hooter

I think this one might have a way to run yet...

Several Championship clubs are "gravely concerned" by the EFL board's announcement it has approved a new domestic broadcasting rights deal. Club officials met on Tuesday to discuss the £595m five-year agreement that has been signed with Sky Sports. They say the deal has been done without them being fully consulted. "Nineteen clubs from the league wrote to the EFL asking them not to sign the deal and to engage in meaningful discussions," said a statement. The statement, from "several unnamed clubs", said they felt they had been "ignored". https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46282788

Excellent article on this by Accrington's chairman today; https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/11/18/championship-not-tin-pot-division-clubs-right-demand-cash/amp/?__twitter_impression=true There is just one place between the Premier League's bottom club and the Championship winners in the pyramid, but there is a gulf in broadcast revenue of almost £100 million. The Championship is not some tin-pot division sitting beneath the Premier League now, it is a major league and big business. Owners such as Andrea Radrizzani at Leeds United are serious operators, and they are going to bring their experience to bear on issues like this. In Radrizzani's case, he owns a media company. He knows the value of broadcast rights and you cannot fob off people like that, they need to be listened to. He also tweeted this today; "The issue is that Leeds v. Aston Villa rights are worth more than 1/50th of Fulham v. Huddersfield. Sky don't get 1/50th of the viewers for Leeds which is why they are never off the telly. They get Leeds for buttons."

Just looked at ours including what has been announced up to mid Jan, we're also on a lot over the next few weeks. Our game v Derby on 11th Jan will be our 27th League game of the season, 19 of them will have been on Sky, just over 70% of our matches....

There is a split then a small appearance fee (about 100k home team, less away team). The point being it isn't a fair split, unless each team is on roughly the same amount of times, they know they are buying the rights to show Leeds, Villa, Derby, Sheff clubs, Forest, WBA and whoever else is challenging in a particular season. They couldn't give a stuff about showing Rotherham, and will only do so if it involves one of the above, but Rotherham get almost identical TV revenue to the others. This is the reason the bigger clubs are pissed off. Yes similar issues in PL but big 6 do have Euro money too.

It is crazy, 7 out of our last 8 games have been on Sky, as with yourselves they know that we will pull in a multiple of the viewers that Rotherham/Bolton/Preston etc will. Yet we get almost exactly the same money as them, arguably less if you allow for some reduction in gates (particularly away fans but also home in midweek). Oh and the ball-ache of fixtures being moved left, right and centre. I can understand why the larger EFL clubs are saying enough is enough.

There is a graphic doing the rounds which shows the absurdity of the current situation, but I don't know how to display it. Would imagine your situation is similar if not quite as extreme. %age of games shown on live TV so far this season Man City 69% Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs all 62%, Leeds 55%, MUFC and Wolves 54% Anticipated TV revenues for this season, 6 clubs between 90 and 100 million, one approximately 6 million. Our owner has been talking about PL2 for a while now, crazy that Sky get so much value from the top 6 or 8 Championship clubs, but pay the money to the likes of Huddersfield and Bournemouth, who they show as little as possible. I think a group of clubs realise this deal sells them way short. Not sure whether it'll go anywhere, but I believe our owner is meeting your powers that be and others at Villa Park today, is that right ?

Rather than run the risk he has fooled you, why not encourage your Trust or similar to write an open letter asking them to explain exactly where you stand ? If it is truly sorted, then the FL will have no problem with the mechanism by whch it has been sorted being explained, in the name of clarity, or "fair play" even ? What is clear is that you are potentially hugely in breach unless some massive and unexplained caveat has been uncovered. If it has, why wouldn't they tell you, and show you how tremendously clever they are ? Maybe because their "clever" solution is only actually agreed in their mind ? One thing a procession of words removed owning my club has taught me is this, if they won't explain something which appears odd/unlikely/total bollocks, there is normally a reason, and it doesn't tend to end well for the guy buying his season ticket.

You do. Glad we are visiting just before Christmas. ?

To be clear, are you suggesting this would be a good move on your part, should you go up ? ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKhEw7nD9C4 Villa talk on automatic promotion chances....?

He has us playing great football, but there's plenty of time for us to bugger it up yet !!

I could live with that, and the PL would be all the better for it. We've been missing some big players for last 5 or 6 games, Pablo, Roofe, Berardi all due back next weekend and fixtures look a little kinder, be disappointing if we don't pick up again.

It's yer Bielsa burn out, intit ? Dunna fret, the longer folk don't rate us despite 2 points a game, the better. ?

Whereas Aston is just in a **** state....?

Clintwood East for manager ? Percy Crusoe as assistant ?

Shot dead aged 21. Not really a long term plan that...?

?

Indeed.

I don't think we can claim that title yet, and certainly don't want it, we're playing well, we'll see where that takes us. ?

I agree with you that Wenger looks like a stretch. But I would admit too, that last summer when we were first linked with Bielsa I was similarly dismissive, on the back of Steve **** Evans and Paul **** Heckingbottom it was utterly ridiculous nonsense to even give 1% credibility to one of the most respected coaches on the planet arriving at ER. But arrive he did, because the owner went all in for him, and it was "a project" which he thought looked an exciting challenge. Don't entirely dismiss the idea your owners might find someone with a similar view.

Who is he ? Seems anyone with a Portuguese sounding name can command a couple of mill a year in brum now after what Wolves did. If you mean Carvalhal the ex Wednesday guy, I'll quote a good mate and Wednesday s/t holder, "if they threw a cabbage at bruce, it'll be like harvest Festival each home game for that idiot..."

? Latest name to see the odds tumble. No sign of Malcolm McLaren as DoF I'm pleased to report. ?

Paul Cook lads ? Thoughts ?

Please give it to Terry. You know lads, "Captain, Leader, Legend". I witnessed Bielsa do a job on his more intelligent mate Frank a few weeks back, Marcelo going toe to toe tactically with the legend that is JT, I'm almost tempted to offer a charitable donation over and above my ticket price. Make it happen lads, JT in ?