Introduction About Streaming Rights
According to Sky Sports, the television station’s first channel was launched in 1991. This is just a matter of three years between its foundation and the BBC heralding in their sports programmes in 1988. And of course streaming is a crucial element of modern broadcasting for live football. Since 1991, then, subscribers to Sky Sports have been able to watch most top-flight football games, including Premier League matches, with its debut season of 1992/93.
I say “most” because there are still other TV stations that own the rights to specific fixtures within the Premier League, as well as for other competitions such as the FA Cup and the EFL Cup, including, for instance, the BBC and ITV. I believe this has had a negative impact on the fan culture surrounding the sport. In today’s article, I will look at the effects this has had on football fans such as myself. Not to mention the impact of wider football journalism and punditry community in general.
Impact On Me
I am a Liverpool supporter and have been since I witnessed Steven Gerrard scoring to secure and lift the FA Cup in the famous 05/06 season…on TV. I was eight years old then and can still remember the infamous volley that meant we had done the double that season (Champions League and FA Cup). After this season, my football knowledge and memory grows hazier, and I think this is to do with the fact that most of those types of cup games were now being streamed on the likes of BT Sports and Sky Sports.
Now, I may go on a rant here, but it is personally justified. So, I subscribed to Sky Sports myself as an adult for the first time for the 21/22 season. I was allured by the streaming service’s promise of showing all Premier League ties. However, there was something I didn’t know and was not aware of. Namely, a lot (as in approximately two thirds) of LFC games are exclusively on BT Sport. Now, I’m not willing to subscribe to both. And therefore I can’t watch the majority of football matches I have an interest in.
How This Has Affected Fans
In a similar vein, this ongoing rights battle to stream Premier League matches may have also had an impact on the core of football supporters around the world – our working positions as those who admire the grassroots aspects of the game do not allow us to have the resources to stream the more important matches. Now, others will argue that those without the necessary funds aren’t true fans of their clubs or the sport. Perhaps ticketholders could prove an example of this attitude. Though I think that’s a rather harsh assessment.
Conclusion About Streaming Rights
So, imagine moving the streaming rights back to the BBC and ITV. This effectively allows for larger sections of the public to stream a wider range of top-flight football. Now, it would perhaps take away from sponsorship and contractual deals. But it would mean a positive return to those passionate about the sport.
