Premier League have announced that 15 untelevised matches until end of October will be made available on a Pay-Per-View (PPV) basis.
Matches will be broadcast on BT and Sky Sports Box Offices for a charge of £14.95 per match with the Premier League describing this step as an ‘interim solution’ with support of clubs in order to enable fans of individual teams to watch all matches live across next three rounds.
The 15 PPV matches cover those initially snubbed for live coverage and scheduled for Saturday 3pm slot, of which three will remain in that slot including Burnley’s home clash against Chelsea at Turf Moor on Halloween with other matches given own individual slots instead.
Premier League also iterated their gratitude to Sky Sports and BT Sports to help provide this arrangement via their Box Office channels, although all profits will be given to clubs rather than both broadcasters.
This controversial announcement comes despite previously giving Sky and BT extra matches with Amazon and BBC receiving a smaller selection, which is being discontinued as Premier League continues to urge UK Government to allow return of fans to stadiums.
‘A really bad move…’
Underlining how controversial a move this decision is, ex Man Utd star, Gary Neville took to Twitter to blast this announcement as ‘a really bad move’.
This is a really bad move by the @premierleague to charge £14.95 for single matches that have been shown free for 6 months !
— Gary Neville (@GNev2) October 9, 2020
Guardian Sport writer, Sachin Nakrani meanwhile is urging fans not to pay to view matches selected for PPV coverage in order to teach the Premier League and their associates a lesson, otherwise PPV could become ‘the norm’ in coming years.
Know what everyone should do about this? – not pay. It’s the only way the Premier League and their ‘associated partners’ will learn. And yes, not being able to watch your team is tough, but if a stand isn’t take now then make no mistake, PPV WILL become the norm in the future. pic.twitter.com/Gmqs9UQYmn
— Sachin Nakrani (@SachinNakrani) October 9, 2020
Liverpool fan website, The Anfield Talk has tweeted to urge Liverpool fans to seek alternative coverage of any Liverpool matches chosen for PPV broadcast if fans aren’t to ‘give in to the greed of the Premier League’.
We would encourage all LFC fans to find alternative coverage of any Liverpool games that are on PPV and not give in to the greed of the Premier League. #BoycottPPV
— The Anfield Talk (@TheAnfieldTalk) October 9, 2020
Arsenal season ticket holder who goes by Twitter name of @DoverMarksman is urging UK Government to ‘step in here’ and believes that the Premier League has paved ‘the way for a PPV future’ at the cost of supporters.
The Government should step in here. £15 per game? That’s the Premier League paving the way for a PPV future at the expense of supporters. https://t.co/GbQ5K1xhUn
— DoverMarksman🏴🇮🇪🇬🇧🔴⚪️🌹🎗 (@ARSENALDvbrisG) October 9, 2020
Times Sport writer, Henry Winter described the Premier League’s decision to sell PPV matches at £14.95 as ‘disgraceful’ and ‘disgusting’ at a time when over £1.2bn had been spent on players in the latest transfer window yet many normal families are struggling.
£14.95 to watch a game on pay per view is disgraceful. £5, ok, but £14.95? It’s disgusting. At a time when PL clubs spent £1.2bn on players. When they’ll give agents £200m. When so many families are struggling. The creed of greed is in @premierleague DNA but this truly stinks.
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) October 9, 2020
Live coverage details for next three rounds of Premier League matches covering weekends of 17-19, 23-26 and 30 October to 2 November can be found below
Round Five
| Date | Match | Time (BST) | Channel |
| Saturday 17 October 2020 | Everton vs Liverpool | 12:30pm | BT Sports |
| Chelsea vs Southampton | 3:00pm | BT Sports Box Office | |
| Manchester City vs Arsenal | 5:30pm | Sky Sports | |
| Newcastle United vs Manchester United | 8:00pm | Sky Sports Box Office | |
| Sunday 18 October 2020 | Sheffield United vs Fulham | 12:00pm | BT Sports Box Office |
| Crystal Palace vs Brighton | 2:00pm | Sky Sports | |
| Tottenham vs West Ham | 4:30pm | Sky Sports | |
| Leicester City vs Aston Villa | 7:15pm | Sky Sports Box Office | |
| Monday 19 October 2020 | West Brom vs Burnley | 5:30pm | Sky Sports Box Office |
| Leeds vs Wolves | 8:00pm | Sky Sports |
Round Six
| Date | Match | Time (BST) | Channel |
| Friday 23 October 2020 | Aston Villa vs Leeds | 8:00pm | BT Sports Box Office |
| Saturday 24 October 2020 | West Ham vs Manchester City | 12:30pm | BT Sports |
| Fulham vs Crystal Palace | 3:00pm | BT Sports Box Office | |
| Manchester United vs Chelsea | 5:30pm | Sky Sports | |
| Liverpool vs Sheffield United | 8:00pm | Sky Sports Box Office | |
| Sunday 25 October 2020 | Southampton vs Everton | 2:00pm | Sky Sports |
| Wolves vs Newcastle United | 4:30pm | Sky Sports | |
| Arsenal vs Leicester | 7:15pm | Sky Sports Box Office | |
| Monday 26 October 2020 | Brighton vs West Brom | 5:30pm | Sky Sports Box Office |
| Burnley vs Tottenham | 8:00pm | Sky Sports |
Round Seven
| Date | Match | Time (BST) | Channel |
| Friday 30 October 2020 | Wolves vs Crystal Palace | 8:00pm | BT Sports Box Office |
| Saturday 31 October 2020 | Sheffield United vs Manchester City | 12:30pm | BT Sports |
| Burnley vs Chelsea | 3:00pm | BT Sports Box Office | |
| Liverpool vs West Ham | 5:30pm | Sky Sports | |
| Sunday 1 November 2020 | Aston Villa vs Southampton | 12:00pm | Sky Sports Box Office |
| Newcastle United vs Everton | 2:00pm | Sky Sports | |
| Manchester United vs Arsenal | 4:30pm | Sky Sports | |
| Tottenham vs Brighton | 7:15pm | Sky Sports Box Office | |
| Monday 2 November 2020 | Fulham vs West Brom | 5:30pm | Sky Sports Box Office |
| Leeds vs Leicester | 8:00pm | Sky Sports |
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