All September’s Premier League matches will be broadcast live on TV after a U-turn by the 20 clubs
ALL this month’s Premier League matches will be broadcast live on TV after a U-turn by the 20 clubs.
As SunSport revealed yesterday, a hastily-arranged virtual meeting of the 20 “shareholder” clubs saw them fold in the face of demands from fans and the Government.
The League had agreed to increase the number of matches screened live on TV this season from 200 to 220.
But that left 160 matches without live showing, including 11 of the games due to be played behind closed doors this month.
Now, following the furore, the clubs have agreed to change their stance with all 11 matches now shared between the Prem’s four broadcasters, Sky Sports, BT Sport, Amazon Prime and the BBC.
Amazon and the Beeb will show one match each on September 26.
The switch means a series of changed kick-off times this weekend.
While Crystal Palace’s home clash with Southampton remains a 3pm kick-off and screened by BT, West Ham will now take on Newcastle at 8pm, live on Sky Sports.
Wolves’ trip to Sheffield United on Monday will now start at 6pm with Brighton’s match against Chelsea reverting to 8.15pm in a Sky double-header.
The battle of promoted duo Leeds and Fulham will be the sole 3pm Saturday game on September 19, on BT Sport.
But Arsenal’s London derby with West Ham has been brought forward from 2pm on Sunday September 20 to 8pm the previous evening.
That sees Leicester’s clash with Burnley moved back from 3pm on the Saturday to 7pm the next night, with Aston Villa versus Sheffield United now shunted back more than 24 hours to a 6pm kick off on Monday September 21.
As it stands, there will be four matches screened by at least three broadcasters at 3pm on Saturday September 26, although Spurs’ game with Newcastle will be moved back if Tottenham win their opening Europa League qualifier next Thursday.
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Prem chiefs see the move as a temporary measure because of the current Covid-19 ban on fans, due to be lifted next month.
They signalled even partial ground reopening will bring a change of policy in a statement which said: “In consultation with all relevant stakeholders, the Premier League is considering appropriate arrangements for matches which will take place after 1 October.
“The Premier League is working on a step-by-step approach, while monitoring the developments regarding the League’s number one priority of getting fans back into full stadia as soon as possible, with safety always being our priority.”
Updated fixture schedule is as follows:
Match Round 1
Saturday 12 September
12:30 Fulham vs. Arsenal (live on BT Sport)
15:00 Crystal Palace vs. Southampton (live on BT Sport)
17:30 Liverpool vs. Leeds United (live on Sky Sports)
20:00 West Ham United vs. Newcastle United (live on Sky Sports)
Sunday 13 September
14:00 West Bromwich Albion vs. Leicester City (live on Sky Sports)
16:30 Tottenham Hotspur vs. Everton (live on Sky Sports)
Monday 14 September
18:00 Sheffield United vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers (live on Sky Sports)
20:15 Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Chelsea (live on Sky Sports)
Match Round 2
Saturday 19 September
12:30 Everton vs. West Bromwich Albion (live on BT Sport)
15:00 Leeds United vs. Fulham (live on BT Sport)
17:30 Manchester United vs. Crystal Palace (live on Sky Sports)
20:00 Arsenal vs. West Ham United (live on Sky Sports)
Sunday 20 September
12:00 Southampton vs. Tottenham Hotspur (live on BT Sport)
14:00 Newcastle United vs. Brighton & Hove Albion (live on Sky Sports)
16:30 Chelsea vs. Liverpool (live on Sky Sports)
19:00 Leicester City vs. Burnley (live on BBC Sport)
Monday 21 September
18:00 Aston Villa vs. Sheffield United (live on Sky Sports)
20:15 Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Manchester City (live on Sky Sports)
Match Round 3* (confirmation of broadcast selections will follow imminently)
Saturday 26 September
12:30 Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Manchester United (live on BT Sport)
15:00 Burnley vs. Southampton (TBC)
15:00 Crystal Palace vs. Everton (TBC)
15:00 Tottenham Hotspur vs. Newcastle United (TBC)
15:00 West Ham United vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers (TBC)
17:30 West Bromwich Albion vs. Chelsea (live on Sky Sports)
Sunday 27 September
12:00 Sheffield United vs. Leeds United (live on BT Sport)
14:00 Fulham vs. Aston Villa (live on Sky Sports)
16:30 Manchester City vs. Leicester City (live on Sky Sports)
Monday 28 September
20:00 Liverpool vs. Arsenal (live on Sky Sports)