So what will we all do without pay-per-view?
PL’S DESPISED £14.95-A-GAME SYSTEM SET TO BE AXED
THE Premier League’s muchmaligned pay-per-view broadcast model is set to be scrapped after this weekend’s games, the PA news agency understands.
Jamie Gardner, PA’s chief sports reporter, takes a closer look.
THE BACKGROUND
The Premier League announced on October 9 that for the remainder of the month, matches which are not selected for regular live broadcast by Sky Sports or BT Sport would be available on one of those broadcasters’ box office services, at a cost of £14.95 per match.
A broadcast solution had been required with fans still unable to attend matches due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The pricing was immediately criticised by Sky’s own pundit Gary Neville and by the Football Supporters’ Association.
IN DEFENCE OF PPV
The league’s chief executive, Richard Masters, said the price was “defensible” while BT Sport said it was simply covering its costs in screening the matches.
WHERE ARE WE NOW?
Top-flight clubs met on Thursday and it is understood they favour ditching PPV after this month’s international break.
Supporters publicly boycotted the PPV matches, with many choosing to donate the money to charitable causes such as food banks instead.
The situation regarding the virus is also different compared to a month ago, with the country now in a second lockdown.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Conversations will take place between the league and its broadcast partners, which must agree to a different approach.
The Premier League will not put a timescale on when it will be in a position to formally announce any change, but the Premier League does not return until November 21 after this weekend.
CLOSING STAGES
The PPV games this weekend are Brighton v Burnley, Crystal Palace v Leeds, West Ham v Fulham, West Brom v Tottenham and Arsenal v Aston Villa. RIP PPV.
WHAT WILL THEY DO INSTEAD?
It is understood the clubs favour a return to the model in place in September, when the 2020-21 season restarted.
In that month, 11 out of 28 matches not selected for regular live broadcast were split between broadcast partners Sky (six games), BT (three games), Amazon and the BBC (one each). So it raises the prospect of at least some matches being available free to air.
COULD PPV COME BACK?
A review of broadcast arrangements will take place in the new year, but given how deeply unpopular payper-view proved, it seems unlikely it would be resurrected even at a lower price.