EXCLUSIVE: NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH & SOUTH PLAY-OFFS TO BE STREAMED LIVE
EVERY National League North and South play-off game will be streamed live, The NLP can reveal.
Fans will be able to purchase access to watch the games through an online platform that is being created, it will be announced this week.
The games will be a BT Sport production in partnership with the National League’s digital data partner Sportradar, who will also be building the online portal.
The move, a first for Non-League play-off football, means supporters of the 12 clubs at Step 2 won’t miss a kick as their teams aim for promotion to Non-League’s top tier.
All 15 play-off games across the National League’s three divisions are being played behind closed doors due to the current government restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The cost to access the games is still to be finalised but clubs and fans will be informed early this week.
It’s understood the previously advertised kick-off times of the Eliminator games and the semi-finals are now subject to a slight change to accommodate the streaming service.
The Eliminators at Step 2 take place next Sunday. In the National League North, Altrincham and Chester lock horns with the winner facing York City. Gateshead travel to Brackley Town with Boston United awaiting the victors.
Bath City welcome Dorking Wanderers in National League South – Weymouth will be their semi-final opponent and Havant & Waterlooville will take on whoever triumphs out of Slough Town and Dartford. The semi-finals will be played on Saturday, July 25.
The highest-placed clubs will host their respective final on Saturday, August 1.
Players, management and club staff are being tested every week and have to stick to strict protocols at training in line with the return to sport guidelines.
The season was halted in March as the Covid-19 crisis spread across the globe. Having waited to follow the EFL’s outcome, clubs voted to conclude the season with a PointsPer-Game table.
The Step 1 play-offs will be shown live on BT Sport as part of their broadcast agreement. Boreham Wood and FC Halifax Town kick the Eliminators off on Friday night before Yeovil Town face Barnet on Saturday.
The National League promotion final is being held at Wembley on Sunday, August 2.