Why Sky's TV picks are causing a massive headache for match-going fans
When Everton found out their game against Manchester City in May had been moved to a Monday night it was the final straw for a frustrated fanbase. Seven Everton matches have been moved to the Monday 20:00 slot, with only three Saturday 3pm fixtures so far at Hill Dickinson Stadium. With Sky Sports supposed to pick each team a maximum of five times on a Friday or Monday across 32 matches, fans have been asking how their limit being broken is allowed.
The Everton Fan Advisory Board called it "another signal of the disregard footballing authorities and broadcasters have for supporters". Manchester United have had eight games moved to Friday or Monday. Five have been at Old Trafford, more than a quarter of their home games.
West Ham United are on seven and Leeds United are on six. With the Premier League now making so many games available for broadcast - about 270 out of 380 will be shown live this season - more matches were inevitably going to be impacted. And with Sky Sports in such a position of dominance, holding four of the five TV packages, it can make the selections work more effectively in its favour.
This is why the broadcast limit is not really a hard-and-fast limit. A team playing in the Champions League, Europa League or Conference League is effectively shielded. In numerous weeks of the season they cannot play a Premier League game on a Friday or Monday.
If clubs in Europe also progress in the EFL Cup, they are locked out of further midweeks. That leaves the other clubs to fill the slots. But not all are equally attractive for TV coverage.