Probably one of the most asked questions asked on match day amongst fans on social media platforms, with many replies ranging from helpful informative retorts, to downright sarcasm (it’s the red button! You know you who are). However, why is that Leeds United fans, and quite a lot of other teams not in the Premiership, are asking this question? Why is the ability to watch the games, live, now appearing harder than ever to access? Let me try to explain.
I have delved deeper in trying to understand the enigma of EFL Championship TV rights for 2023/24. On a basic level, any Google search will happily inform you that EFL clubs approved a recommendation by the EFL Board and Commercial Committee to enter into a new five year deal with the mighty giants of Sky Sports worth £935m. This was agreed by the majority of EFL clubs and includes an additional £40m worth of commercial and marketing investment from Sky Sports to boost the profile of EFL competitions, Clubs and community initiatives. According to the existing distribution formula, Championship Clubs will be approximately 46% better off. This means that 328 Championship matches would be broadcast either live or through their infamous red button streaming services.
Sounds good in theory right? However, given that Sky only give 5 weeks notice on when they decide which matches to broadcast , this brings up new problems for travelling away fans, logistics and kick off times and dates being regularly changed from weekends to midweek.
Oh and don’t forget the antiquated Article 48 by the way, a rule that was introduced in the 1960’s, that’s right over 60 years ago, when televisions became a regular appliance in households, and clubs were of the opinion that allowing fixtures to be broadcast live on Saturday afternoons would have reduced match day attendances up and down the country, hence a “blackout” for two and half hours during this time. Indeed even our own legend Marcelo Bielsa described the rule as “magnificent” for prioritising the game over commercial interests, and so Article 48 was introduced to defend revenue streams further down the food chain.
Okay Bielsa, the issue here is on average a season ticket for Elland Road these days ranges from £438 being the cheapest, right up £800 being the most expensive, but as we all know Leeds United season tickets are the equivalent of Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket and there is a waiting list! Oh and did I mention this is for home games only? Away matches and Cup games cost extra. So fans think okay, I can’t afford a season ticket, or have been on the waiting list for eons, I will sign up to Sky Sports so I can watch my team.
The prices vary for this depending on if you are an existing customer, new customer, sign up deals et cetera, but you are looking at about £30-80 per month on average after they have taken your money, and then bump up the price in a few months’ time, and there is no guarantee that you will have access to Leeds United matches every single week. So what about the fans that don’t want to sign up to the biased Sky Sports commentary that regularly ensues, that don’t have access or that can’t afford it?
Okay, so I’ll sign up to the LUTV for £3.49 a month, bargain right? This gives you “live match commentary plus full match replays and live selected U23 games”. Clever word play there Leeds, because for this bargain price you don’t actually get regular weekly coverage of your team, and sometimes you have to buy an additional match day pass for actual coverage of the game. And let’s face it anybody that has ever signed into LUTV knows that it is hit and miss, the audio is sometimes missing, the actual camera footage at times is like a 5 year old is operating the equipment, and please feel free to comment on access to the site if you are living outside of the UK?
Right, I’ll go back to basics and I’ll listen to it on the radio. Good luck with that because although BBC Radio Leeds does broadcast Leeds United games live, BUT only the home games.
So, you’re an avid Leeds United fan, you’re on the waiting list for a season ticket, ready to take out a second mortgage for the price tag, Sky Sports has priced you out of the market and with the current cost of living crisis, many households are cutting back on monthly luxuries such as cable television, and the radio only allows you to listen to home matches, made even more difficult if you Iive abroad.
I am certain there are many Leeds United fans that have had to use other methods of watching the game live, whether this be legal or illegal streaming, certain internet websites that show the games live, but these come with their own troubles, not least risk of prosecution (more distributors than viewers but still a risk). Buffering, poor audio quality, the awfulness of having to surrender to opposition commentary, potential viruses on laptops from accessing such websites, but what are we to do?
Whilst I appreciate Leeds United very much needed the cash injection from this new deal, especially after relegation from the Premiership and players leaving left right and centre, did anybody think of the fans? The ones that actually want to watch or listen to the match live. Supporters abroad have more access to Leeds United games that we do in the city of Leeds. America, Australia, New Zealand are amongst many countries who broadcast our games with ease, with other fans abroad having much better coverage at affordable prices.
Without doing a physical headcount, speculatively there are possibly hundreds of thousands Leeds United fans across the globe desperate to watch their beloved Leeds United every week, who do not have access to Sky Sports, season tickets and limited radio coverage. Football is supposedly for the fans, but if you are not in the Premiership, quite simply the fans are the ones to suffer with this five year deal between the EFL and Sky Sports. This is an issue that is not going away anytime in the near future.
But quite honestly, where there’s a will there’s a way, and Leeds United fans have the will, and they will have their way when it comes to viewing their team, whatever their methods will be!
