Major broadcasting change as 3pm blackout SCRAPPED for opening weekend of EFL season as part of new £930m deal
EVERY EFL game will be streamed live on the opening weekend of next season – including the matches kicking off at 3pm.
Sky’s new deal with the league means 10 matches across the three divisions will be shown every weekend, with six of them shifted to the 12.30pm Saturday slot.
But the expansion to more than 1000 live games per season means fans of all 72 EFL clubs are guaranteed to be able to see their club in action at least 20 times.
Sky’s £930m five-year deal with the EFL kicks off in August, when the broadcaster will launch a new free streaming channel as part of current subscriptions.
Sky Sports+ will offer 50 per cent more live sport and up to 100 streams at once.
It will see five Championship matches and five more from across Leagues One and Two each weekend in the current broadcasting slots.
All matches played midweek and on Bank Holidays will also be available for fans to watch.
Every Championship match will be covered by at least six cameras, with four cameras at the League One grounds and a minimum two in the bottom tier, with commentary for all matches.
Jonathan Licht, Sky Sports managing director, promised: “We are making a commitment to every club in the EFL and this is a big step-change for League One and Two.
“This season, 20 of the 48 clubs in those divisions were not covered live even once.
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“But we will also announce in July all the games we are screening live up until the first week in January.
“And by the start of November that will be extended to the beginning of March, to give fans as much notice as we can.”
The opening weekend plans from Friday August 9 are possible because the FA only applies for the 3pm “blackout” rule to apply when 50 per cent of Prem and Championship matches are kicking off – with the top flight starting a week later.
Licht added: “This is going to be a huge moment for football fans up and down the country and a fitting way to kick off our ground-breaking new partnership with the EFL.”