Holt hits out at live streaming of games

ACCRINGTON Stanley owner Andy Holt says he was left angry and dismayed at the English Football League’s (EFL) decision to allow the streaming of three o’clock Saturday fixtures to the domestic market during the international break.

Stanley’s game at home to Burton over the weekend was available to stream for fans in the UK for the first time, and Holt believes it shouldn’t be happening.

A club statement said: “The EFL is there to represent its 72 member clubs, and Mr Holt feels that Article 48 of the UEFA Statutes (dealing with the audio-visual and radio transmission regulations of national associations) was not discussed at the EFL Summer Conference in Portugal, with no debate taking place regarding any exceptions to the existing blackout on domestic coverage of Saturday afternoon fixtures.

“The issue was not made available for debate, and as a result the details within Article 48 were never brought to light. While Mr Holt accepts that EFL member clubs were written to at the beginning of July, the broadcasting exceptions during the international break were not made available for debate or agreed upon at the Summer Conference, and those exceptions were not highlighted in any form of detail in subsequent correspondence from the EFL. As a member club of the EFL, Accrington Stanley expects detailed information concerning any changes to rules that directly impact upon the club, and Mr Holt expects a full and proper debate followed by a vote on substantive issues such as this.”