Here's an example my dad has freesat, in theory he could have TOTALLY FREE TO AIR TV if the BBC was a PPV service, as then the ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 channels would at least be some of the commercial stations that are FTA not taking into account the current freesat line up. End of. That to me is a proper definition of Free To Air TV. Whether it is showing Sporting events or not. Yet cause the BBC channels are on there then he has to buy a TV License.
TV Licenses are like the old Communist party membership books, every home has to have one.