FURIOUS football fans turned on BT Sport after they failed to provide any build-up for Chelsea vs Southampton – while charging £14.95 to watch it.
Frank Lampard’s side drew 3-3 against the Saints in a thriller at Stamford Bridge – the first pay-per-view style game in Premier League history.
Viewers were met with this message before kick-off after paying £14.95 to watch Chelsea vs Southampton
But those supporters who coughed up the cash to watch it were raging before kick-off with BT Sport neglecting to show their usual pre-match build-up.
There was none of the interviews with managers and players or analysis of the teams viewers are used to.
In their place was a holding screen with the message: “Chelsea v Southampton. Coverage starts at 2.55pm.”
The game kicked off at 3pm.
Those watching took to social media to vent their fury – much like Spurs boss Jose Mourinho had already done.
One user wrote: “£15 and there’s not even a build up. BT Sport have the masks on.”
Another said: “BT Sport charging £15 for Chelsea vs Southampton, you would think that would include some pre-match build-up (interviews, analysis etc). But no… coverage starts at 2.55pm.”
A fellow viewer posted: “Annoyed that I’ve paid the money. Won’t be doing that every week.”
A number of football fans were tweeting #BoycottPPV
One said the £14.95 fee was ‘absolutely ridiculous’
Fans hoping for build-up to Chelsea vs Southampton were left disappointedCredit: Reuters
One comment read: “Wow people are paying 15 pounds to have no pre match coverage, absolutely ridiculous!”
Another said: “If the joke of £15 for a game through @btsportfootball wasn’t bad enough, the website is atrocious, it’s a pain to find how to buy, there’s no choice of payment options, clunky checkout and there isn’t even any pre-game build-up.
“Just tune in for kick-off and thanks for the money.”
All in all it led to the hashtag #BoycottPPV being used by a number of viewers.
However, BT’s Marc Allera stood by their decision to charge with fans banned from grounds as a result of coronavirus.
Allera, chief executive of the company’s consumer division, said: “We had a suggested retail price which was suggested to us by the Premier League. We also have a cost that they’re charging us for those games.
“We’re certainly not making significant amounts of money out of this, we’re pretty much just covering our costs.”
Premier League matches will cost £14.95 on PPV Box Office channels with Man Utd and Chelsea games among first clashes
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
