You're still not qualified to say "most"; nowhere near


So you can bombard me with PMs, err no thanks.

Suffice to say that UK broadcasters cannot give me all that I want - even both combined.

Back on topic...

I am qualified I work in the Dept of Communications
We do many surveys on these topics, the results are so funny

Only 4 leeds games from August to December

Well they don't have much of a say in it and as it happens I had Sky passing fourth pick that weekend. If offered first pick, BT will surely take it to get Arsenal v Spurs. I expect Sky to take second pick to ensure they get Chelsea v Everton, and then I expect a Package G third pick. But I could definitely see Sky passing fourth pick.

I suppose BT could pass Week 11 and turn that fourth pick into a fifth/sixth pick to be used whenever a slot is available, but I reckon they might take Man City v Middlesbrough in Week 11.


That looks a real possibility, which in turn might suggest Hull v Chelsea or Burnley v Arsenal as a third pick in Package G on the Sunday.

I noticed that too. Seems Massimo has got his way or maybe Leeds aren't box office any more?

Are the next set due to be announced today?

Diluted by having Villa & Newcastle in the league plus the other bigger clubs in Nottingham, Derby, Wolves, Birmingham etc.

Nothing on the PL Twitter feed yet. That said, just because we were given a bit of warning for the August/September picks, doesn't mean that we'll get any warning for these ones.

MUFC v West Ham should take place on Sunday November 27th or November 28th as MUFC are in the europa league the previous thursday.
I have my flights/hotel booked for those dates

Thanks for, once again, telling us about aspects of your life that none of us care about.

Part of me now hopes that it's on a different date...

Stop feeding the troll guys

22 extra games would be interesting, Friday's are certainly possible and probably more likely, not sure if Monday's are maxed out either

Personally I like the idea of an extra 22 matches as being a Palace fan it means increased odds of them being on TV (if they stay up, although if they go down they get shown more)

One question that crossed my mind is would the PL ever consider overlapping matches? Happens now with FA cup and Football League.

Can work in 2 ways

i.e if they have a Sunday schedule that already has the 12, 2.15 and 4.30 slots filled by SKY and BT have Saturday pick a team that has a Europa league tie could it then be scheduled on a Sunday too. In effect you have BT and SKY both showing different games at 12 when though Sky are using that slot already. (PL agreeing to keep the 2.15 and 4.30 slots protected against double scheduling)

Also perhaps increase rights for midweek games to 4 picks where you have two matches at the same time but shown by different broadcasters, also do the same for bank holidays. It would go some way to address the choice issue that Virgin Media raised with oftcom.

The above currently works well in Canada where the two main broadcasters share the rights 50/50 and often have different matches on at the same time.

It's one way of increasing matches shown without further overcrowding the schedule. Might lower value of some of the rights but improve the revenue share among clubs.

This won't address the issue Virgin Media UK about costs until every EPL games is live.

In a perfect world
Move the lower league games to early Saturday afternonns

Than from 3pm and 530pm on saturdays, pay tv show live EPL games along with the live games on fridays, sundays and mondays

Why should lower league games be moved from their traditional timeslot to cater for the Premier League?

They shouldn't.
In fact (and I don't know the answer to this) Does the blackout protect Saturday 3pm as a whole, Non-league, cup football etc. I.e no game can be shown at 3pm so that people are encouraged to go an watch any football match. Whatever the level.

If we must have all PL games shown live, then it's up to the PL to find a way, as some saturday's only see 4 PL 3pm Kick offs it shouldn't be too difficult to work out a schedule.

Yes, no live televised football whatsoever. The simple, and obvious, solution would be to move the PL games to a different timeslot.

Any chance you could let us know if you'll be bringing a toothbrush/toothpaste or buying one in the airport. Or do you just slum it?

The Forumites await with baited breath...

An interesting development in Germany (with apologies to those already moaning about postes relating to the Irish broadcast situation

Sky Germany have announced that they have struck a deal with Liverpool, allowing them to show all of the Reds’ Premier League games this season.

The new “long-term deal” was confirmed on Tuesday, with Sunday’s clash with Arsenal the first match to be shown live. Delayed coverage of FA Cup and League Cup action is also part of the deal.

Which wont happen.

Cant play any earlier on a Saturday as it ruins the spectacle for the USA - dont forget likes of NBC have paid a fortune to renew their contract and wouldn't want more than one game kicking off at 7.30am ET in US.

Cant play later, as the lucrative deals from far east TV companies would be hit as it would be past midnight before games started. Also, police here wouldnt want Sat evening games, no chance.

Definitely best solution is to have a protected time slot up to 2.30pm for lower league clubs. I'm sure the pubs would love this too. Watch local team then go to the pub for double header.

You're focusing in on Saturday just a bit there

The timeslots of which you speak are contracted UK TV timeslots; the rights are lucrative here because there is no other PL fixture at the same time.

Neither would there, or could there, be influence from foreign rightsholders - especially as it would be the few remaining non-TV contract fixtures which are, in 90% of cases, the least attractive to foreign rightsholders anyway.

Before this debate - which has been done many times - gains legs, I wasn't necessarily advocating it. I was pointing out that it if it were ever to happen that all PL games were telvised here, it wouldn't be all the other leagues that would move from Saturday 3pm to cater for the very few PL fixtures that usually kick off at that time.

Alternatively, of course, dropping the blackout would mean nothing needed to change, but all the other major European leagues have adopted the model that the different divisions kick off at different times.

I don't see why 30-odd FL games should be moved to accommodate the 4-5 PL games that still kick-off at 3pm. I also don't like the theory that FL fans all just follow it because it's their local clubs, and they all then flock to their pubs to watch the PL. That ignores the fact that clubs like Newcastle, Aston Villa, Leeds, Forest, Sheffield Wed, Birmingham all have 'out of town' sections of their fanbase, and all have a sizeable away following.

Why should they be told that all of their home games are to be played at 12:30-1pm every Saturday, and be told that they have to get up at the crack of dawn for every away game? Why can't these fans enjoy a 3pm kick-off which allows them to get up at a normal time, have a few beers pre-game, go out with their familes in the morning etc.

There should be a happy compromise if and when the PL wants all 380 games televised in the UK. But it should not involve shafting fans of the other 72 clubs, who make up about 45% of match going fans in England.

UK TV blackout should be scrapped

As Sky Germany subscribers know, the lower league games in Germany are played early so saturdays/sundays mid afternoons/evening for the German Bundesliga

Are you telling us as a sky germany subscriber?

Some are used to that anyway, when BT had the Sat 12.45 slot Sky would schedule league games early for TV plus they often get moved to Friday nights etc... National league now seem to have a game a week at this time due to BT deal.

There are pros and cons to having games earlier on a Sat.

Downside you get up much earlier for non derby away games so it's less time with family for some or less time for pre games beers for others but equally it's more time for beers (I hate starting drinking too early anyway) for some or more time with family after and in that case its more back at a reasonable time if you want to make evening plans.

Swings and roundabouts

Best solution is to have no blackout at all