MPs to vote on making Premier League games free-to-air
An amendment to the Football Governance Bill has been tabled by the Liberal Democrats, giving Parliament its first say on whether the world's richest league should remain entirely behind a paywall.
A pledge to make at least 10 Premier League matches a season free-to-air was part of the Lib Dems' General Election manifesto but it failed to gain support from Labour and the Conservatives and there has been no sign of that having changed since.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer would therefore be able to use his large parliamentary majority to crush the proposal by Sir Ed Davey's party upon it being put to a vote of MPs on Tuesday.
The amendment being tabled would also require the new Independent Football Regulator to ensure that the League Cup final and the English Football League's play-off finals were shown free-to-air.
But the Lib Dems' primary target is the Premier League, for which virtually every match has been exclusively behind a paywall since its inception 33 years ago.
Davey's party cited analysis that showed armchair fans would have to cough up £660 to watch every game next season under the competition's latest TV deals with Sky Sports and TNT Sports, as well as figures showing viewership on the channels fell 10 per cent and 17 per cent, respectively, last term.
It also pointed out that La Liga's partnership with streaming service DAZN included one free-to-air game a week.
Max Wilkinson MP, Lib Dem spokesperson for Culture, Media and Sport said: 'I'm urging MPs of all stripes to back our amendment to tear down the paywall and make Premier League games available on free-to-air channels.
'For too long, the jewel in the crown of British football has been locked behind an expensive barrier that keeps fans out while lining the pockets of broadcasters.
'Fans are being rinsed of every last penny to watch the beautiful game, while the next generation of Bellinghams and Bronzes are priced out of the chance to see football played at the very top level.
'That must end today – with a free-to-air revolution that gives the Premier League back to the country.'
The Premier League declined to comment but Telegraph Sport has been told that making games free-to-air would inevitably reduce the value of its UK broadcast contract and put at risk some of the millions it redistributes within football and to other causes.
This is a political football – free-to-air Premier League action is years away
There have long been calls for the Premier League to make some of its matches free-to-air but MPs have never voted on a proposal to force it to do so by law.
And before anyone gets carried away – including at the likes of the BBC or ITV – they should take note of the fact that Tuesday's vote has been orchestrated by the Liberal Democrats.
Indeed, there has been no sign of the Lib Dems' amendment to the Football Governance Bill being backed by Labour or the Conservatives, both of whom have had plenty of opportunities in the last 33 years to do something akin to what Sir Ed Davey's party is proposing.
Of course, the latter knows this and is doubtless using the issue as a political football weeks after England fans turned on Sir Keir Starmer during the country's World Cup qualifier against Andorra.
Given the crises engulfing the Prime Minister over issues such as his botched flagship welfare reforms and cuts to winter fuel payments, painting him as the celebrity Arsenal fan who refuses to support making some Premier League games free feels like an open goal in the current climate.
According to analysis cited by the Lib Dems, both Sky Sports and TNT Sports experienced a decline in Premier League viewership last season.
At least part of that decline would have been down to illegal streaming, with Telegraph Sport chronicling earlier this year how many fans appeared to have shunned expensive subscriptions in favour of cheap modified Fire Sticks.
With more Premier League matches than ever being shown live in the UK next season – 270 versus 200 – via one fewer broadcaster, executives at Sky and TNT will be hoping that represents increased value for money.
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