Sky & BT fury over Prem PPV

SKY and BT want to pull the plug on the Premier League’s controversial pay-per-view service.

While bitter rivals in the battle to broadcast the English top flight, the TV giants are united in their dislike of the hugelyunpopular decision to show every game live during the Covid crisis.

Neither is making any money from the £14.95 fee being charged to punters for matches not already being screened via the usual satellite subscription packages.

That price, that has caused uproar among fans – with thousands refusing to pay – was set by the Premier League after the Government backtracked on allowing fans back into stadiums.

Sky Sports, like BT Sport, merely wants production costs covered and is privately fuming at being branded greedy by the football masses. According to one senior source at Sky, both organisations would back any decision to end the despised pay-per-view as soon as possible.

The insider revealed there is no appetite to fleece fans during the current economic downturn amid the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.

He said: “Sky is not happy to be involved in showing the pay-per-view games. We never thought that it was a good idea and nothing has changed since it started.

“It is damaging the reputation of Sky Sports to be linked to this scheme – and that feeling is shared at BT. Everyone here would prefer for it to stop.”

The Sky Sports Box Office platform shows the additional live games but the company are reluctant to promote the matches.

There has been no decision with regards to continuing the pay-forview interim service beyond next weekend.

Viewing figures for the service are said to be ‘mixed’, but will not be made public.