I'm cleaning his flat and we get to talk about the cricket - he hadn't quite realised that there was NO LIVE COVERAGE shown ANYWHERE on UK television.
I told him (briefly) about the deal that secured the satellite broadcaster's exclusive rights for another four years. He realised that the highlights shown on Five are all that you get now. He thought, bless him, that he just wasn't getting the cricket.
No Dad. There is no cricket to get. And you've actually told me why.
My Dad said as I was frying up some chicken wings for him (yes, I know - but I'm not working now...) that because ' “Skiieee” buy up evryt'ing' that there was nothing good to watch on the terrestrial /free-to-air channels.
Even though you kind of know, to have Dad spell it out for me like that - the penny finally dropped.
'Dem wi'mek monni owt av it man,' said my Dad. Think about it. The best of the sport (and all of the cricket) is on where? Even much of the Arts and Humanities programming - is on where? The best dramas from the U.S. and anywhere else... is on where? The latest (not necessarily the best) movies and films are on where? Even their once-loathed News Channel is now 'award-winning' - and on where?
'If dem put Carnivall in a park dem wi'soon start charge farr it'. Too right, Dad. And they would kill what's left of its spirit at the same time.
Just like they're doing with the cricket.
Greedy ƒ*¢%€¬$