Lancashire have reversed their decision to put streaming of their men's home matches behind a paywall.
The club announced two weeks ago that they would restrict access to streaming of the first XI men's home matches, and launch a new premium tier of their LancsTV offering, which would host Lancashire Men's live-streams. The service would be included automatically for all Lancashire members, while non-members wishing to watch would be required to pay £20 for the season. The first match set to be put behind a paywall was Lancashire's County Championship match against Middlesex, which is set to begin tomorrow.
The move prompted backlash online, with former Lancashire and England player, Sky pundit David Lloyd posting that he was "saddened" by the move. Lancashire have over 180,000 YouTube subscribers, and day four of their most recent home game against Derbyshire had 40,000 views.
Lancashire reverse decision to end free-to-air streaming
However, the club announced today that after feedback from their members and supporters, men's home fixtures would remain free to air for all fans on YouTube. The club will still keep some aspects of its premium offering, with LancsTV offering "full premium multi-camera production and an enhanced viewing experience". Viewers on Lancashire's YouTube channel will have access to a streamlined, two-camera broadcast.
The next two Lancashire men's home fixtures, however, will be broadcast on YouTube with full multi-camera coverage.
"Beyond live cricket, LancsTV+ will offer a rich library of exclusive content, including special documentaries, behind-the-scenes footage, and in-depth player interviews," read a statement from the club. "A further update will follow ahead of the launch of LancsTV+".
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