Plans for growing the game to 38,000 participants this year from a base of 24,000 in 2006-07 were achieved, but without coverage it will be hard to inspire the next generation to get involved. Young people need to see their heroes, and they need to learn the craft of the game and their skills from watching the big matches. I know that the Scottish Youth Parliament is taking an interest in our debate today.
We have heard about plans to build on the sport in communities, and to introduce rugby into the Olympics with the re-entry of rugby sevens in 2012. During the next few years there will be one opportunity after another for international rugby events.
We are all signed up to greater participation in the sport, and I particularly welcome the Scottish Sports Association’s support for today’s debate in recognition of the health benefits that arise from wider sports participation. We have previously rehearsed in the chamber the importance of the sport financially, given that events at Murrayfield are worth nearly £130 million annually to the Scottish economy—£72.9 million to Edinburgh alone.
However, despite that positive backdrop, we still do not have consistent coverage on television outside the six nations championship. My motion calls for more investment in the broadcasting of Scottish rugby to ensure coverage of a broader range of rugby matches and tournaments at all levels.
This year we were able to watch the Scotland team’s fantastic performance in Argentina, but two years ago the same matches were not covered. There seems to be no logic in what is covered and what is not. Scottish Rugby describes the current position as one in which the sport is being deprived of the oxygen of national exposure.
We are unique among the home nations in our poor coverage. Wales and Ireland in particular have far superior coverage, especially given the size of their populations. Of course the game is bigger in Wales, but that should not mean that we have such a disproportionately smaller amount of coverage.
We have professional rugby clubs in Scotland, such as Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh. They have been doing well in the Magners league, but historically they have not been getting the coverage. It is not good enough to have only online news and radio coverage.
I am told by rugby fans at club level that the coverage that clubs get in England and Wales is having a dramatic and positive effect on grass-roots rugby. TV legitimates sporting events, provides the stimulus for growth and gives support throughout the country.
However, in Scotland, Murrayfield Wanderers Football Club reports:
“lack of coverage over major national and international matches is making it hard to recruit new supporters and players to the game”.
It wants to put on record that the matter
“is of great concern to supporters and clubs alike and is undermining the game at a community level.”
Broadcasting matters for the future development of the sport. We need growth at every level if we are to have the national teams that everyone will want to watch.
Scotland is now in its joint highest ever position of seventh in the world rankings following success in Argentina. We need to build on that because, over the next few years, rugby will be on the world stage more and more. We will have the challenges of the rugby world cup in 2011 in New Zealand, the London Olympics in 2012, the Glasgow Commonwealth games in 2014 and the world cup in England in 2015. In 2016, new competitors—Russia, Samoa and Georgia—will join the Olympic rugby competition.
More competitors are coming in every year. If we want to give our national team the best possible chance, we need to ensure that it gets the support and coverage it needs. If Scottish Rugby has to pay for TV coverage, that will mean vital resources being diverted from growing the community level of the game. It cannot be right that Scottish Rugby has had to pay for coverage of recent seasons of the International Rugby Board world series sevens to get the tournament broadcast.
However, things are moving and it is important that we acknowledge that. The BBC Alba deal that was struck earlier this month is a big step forward. It will mean that, for the next four years, there will be coverage of at least eight Glasgow or Edinburgh home matches per season. We will also see a more joined-up approach with Welsh and Irish public broadcasters. That must be built on because we are a long way from rugby getting the level of coverage that it should be able to expect in Scotland.
There is an opportunity to argue for a fairer deal through the BBC trust’s strategic review. Scottish Rugby is concerned that rugby in Scotland is being marginalised because of a lack of coverage. We need the kind of support that other sports get, so will the minister tell us what the Scottish Government will do to put its weight behind Scottish Rugby?
I hope that our national public broadcaster, the BBC, will sit up and listen to today’s debate. It has demonstrated through experience in Wales that there are innovative ways to bring games to the screen, particularly via the red button. We want to hear how that experience can be used to get better coverage in Scotland.
I thank colleagues for turning up today and look forward to hearing their comments and their support. I hope that, with support from across the Parliament, we can get better support for Scottish rugby so that our national team, which is doing really well, gets the support and development that it deserves in the future.
A large number of members wish to contribute to the debate, so I will need to stop speakers at four minutes.
12:43
I congratulate Sarah Boyack on securing the debate, which is relevant and topical, given the national team’s recent success in the test series against Argentina. That success was hardly reported during the dismal wall-to-wall coverage of the failed English national football team—indeed, Andy Murray only got a look-in once the England team was en route home.
It would be remiss of me not to recall, as Sarah Boyack did, the delightful, friendly and informed voice of the late Bill McLaren, who was famed for comments such as:
“To see a Borders rugby game is to witness the intensity, fervour, rivalry and spirit of the Scottish Borders”,
or my favourite:
“They’ll be dancing in the streets of Hawick tonight.”
The Borders has produced an abundance of national players: Roy Laidlaw, Gary Armstrong, Tony Stanger, John Rutherford, John Jeffrey, Jim Renwick, Gregor Townsend, Alan Tait and, indeed, Scotland’s greatest ever points scorer, Duncan Paterson—a Gala man. Forgive me, Presiding Officer, I will move on to media coverage in a moment. I promised to mention Jamie Hepburn’s father-in-law, Ian Shackleton, a Kelso man who played for Kelso and Melrose seconds. It all counts.
Those rugby successes happened despite minor coverage on terrestrial television. As we all know, much sporting coverage has been removed to pay-to-view and subscriber television channels, although the Department for Culture, Media and Sport at Westminster has its list of listed events, such as the Scottish Football Association cup, the open golf tournament and the rugby union world cup tournament.
I note that the Scottish Government’s submission to last year’s DCMS review of listed events recommended that the independent advisory panel
“should consider allowing the Governments of the devolved administrations ... powers to add or remove events for their nation”
and said:
“We strongly urge you to introduce such a mechanism, since it would allow Scotland in future to maintain a list more specifically relevant to Scottish citizens.”
I think that that would encompass rugby at various levels. I regret to say that I am not aware what the response to the Government’s submission was, but the issue is highly relevant to the debate.
There is good news about the playing of rugby throughout Scotland. I understand that, from 2006 to date, the number of those who participate in youth rugby has gone up from 15,000 to 25,000—a 64 per cent increase—and that there has been a 50 per cent increase in participation in adult rugby. On the minus side, rugby grounds are being lost and rugby clubs at all levels have very difficult finances because of the loss of fees and advertising at games, for example. Even in the Borders, where there is a strong rugby tradition—football hardly gets a look-in there—people are finding the finances difficult at various levels, notwithstanding rugby’s role and the fact that the Border league was the first rugby minor league to be set up in the world. The Scottish Rugby Union’s high debt and the redevelopment of Murrayfield are part of the reason why the Border Reivers were disbanded in March 2007. With better terrestrial coverage, fees and advertising at the grounds, which I have mentioned, would follow, and the money would trickle down to clubs at all levels.
People in the Borders rightly take their rugby seriously. Indeed, in 1983, when the victorious French donated their Melrose sevens medals to local lassies as a token of affection—that is very French—there was uproar among Borderers, as they regarded a Melrose sevens winner’s medal as the next best thing to a Scottish cup.
I say in praise of rugby that it is one of the few games at which a person can sit beside opposition fans and applaud good play by whomever, even if England is beating Scotland.
12:46
I congratulate Sarah Boyack on lodging the motion and apologise to members, as I may have to leave during the debate: I have another meeting to attend.
In her maiden speech in another place, a colleague of ours, Margaret Curran, observed that paradise is in her constituency. She was responding to a Tory MP who claimed that his rural constituency is paradise on earth. She was, of course, referring to Celtic Park. For Scottish rugby fans, paradise must be taking on England at Murrayfield and winning the Calcutta cup or, better still, winning at Twickenham.
I speak as a football supporter who is an east end paradise season ticket holder. Nevertheless, I am proud of and delighted by Scotland’s ranking as seventh in the world in the international rugby rankings. In what other team sport can Scotland say that it is seventh in the world? Certainly not football. Our Scottish football team is currently ranked 43rd in the world.
Like my colleagues, I was delighted by the Scottish 15’s performance in Argentina, and I think that Murrayfield will be packed to the gunwales for the forthcoming six nations international games. However, as Sarah Boyack has pointed out, rugby has been poorly served by the BBC and other television channels. I believe that, as a sport, Scottish rugby has parity of esteem with Scottish football, golf and other sports with respect to its players and supporters, so it should be given parity or equality of treatment in its coverage by the TV authorities. If my sons in Australia want to see Scotland playing, they must watch the game on Welsh or Irish channels. There should be wider coverage of the game at all levels. That would help to inspire youngsters and provide investment for community programmes and facilities.
As has been said, at the end of June, a significant increase in the number of boys and girls who are coached in and play rugby in Scotland was announced. The SRU estimates that some 25,000 youths participate in rugby in Scotland. That is an increase of 9,800 since 2006. Including adults, a total of 38,500 people participate in rugby in Scotland. Therefore, contrary to popular belief, it is not a game that is played only in posh private schools. The first game was, of course, at Rugby school, where a boy who was playing football picked up the ball and ran off with it—hence the game’s name.
Rugby sevens, which started in Melrose, will be played at another famous Glasgow stadium—Ibrox—during the Commonwealth games. Our top-notch players will be on show during the games, and our youngsters who play rugby or who follow it from the safety of the stands deserve regular television coverage. I hope that the games will leave a lasting legacy and that they will inspire more young people to get active and get involved in sport. Better and wider coverage of Scottish rugby at all levels will help to reinforce that legacy. Without improved coverage of the sport, we could undermine those efforts to get more youngsters active—[Interruption.] I have dropped my speaking notes—this, of course, is my day.
We must capitalise on the opportunity provided by the Commonwealth games that will allow us to develop community rugby initiatives further throughout Scotland. Let us have fair play on the field and on the TV by ensuring that Scottish rugby is given the support that it deserves.
12:50
I congratulate Sarah Boyack on securing the debate. I add my congratulations to Scotland’s rugby team on its commendable performance during the six nations tournament, with a notable away win in Ireland, and on its more recent historic series win against Argentina. Long may the good form continue.
Sports coverage is an important contributor to our national spirit. Often, it is the nationwide enjoyment and sometimes the pain of watching sporting events, such as Andy Murray at Wimbledon and Scotland playing rugby internationals, that helps to bring Scotland and other nations together. Sports broadcasting can have an important influence on developing an interest in sport, especially among young people, and lead to increasing participation and a healthier lifestyle. Moreover, as Sarah Boyack pointed out, the Scottish economy derives significant benefit from sporting events, not least from rugby, with events at Murrayfield bringing nearly £130 million to the nation, almost £73 million of which is spent in the Edinburgh area.
Sarah Boyack ably and comprehensively made the case for the need for increased broadcast coverage of rugby in Scotland and I do not need to add to it. However, in its briefing for the debate, the BBC makes it clear that at present it is resistant to Scottish rugby’s plea to extend its coverage of the sport and says that it makes significant investment in Scottish rugby. It emphasises that Scottish football draws its mass audience and that that is its main focus for investment. I support the terms of the motion and share the concern that has been expressed by the SRU about the BBC’s reluctance to commit to this year’s autumn test matches against New Zealand, South Africa and Samoa. I hope that the BBC will review that decision and take into account the growing appetite for more rugby to be broadcast in Scotland.
Growing the game in Scotland is important and great efforts have been made by Scottish rugby at national and local levels to involve more young people in the sport. That is paying off with a genuine increase in the sport’s popularity, in terms both of more people participating in the sport and increasing viewing figures. It is clear that there are major gaps in broadcast coverage in Scotland, unlike in Wales, where as we heard, broadcasting has increased.
Rugby players can act as extremely positive role models. They can inspire young people and encourage them to become physically active, with consequential benefits to their health, local community and society in general. That process would be given a boost if increased regular coverage, particularly on television, could be secured. An e-mail was sent to my office by Greenock Wanderers Rugby Football Club, which said:
“The lack of broadcasting coverage of Scottish rugby could jeopardise the good work which has been done at grass roots level to build up the sport. Across Scotland a considerable number of initiatives have been undertaken to improve facilities and the image and popularity of the sport. However, without support from Scottish broadcasters, we face an uphill battle. It is notable that in other parts of the UK the sport does receive support from broadcasters, and this is having a positive effect at grass roots level.”
I am sure that that represents the sentiments of many other rugby clubs across the country.
The SRU and local rugby clubs throughout Scotland are to be commended for the work that they do day in, day out, to help increase youth participation. In the north-east, for example, we have some great clubs such as Aberdeen Grammar Rugby and Ellon Rugby Football Club. I was invited to watch the Ellon players train and it was a great experience to witness the enthusiasm of the up-and-coming young players. The work that is being done to develop the talent of all ages, from micros to secondary 4 pupils, is most impressive and will deliver the sporting stars of tomorrow, as the north-east has done in the past. Many individuals give their time freely to coach and help support local clubs and they are all to be praised for their community commitment.
This debate is timely as Scotland looks to the legacy from the 2014 Commonwealth games in Glasgow. It is vital that we see more rugby coverage at all levels to allow the sport to operate on an equal footing with other major sports.
12:54
As a former player, youth coach and president at Greenock Wanderers Rugby Football Club, I have a considerable interest in the debate and in the game of rugby football. I have a long-term interest in Scotland’s success on the international pitch. I first attended Murrayfield in 1962, for the match against France, and I have missed few of the home nation’s five nations—and now six nations—internationals.
The debate is welcome and I congratulate Sarah Boyack on securing it, because broadcasting is a serious issue. As Nanette Milne said, the right to broadcasting cannot just be claimed automatically—circumstances must justify a broadcaster covering a sport.
One depressing feature of the BBC’s briefing note is that it implies—whether intentionally or not—that, if a sport does not have an audience, it will not be covered, but unless a sport is covered, it will not have an audience. If that is the BBC’s attitude, it is not at all clear how any so-called minority sport in Scotland can expect to improve its coverage. That might not be the BBC’s attitude—briefing notes are briefing notes—but the note says at length that the only game in town is football.
We must acknowledge that there is no question but that football is more popular and is the most popular sport in Scotland. However, the nub of Sarah Boyack’s argument is about developing and stimulating interest in sport and, in this case, in the sport of rugby football. To that end, the SRU deserves great credit, by and large. One minor exception, which I will not develop, is that it is interesting that the SRU’s briefing note on coverage omits to mention the Melrose rugby sevens—that has been a matter of serious contention, as we all know. My colleague Jeremy Purvis might address that in more detail, but I will leave that aside.
The critical issue is that the SRU is making and has made for some time enormous efforts from the grass roots up to develop the sport of rugby football throughout Scotland. The numbers have improved, coverage has increased and rugby has established itself as one of the more major sports below football, so it is incredible that the BBC still finds it difficult to conceive of covering even regular international matches outwith the six nations. It is unacceptable that the BBC’s attitude is, “Well, goodness gracious, we cover the six nations,” as if that is somehow wonderful because covering the six nations is a huge exception and very difficult to do and the tournament is not the sort of thing that would otherwise be covered. The BBC should take the attitude that it can develop and assist in developing sports. However, that needs a partnership that meets the objectives not just of the SRU as a body, but of the whole of Scottish rugby and of the people of Scotland.
We have a major sport in which Scotland has had varying levels of success in my long years of going to Murrayfield. I have not come home happy and cheerful from there every year—indeed, my family has often wondered why on earth I have gone there. However, I go because the game is fantastic and stimulating. It involves thousands upon thousands of people in Scotland. The BBC and other broadcasters should recognise that we need their help. We are not putting out a begging bowl—we ask them to recognise the sport on its merits. On its merits, the sport deserves better coverage than it currently receives.
12:59
I support the motion in the name of my colleague Sarah Boyack, whom I congratulate on securing this important members’ business debate.
Rugby plays an important part in the life of Scotland. Down the years, we have produced great rugby players and teams. Perhaps one of the fondest recent memories for many Scots is of the famous 13-7 victory over England in 1990 to clinch the grand slam of the then five nations championship. The sight of Gavin Hastings unleashing Tony Stanger for the try that clinched the game, the sound and sheer passion of supporters in the cauldron of Murrayfield, the peerless narration of the late, great Bill McLaren—all are etched in the minds of tens of thousands of Scots, including many who were not even born when that all took place.
The reason why that game has become such an unforgettable part of Scottish sporting folklore is that it was broadcast live on television and thereby saved for posterity, allowing a new generation of Scots to marvel at the achievements of one of our greatest sides. The TV coverage allows us all to be at Murrayfield that day; we can share in a special and unique experience. Memories of such sporting glory inspire people to take up sport, even if it is only in their local park, sports centre or back garden. That is why today’s debate is important.
In my constituency, we are fortunate to have the Glasgow Hawks Rugby Football Club playing out of Old Anniesland. The Hawks are involved in a host of projects that encourage participation in rugby and healthy lifestyles. Most recently, the club ran a rugby festival in Victoria park in Glasgow for the St Thomas Aquinas primary cluster. The festival was run in partnership with the active schools co-ordinator for the area. Around 150 primary 6 boys and girls took part in the event. The children, many of whom had not had much rugby experience, took part in tag and touch-rugby games. By common consent, they all greatly enjoyed themselves.
However, earlier this week, the Hawks’ director of rugby wrote to me to express the club view that all the initiatives over recent years to improve facilities and the image and popularity of the sport could be undermined by the lack of television exposure that is afforded to the game. He drew a comparison with other parts of the United Kingdom where rugby is given coverage that is proportionate to its popularity. He also noted the direct correlation between that fact and a growth in the game at grass-roots level. In effect, he said that he believes that the apparent indifference of broadcasters to the coverage of rugby at club level is undermining the game at community level.
That is why I join Glasgow Hawks Rugby Football Club, the Scottish Rugby Union and Sarah Boyack in calling on all broadcasting companies in Scotland to increase their coverage of the game. After all, aside from our proud record of achievement in years gone by, Scottish rugby currently has a sound product to market. As members said, the Scottish rugby team recently won its first test series in the southern hemisphere against Argentina. It also performed commendably in the recent six nations championship. That form has taken Scotland to its highest ever position of joint seventh in the world rankings; curling is the only sport I can think of in which Scotland ranks higher. Scotland also boasts some of the best club and sevens rugby in the world. As Ross Finnie said, Melrose rugby sevens is commonly recognised as one of the most prestigious sevens tournaments on the planet.
In recent years, the BBC has lavished money on lucrative multimillion-pound contracts for a number of individuals. In the view of many, the money would have been better spent on investment in sports—including rugby—that consistently attract high viewing figures. I urge the BBC—indeed, all broadcasters—to consider whether spending such huge sums of money on individuals instead of providing adequate coverage of popular sports is a wise investment. In particular, I refer to broadcasters that are funded by the taxpayer.
It gives me great pleasure to praise Sarah Boyack for bringing this important issue to the chamber.
13:03
I am glad to make a short contribution to the debate. Like Trish Godman, I confess that I am substantially more of a devotee of the round ball rather than the oval-ball game. That is the consequence of an undistinguished rugby-playing career at school. I was one of the slowest flankers ever to pull on a Heriot’s jersey.
Later in life, I renewed my interest in the game through family connections. My stepson, Stuart Moffat, recently retired from playing as a professional rugby player. He had the honour of representing Scotland on four occasions. As members can imagine, the days on which we watched him play at Murrayfield were proud days for us all. My son-in-law, Mark Follows, has just taken on the role of coach at Dunfermline Rugby Football Club. I hope that he will get the club back into Scottish Hydro premier 2 next season.
Other members have spoken about their local rugby clubs. My constituency, Edinburgh Pentlands, is home to the reigning Scottish champions, Currie Rugby Football Club, and to Boroughmuir Rugby Football Club, another of our leading premier 1 clubs. The health of Scottish rugby is important to me, my family and my constituents.
I was very interested to read the Scottish Rugby Union’s latest annual report. It is good to see the strides forward that the game is making at all levels after what I think we must all acknowledge has been a difficult decade, as it made the transition to professional-led teams. There were issues of finance and governance, and around the balance between the professional game and the amateur game. Happily, those issues have largely been resolved, so the future is brighter. I remind members that Scotland win grand slams only when there is a Conservative Prime Minister in Downing Street. Given that happy coincidence of events in the past, we can now look forward to a first-ever triumph in the six nations next year.
As we have heard already in the debate, however, there is a problem that is holding back the development of the game. The Scottish game is given limited television coverage in comparison with other parts of the British isles, particularly Wales.
Generally, the sale of broadcasting and media rights is and should remain a matter for negotiation in the marketplace between the sports bodies and the broadcasters. By and large, that proceeds without interference or intervention on the part of Government—other than in relation to certain crown-jewel sporting events, which, it should be acknowledged, sports bodies are not particularly keen to extend, because it would undermine the commercial value of the rights.
The British Broadcasting Corporation is in a different position from other, commercial, broadcasters, however. It is the state broadcasting corporation, and it is financed by a compulsory levy on viewers, which is payable whether or not we watch its programmes. Its schedules are not subject to the same market disciplines as those of other broadcasters, and it is therefore legitimate for us, as representatives of our people and communities, to comment on and indeed criticise the decisions that the BBC makes in respect of its sports schedules.
That is why it is right and proper that we in the Parliament raise our concerns about the inequitable treatment of rugby in Scotland and about the way in which our fans are treated unfairly, relative to viewers in other parts of the United Kingdom.
Rugby is an important game, and it is a focus for national pride at international level, but it needs to be cherished and grown from the grass roots. We need our broadcasters to play their part in that development, and I am pleased to add my voice in support of the motion lodged by Sarah Boyack.
13:07
I echo the comments that have been made about Sarah Boyack securing today’s debate.
It is a privilege for me to represent a number of rugby sevens events that take place in the spring, and in particular to represent Melrose and the Melrose sevens event, which is of world renown. Indeed, in former years, I have even seen you, Presiding Officer, chatting with people on the terraces there.
From 1883, the sevens has been one of the gifts of the Borders to sport and to the world. The possibility for enthusiasts, supporters and followers to watch the sevens on the BBC over the years has made a major contribution to the event being what it is today—a jewel in the crown of the sporting calendar in Scotland. The TV coverage provides the exposure that supports the commercial sustainability of the event. EventScotland has calculated that it has had a £5 million impact on the local economy over the past three years. It was in 1938 that the BBC asked for permission to cover the event for the first time—on the radio, of course. This year is the 40th year of the event having televised coverage on the BBC—highlights were shown in 1970.
I understand the position of the SRU and its case for the BBC to provide wider coverage, but I will make some specific points about the event in my constituency. In many respects, the SRU takes ownership of the Melrose sevens, and Melrose Rugby Football Club is not permitted to have any involvement in the broadcasting rights discussions with the BBC about the event’s coverage. A rights fee is provided to the club by the SRU, minus a retention fee.
This week’s statement from BBC Scotland refers to the coverage of the Melrose sevens—members have also referred to that, for which I am grateful. As Ross Finnie indicated, however, it is fairly extraordinary that the SRU made not even a single reference, in its briefing to MSPs, to the broadcasting of the Melrose sevens event. I hope that that was simply an oversight. Given that viewers in many areas are able to access the BBC platform and can therefore watch coverage on BBC Scotland, I would be concerned about the position of the sevens in what, according to recent press coverage, is fast becoming a dispute between the SRU and the BBC. I read with interest the most recent press coverage in The Scotsman, in which the SRU’s chief executive said:
“We are talking to other broadcasters including subscription, cable and satellite, and other forms of pay-per-view which have been done in other sports.”
I understand absolutely why the SRU is in this position; after all, as guardian of the game in Scotland, it is charged with securing the best deal to provide funding for the development of rugby and, as members have indicated, it has been successful in that respect in recent years. Nevertheless, I counsel my colleagues in the chamber, and others, that there is a danger that the Melrose sevens, which is one aspect of what has been a key success, could be a victim of a switch in coverage from the BBC to pay-per-view, cable or satellite channels.
I am disappointed that Ibrox will be used to host the Commonwealth sevens at the Commonwealth games. I had suggested to the games organising committee that holding the finals of the sevens at the Greenyards in the very home of the sport would provide a much richer sporting experience for a Scottish Commonwealth games. However, in the build-up both to those games and to the Olympic games in 2016, I suggest that it is imperative that the event continues to have the widest possible broadcast coverage—which, so far, is provided by the BBC.
At this point, I am prepared to accept a motion without notice to extend the debate by up to 10 minutes.
Motion moved,
That, under Rule 8.14.3, the debate be extended by up to 30 minutes.—[Sarah Boyack.]
Motion agreed to.
13:11
I congratulate Sarah Boyack on securing the debate. Like Ross Finnie, I declare a long-standing interest in the sport, initially as a player, although not at a very high level, as in those days Stirling County was in a very low division. Nevertheless it is nice to be associated with that club, as a player for a few years and as someone who, to this day, provides medical support.
The problem, as David McLetchie pointed out, is that rugby in Scotland went through a pretty lean time between the arrival of the professional game in 1996-97, and the middle of the last decade, when, thanks to the combined efforts of the clubs and the SRU, rugby began to grow significantly again. Audiences are important, and it is perhaps understandable that, because of that lean period, broadcasters became less interested in the game. However, we are no longer in such a lean period. In the UK as a whole, the sport has grown significantly—and the figures for Scotland are themselves quite significant.
Of course, I am talking not only about core rugby; we should not forget women’s rugby, which other members have briefly mentioned. Stirling County’s recently established women’s team this year won the national plate, came top of national league 2 and was awarded the SRU’s best team prize. Moreover, the under-16s team won the top trophy. It is clear that women’s rugby is growing significantly in Scotland.
Indeed, other forms of rugby are growing. The increased interest in sevens, which, as Jeremy Purvis pointed out, was invented in and given to the world by the Borders, was evidenced by the response to the recent sevens tournament at Murrayfield, and there will be another tournament next year. Murrayfield will also host the world touch rugby tournament. I do not know whether that will be covered on television, but touch rugby, which is the non-contact form of the sport, is another growth area. It is a very healthy pursuit that, for example, allows rugby players past their best to perform. Indeed, I hope that businesses encourage the establishment of touch rugby teams, which can be mixed or single-sex.
I find it distressing that I have to watch the BBC Welsh language programme to see my teams in Scotland playing. I find it appalling that BBC Wales had to send a crew up to Scotland to cover the under-20s international at Perth, which could then be watched only on BBC Wales. That seems ridiculous.
We do not have coverage of age-related rugby, and we need that as well.
I commend STV for providing some coverage—fronted by Andy Nicol—of club rugby and the Magners league. That is extremely welcome, but we need continued coverage of the teams as they develop. Glasgow Warriors and the Edinburgh team have both had a much better season, with Glasgow Warriors reaching the first ever play-offs in the Magners league. The coverage by BBC Alba for the next four years is also welcome, but we need a much more positive attitude from the BBC with regard to total coverage. For example, the use of BBC online should be considered.
I welcome Sarah Boyack’s motion and I hope that the broadcasters will improve their coverage of this growing sport within Scotland.
13:16
I am pleased to take part in the debate and support my colleague Sarah Boyack.
Like others, I am a former rugby player. I had the honour and privilege to be the captain of the first XV at Morgan academy in Dundee. The posh public schools that we played against included schools such as George Heriot’s. I well remember coming to Edinburgh to play in the Heriot’s sevens. I am not sure whether Mr McLetchie was playing that day. If he was, he certainly did not catch me. One player who did catch my eye wore a number 15 on his back. He completely destroyed our defence and knocked us out in the first round. Fast forward three years and I am watching Scotland v England on television. Out trots one Andy Irvine, who is playing for Scotland. No wonder he destroyed us, because he then became a legend of the Scottish game. I was able to watch him on many occasions—as many others will have done—playing for Scotland and the British Lions.
I was able to watch Andy Irvine because of television. Kids watch television, and through it they see their sporting heroes. I am sure that we all wish Andy Murray great good luck and hope to see him in the Wimbledon final on Sunday, but how many kids will be picking up tennis rackets as a result of watching Andy Murray on television? How many more youngsters would take up rugby if they could watch their heroes playing the game on television?
I have three major clubs in East Dunbartonshire—Lenzie, Allan Glen’s and West of Scotland. Although, strictly speaking, West of Scotland is not in my constituency, it borders on to it and many players from my area play for that club. All three clubs have contributed players to the Scottish set-up and all of them came through the junior ranks. John Cameron, the president of West of Scotland, wrote to me to ask me to support Sarah Boyack’s motion, which I am more than happy to do. Like others, he would like to see much more television coverage of the club game.
We know that the BBC has said that it will increase the amount of production from Scotland up to 9 per cent. One way in which it could do that is simply by investing in covering more Scottish rugby. I take Mr Finnie’s point that we have a chicken-and-egg situation. We cannot build an audience unless the sport is shown on telly in the first place. A plethora of sports is shown on Sky. Even snowboarding is shown, and I am sure that people have taken up mountain biking because they have watched the television coverage of it from Fort William. The more coverage that we have of rugby, including club rugby, and the more children relate to the players as they come through the junior ranks, the more encouragement there will be for them.
It is not just the playing of the game that is important. Coverage and participation also encourage other things. For example, the West of Scotland under-17s team left for Malawi on Tuesday, where they will help to build a new village school as well as taking the game to Malawi at the same time.
I fully support what others have said: the main way in which to get more participation in the sport is to show more of it on TV. The BBC has a duty to do that in order to encourage the game.
13:19
I welcome the debate and thank Sarah Boyack for bringing it to the chamber. It has been a good debate with some well-informed and interesting speeches.
I echo the comments of Sarah Boyack, who has a very direct interest because Murrayfield is in her constituency, about the efforts that the SRU and the clubs have made to develop opportunities to introduce young people to rugby. The figures are very encouraging indeed. We are happy to be able to support such initiatives with funding, through sportscotland and through cashback, to help the SRU in its endeavours.
As many members have said, it is hugely important that viewers are able to see a wide range of Scottish sport on television. Such coverage not only allows us to share in the euphoria—occasionally in the disappointments, to which Ross Finnie alluded—but offers the possibility that new viewers will be inspired to take up a sport after seeing it on television. For that reason, the Scottish Government is supportive of Sarah Boyack’s motion. We want viewers in Scotland to be able to appreciate a wide range of sports—rugby, football, tennis, cycling or whatever—in which Scots compete at the highest level. It is clear from the debate that many members feel that more should be done to improve broadcasting coverage of sport in Scotland.
I am happy to say that the Minister for Culture and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop, like Mike Russell before her, has been raising such issues with broadcasters over a long period of time. I am also happy to confirm to Sarah Boyack that Fiona Hyslop has agreed that she will again write to the BBC and other broadcasters to ensure that they are aware of the issues that have been raised in this afternoon’s debate.
Rugby, which is the key subject of today’s debate, is a good example of why many people would like to see more coverage of Scottish sport. I was delighted that Scotland was able to beat Argentina in the recent series there. The victory was made all the sweeter by the welcome fact that Scottish viewers were able to see both matches on terrestrial television. Other recent moments of success, such as the win against Ireland in this year’s six nations championship or the victory against Australia in last year’s autumn international, also gained from being available to viewers across the country. Even some of the less exhilarating moments in recent Scottish performances, such as those final 10 minutes in our defeat to Wales—if we can bear to remember it—earlier this year, have still made for compelling television.
I agree that exposure to high-quality rugby is good for viewers and good for the sport itself. Therefore, I am delighted that, as others have mentioned, BBC Alba has secured a deal that enables it to broadcast live Magners league matches. Such a move will further enhance the accessibility of Magners league games to viewers in Scotland. If BBC Alba is placed on Freeview, which everyone in the Parliament hopes will happen, accessibility will be improved even further.
I accept that all members want BBC Alba to achieve that, but the minister will be aware that the BBC trust’s consultation on whether to place BBC Alba on Freeview suggested that Scottish radio could be lost from Freeview. Does she agree that we do not want to lose the BBC radio coverage of rugby as a consequence?
I agree with that, but I hope that a position can be reached so that no such loss happens.
I also believe that it would be good if those steps marked the beginning of an expansion of rugby coverage. Many people might welcome greater exposure for club rugby or the IRB sevens event, which is held in Murrayfield each year and is a fantastic event.
On the rugby sevens, I very much welcome the sport’s inclusion in the Olympics. Is the minister aware that, in its presentation to the International Olympic Committee, the IRB stated that it would scrap the rugby sevens world cup if rugby sevens got into the Olympics? I have been pursuing the matter to try to stop what is, frankly, a stupid idea. Will she take up that issue with the IRB to make it clear that Scotland, like many countries around the world, would like to see the continuation of the rugby sevens world cup?
Absolutely. The rugby sevens world cup is an important event that allows Scotland to compete on the world stage. I very much support what Stewart Maxwell has said.
Although the focus of this afternoon’s debate has been on rugby—and quite rightly so—I should make the point that our national broadcasters should be able to cover a range of sports that are of interest to people in Scotland. That does not mean that all sports will receive prime-time coverage, but it does mean that committed fans or casual viewers who could end up being inspired should be able to watch a wider range of the sporting activity that goes on across Scotland. The Scottish Government has made that point to the BBC trust in its response to the trust’s strategic review, and we will happily reiterate it to the BBC and other broadcasters, which we meet regularly.
However, it is worth noting that our major public service broadcasters are often reluctant to cover a sport in Scotland not always because of the financial cost but because it would involve opting out of the provision of other programmes that are available on UK network television. We know that broadcasters sometimes have genuinely difficult decisions to make about how they arrange schedules and how they spend their money, but one of the key difficulties with the coverage of Scottish sport is that existing public service broadcasting arrangements in Scotland are not well suited to meeting specifically Scottish needs.
We do not hear concerns about that solely in relation to sport. In fact, the problem that the SRU has raised in relation to Scottish rugby is an issue that is raised by the people behind the Edinburgh festivals in relation to arts coverage, and we know from our research into public attitudes to broadcasting that the issue is much more of a concern for viewers in relation to Scottish history and drama programmes than it is in relation to Scottish sports coverage, so we are talking about a wider issue. Frankly, broadcasting in Scotland currently short-changes Scottish viewers, and it will continue to do so until a better choice of public service broadcasting is available to those viewers.
The coverage of the Magners league is an example of how BBC Alba has contributed to improving viewers’ choice. It is no coincidence that the only channel that is dedicated to Scottish viewers is the one that has recently made such a welcome commitment to showing Scottish rugby. A dedicated Scottish digital network of the kind that the Scottish Broadcasting Commission recommended, which the entire Parliament supported, could provide a further outlet for showing sport and help to meet the public service broadcasting deficit that so clearly exists in relation to other programmes.
There has been a great degree of consensus that broadcasters in Scotland should do all that they can to meet the needs of their viewers. Our existing public service broadcasters should ensure that they cover a range of sports as part of the mix of broadcasting, the provision of which allows them to fulfil their obligations to viewers, but the best way of ensuring that Scottish sporting and cultural interests are reflected on our television screens is to improve public service broadcasting choice in Scotland. BBC Alba is already helping to do that; as the Parliament has recognised, a Scottish digital network could do even more.
13:27
Meeting suspended until 14:15.
14:15
On resuming—