The way that Birmingham City fans who are based in the UK and outside may follow and support their team will change significantly in the upcoming season.
The NFL and Sky Sports agreed earlier this year a new £895 million, five-year broadcast agreement. There are several things to consider as Birmingham fights for their life right now to stay in League One.
The number of games that will be streamed will be the biggest shift, and that will have a significant impact on fixture scheduling. With five EFL games in the Championship and the remaining two being League One and League Two, Sky Sports has fulfilled its goal to broadcast ten games per week.
The scheduling of these fixtures is still up in the air. English football’s top division will take precedence after Sky Sports and BT Sport reached an agreement to broadcast the Premier League for four additional years at a cost of £6.7 billion.
Championship games are currently televised on Friday evenings, Saturday afternoons, and Sunday lunchtimes. They display the midweek schedule in addition to the games played over the Easter break, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day. During Easter, there were some Monday games played at 8:00 p.m. as the competition for promotion and to stay in the standings intensifies.
According to Sky Sports, all of the EFL’s opening day matches will air. This implies that Birmingham and their 23 opponents won’t kick off their 2024–25 season at their customary 3 p.m. Saturday.
Approximately 56% of EFL games will air during the upcoming season, compared to roughly 13% under the existing agreement. To put it plainly, the scheduling of fixtures will undergo significant modifications. Nonetheless, Sky Sports and the EFL have promised to provide more advance notice for games. In order to rotate the team each week, the broadcaster will also ensure that each team in the division gets a “fair share” of TV games.
What are Birmingham City’s gains?
Over the course of the season, the EFL distributes about £8.5 million to second-tier clubs, according to our friends at the Sunderland Echo. Solidarity payments account for £5.2 million of it, while basic award payments are £3.2 million. The new agreement will result in an increase in the standard award payout, which, should it remain in place, will be 46% more profitable for Birmingham and their competitors.
Each game selected for Sky Sports broadcasting will be subject to a facility fee. Using four cameras or more for each broadcast will enhance the Championship product’s overall appearance.
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