Fans want to feel benefit of new TV deal

Football fans have criticised the further rise in live Premier League football from 2019 and urged clubs to use some of their new broadcast loot to subsidise away travel and cheapen tickets.

As revealed yesterday by The Daily Telegraph, the Premier League will have 200 of its 380 matches screened live outside the traditional 3pm Saturday slot from 2019, an increase of 42 from the current deal that is worth £5.14billion to the clubs between 2016 and 2019. Three rounds of midweek and one of Bank Holiday games will account for all but two of the additional fixtures, although there will also be eight matches kicking off at 7.45pm on a Saturday evening.

“We do not want to see more games on live TV as this makes life increasingly difficult for away fans in particular,” said Kevin Miles, the chief executive of the Football Supporters’ Federation. “Unfortunately, an Ofcom ruling dictated that more games would be broadcast but the clubs must do more with their huge TV revenues to make things easier for travelling supporters.”

Among the FSF suggestions are free away coaches, chartered trains and cheaper tickets. They also want consultations with fans and will be asking their own members how an expanded TV contract can be accommodated with the least amount of inconvenience. The 20 clubs agreed last month for the Premier League to include single rounds of midweek games and Saturday night fixtures in the tender for an auction expected to be held in February.