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Premier League clubs will reconsider their controversial pay-per-view matches today, and could remove the charge entirely when the country locks itself out for the second time.
The highest level of English football will hold a shareholders meeting on Thursday in which the clubs hope to solve the problem that has become a public relations disaster.
The current £ 14.95 cost of PPV matches, available through BT Sport and Sky Box Office, has sparked a fierce backlash from fan groups, who have raised thousands of pounds for food banks instead of paying the money. to watch the games.
The Premier League is expected to at least agree to reduce the cost to £ 9.95 per match when the 20 club presidents meet today.
The reduced amount would be consistent with the EFL’s iFollow charge to watch games in the Championship, League One and League Two,
Other options to consider include halving the charge to £ 7.50 or re-offering matches at no additional charge, at least during the new blackout period, according to The Times.
The matches could be offered as part of existing packages or even as free games, as in the previous crash.
Sportsmail understands that fan groups, led by the Football Fans Association, would be satisfied with a fair price.
“We need to make sure the games are on TV, but that can’t be a money-making plan,” Kevin Miles, a spokesman for the Soccer Fans Association, said previously.
The Premier League’s PPV initiative was designed to give fans access to matches that had not been picked up as part of existing broadcast packages, while fans are unable to attend stadiums due to the coronavirus pandemic.
However, despite an average of 39,000 people watching each match, slightly above the Premier League target, the scheme came to be viewed as greedy and widely condemned.
Criticism and the imposition of a new national blockade, from today until December 2, have forced the Premier League, which postponed a decision on PPV at its October meeting, to make changes now.
In October, Premier League CEO Richard Masters described the price as “defensible.”
But before the shareholders ‘meeting, a source from the club told The Times:’ It was a public relations disaster: £ 14.95 was a mistake and now we are going to close again, there is a feeling that we have to do something to change it. ‘.
The last round of scheduled PPV matches will take place this weekend before the international break, giving the Premier League some breathing space to discuss its plans with broadcasters.
The changes are expected to take effect after the international break.
Source: m.allfootballapp.com
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