New Premier League Pay-Per-View Service Leaves Fans Bemused

March 13th, a date that will remain etched firmly in the memory of every football fan in the country. The day that football was suspended due to the increasing numbers of Covid-19 infections spreading across the country. As football was ripped away from the eager eyes of every fan, a huge void was left in their lives until the season recommenced back in June. There was hope that the season would be finished and fans would be allowed back into the stadiums to watch their favourite team at the start of the 2020/21 season but that hasn’t happened yet.

A few months on, the government announced that fans would be allowed back into football grounds in limited numbers on 1st October but once again, coronavirus put a stop to that and so, the Premier League along with BT Sport and Sky Sports have come to an agreement to show the remaining games during October. So, the remaining five games during each match week that are not being shown on TV will now be televised. Great news for those fans who are eager to watch their team every week. But there is one sticking point - the price of £14.95.

It’s What Fans Want But Not Quite

Football fans who miss out on watching their team play each week can now see them play but things are not as they seem. The price to watch them play has been questioned by fans, debated by the media and is considered to be a ludicrous amount of money to charge fans. Sure, many of them are not paying the ticket prices that they usually would to watch their team play but these are different times.

Many fans are now finding themselves living in uncertain times, especially when it comes to their finances and football might be the only form of escapism and enjoyment that they are currently experiencing. Along with this, many people are already paying inflated TV subscription prices and are now feeling as though they are being penalised or even targeted because broadcasters know how desperate they are to watch their team play.

What really hurts is that the majority of teams in the league, 19 to be precise, agreed to this PPV facility being available to fans. However, many don’t believe that Premier League clubs need this injection of cash, especially when you consider that the transfer window closed with clubs spending a combined £1bn on players. Along with this, they have furloughed staff, been given loans and still managed to charge fans for games that they aren't attending. Overall, it has left a very bitter taste.

The decision has been made to help clubs generate revenue while fans get stung further because many are already paying for BT and Sky subscriptions. Sure, fans still cannot get to the stadiums and who knows when they will be allowed to return but this solution is not capturing the hearts of the real fans. An interim solution it might be but the price of £14.95 is not going to sit well with fans which could mean that many of the clubs don’t receive the income they were hoping for.
 

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