After a successful opening weekend to 2016/17, the EFL has today outlined this season’s approach to TV fixture scheduling to provide the best experience for its clubs and their supporters.
In a joint commitment with broadcast partner Sky Sports, the recently rebranded EFL has vowed to ensure all its clubs are given at least five weeks’ notice ahead of any matches selected for live television coverage.
Furthermore, the EFL will then commit to publicly announcing any fixture changes within three working days in order to give EFL supporters as much time as is possible to allow for any alterations to travel plans that may be required.
If both the EFL and Sky Sports are unable to meet this timeframe then the clubs involved have the ability to choose not to be broadcast live on television. However, if both Clubs mutually agree to the rescheduling of the fixture within this five-week period then the game will be played on the new date.
Throughout the course of Season 2016/17, 92 Sky Bet Championship fixtures will be screened exclusively live on Sky Sports along with 20 games from Sky Bet League One and Sky Bet League Two.
EFL Chief Executive Shaun Harvey said: “This is an extremely important issue for fans up and down the country, one we understand and we will always seek to give fans as much notice as we can in respect of fixtures that are requested to be shown live on television as part of the broadcast contract.
“Sky Sports has invested significantly in our competition, helping clubs bring through improved facilities and better players on the pitch so while we are conscious of the impact scheduling matches for television coverage can have, there is a balance to strike. We want as many people to enjoy the EFL as possible; in the stadiums, at home or watching in the pub. We look forward to working together on the five-week commitment and other initiatives over the course of the next 10 months, in what is shaping up to be yet another exciting season in the EFL.”
In addition to moving fixtures for TV, games can still be rearranged at short notice if players are called up to their respective international sides. Under current EFL rules, if three players from a first team squad are selected by their national team for a competitive or friendly match on a FIFA International Match Calendar date, clubs have the right to postpone and reschedule.
As part of this announcement the latest tranche of live Sky Bet EFL TV games, in October and November, are revealed and there are plenty of mouth-watering clashes set to take place in front of the cameras.
In their first league meeting for five years, the eagerly anticipated second city derby between Birmingham City and Aston Villa is live on Sky Sports on October 30. Almost a month later on November 20, Newcastle United will make their long-awaited return to Leeds United’s Elland Road.
Wolverhampton Wanderers host Norwich City at the beginning of October before welcoming Derby County to Molineux on November 5 and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s QPR will entertain Brentford at Loftus Road in the West London derby on October 28.
In Sky Bet League One, Charlton Athletic make their first live appearance of the season on November 12 against Swindon Town and following their respective promotions last season, Oxford United and AFC Wimbledon will lock horns at the Kassam Stadium on Sunday October 9.
The list of games selected for live coverage are as follows:
Sat 1st Oct: Wolverhampton Wanderers v Norwich City – 17.30pm
Sat 8th Oct Peterborough United v Bury – 12.00pm
Sun 9th Oct: Oxford United v AFC Wimbledon – 12.15pm
Sun 9th Oct: MK Dons v Port Vale – 14.15pm
Fri 14th Oct: Cardiff City v Bristol City – 19.45pm
Sat 15th Oct: Aston Villa v Wolverhampton Wanderers – 17.30pm
Sun 16th Oct: Huddersfield Town v Sheffield Wednesday – 12.00pm
Fri 21st Oct: Burton Albion v Birmingham City – 19.45pm
Sat 22nd Oct: Nottingham Forest v Cardiff City – 17.30pm
Fri 28th Oct: Queens Park Rangers v Brentford – 19.45pm
Sat 29th Oct: Blackburn Rovers v Wolverhampton Wanderers – 17.30pm
Sun 30th Oct: Birmingham City v Aston Villa – 12.00pm
Fri 4th Nov: Brentford v Fulham – 19.45pm
Sat 5th Nov: Wolverhampton Wanderers v Derby County – 12.30pm
Sat 5th Nov: Bristol City v Brighton & Hove Albion – 17.30pm
Sat12th Nov: Swindon Town v Charlton Athletic – 12.00pm
Sun 13th Nov: Peterborough United v Bolton Wanderers – 12.15pm
Sun 13th Nov: Chesterfield v Sheffield United – 14.15pm
Fri 18th Nov: Brighton & Hove Albion v Aston Villa – 19.45pm
Sat 19th Nov: Ipswich Town v Nottingham Forest – 17.30pm
Sun 20th Nov: Leeds United v Newcastle United – 13.15pm
Fri 25th Nov: Barnsley v Nottingham Forest – 19.45pm
Sat 26th Nov: Rotherham United v Leeds United – 17.30pm
TV Games: Click here to see the full list of TV games announced to date
Remaining TV Selection Dates 2016/17 (Illustrative but subject to five-week commitment):
– Clubs notified of selections for December to first week in January 2017 by 30 September;
– Clubs notified of selections for remainder of January by 30 October;
– Clubs notified of selections for February by 30 November;
– Clubs notified of selections for first week in March on Monday 9 January following FA Cup Third Round;
– From 1 February, 2017 a five-week rolling selection commences for matches up to and including the penultimate weekend;
– Clubs notified of selections for the final day made following the completion of the penultimate round of matches.
Image: Action Images / Jason Cairnduff
