August 27 – The English Football League (EFL) has agreed a streaming deal for non-TV matches with its anchor UK broadcaster Sky Sports to give fans access to games while stadium attendance is restricted during the Covid-19 crisis.
The new streaming criteria will allow Championship clubs to stream any match not shown live on Sky to fans who purchase individual match passes for £10.
The framework for fans who are season ticket holders gives clubs the option to stream all home matches, including those shown live on Sky, and any midweek away match, including those shown live on Sky.
Clubs cannot stream any away weekend match, live on Sky or not, within a season ticket package.
Round one Carabao Cup matches – where the 20 Premier League clubs meet the 72 EFL clubs – which are not selected for live broadcast by Sky Sports will also be eligible for clubs to stream on a match pass basis priced £10.
EFL chief executive David Baldwin said: “There is no argument that attending live matches is what the league, its clubs and fans want to see and, clearly, the overriding objective is to get supporters back into stadiums as soon as it is safe to do so.
“In the meantime, this framework allows our clubs, if they so wish, to reward their most loyal supporters by providing what we hope is only short-term access to watch their matches.
“It’s important that whilst the doors remain fully, or part shut, we ensure there is the ability for fans of all EFL clubs to be able to gain access and watch their team and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sky Sports for their support in this matter.
“Collectively, it’s not our preferred situation but given the circumstances Covid has presented us it gives us a temporary option whilst we finalise our plans for fans returning.”
The match by match streaming and season ticket offer is a temporary measure while clubs operate at a zero or reduced attendance capacity as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak.
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