PREMIER LEAGUE chiefs are aiming for a return to normality next season.
But while that will mean full houses for the first time since March 2020, it will also see two other key changes.
The first will be the end of every match being available live on TV for fans, with only 200 of the 380 matches scheduled for broadcast.
And it will also see the traditional Saturday 3pm kick-off for up to five matches each weekend coming back – with the long-standing “blackout” meaning those matches will NOT be available to watch unless you buy a ticket for the stadium.
The reversion to life “before Covid” is set to be confirmed by the summer, with all restrictions in England due to end from June 21.
And that will have a massive effect on football and the Prem, after the Government agreed to sign off the deal to “rollover” the current contracts with Sky, BT, Amazon Prime and the BBC for a further three seasons.
Clubs voted “unanimously” at a virtual meeting on Wednesday to give up £100m over the next four seasons – with the money spread throughout the football pyramid – in order for Government approval to bypass the normal bidding process.
The deal means Sky will retain the lion’s share of live matches with 128 matches, BT showing 52 and Amazon Prime 20 and the BBC continuing to screen Match of the Day highlights.
But that will mean 180 matches not being screened live, the majority of them being played with the traditional 3pm Saturday kick-off times.
One victory for moaning managers, though, has come with a tweak in BT Sport’s Saturday slot.
Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer were united in their complaints over being forced to play at 1230 on Saturdays after they had played on Wednesday nights in Europe.
And while the majority of the channel’s Saturday games will remain at 12.30, those matches featuring teams that have played Champions League football on the previous Wednesday will be switched to 7.45pm.
A Prem spokesman said: “This agreement is based on the renewals safeguarding the world-leading levels of financial support committed to the football community through solidarity, youth development and wider community and good causes contributions.
“It will provide financial certainty to clubs throughout professional football as a result of maintaining current levels of support and enables the League to commit to increased funding.”
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League chief executive Richard Masters added: “We are hugely appreciative of the Government agreeing in principle to allow this arrangement and for their continued support for the Premier League and the English game.
“We know that this will have a positive impact on the wider industry, jobs and tax revenues and will enable us to maintain and increase our existing solidarity and community financial commitments to the football pyramid for the next four years, even though we are yet to understand the full impact of the pandemic.
“It comes at an important time and will enable us to plan ahead with increased certainty against a more stable economic backdrop.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
