Virgin urges Premier League to allow broadcasters to show every live game

The Premier League has been urged to introduce US-style regional blackouts that would allow broadcasters to show all 380 matches live on TV.

As it stands, the 3pm kick-offs on a Saturday afternoon are not broadcast, with Sky Sports showing the late afternoon game on the Saturday, the Sunday fixtures and the Monday night match, while BT broadcasts the early kick-off on Saturday.

However, Virgin Media has filed a complaint with the media watchdog Ofcom, in which it states that the Premier League is keeping prices artificially high and restricting choice to consumers by making only 41% of matches available to broadcasters.

The group’s chief executive, Tom Mockridge, said over three quarters of Virgin customers deemed sport channels to be too expensive, adding allowing broadcasters to show all live games would bring prices down.

“Consumers are entitled to make their own choices rather than have other people make them for them,” he said, adding the current deal had generate a “nanny state”.

The new TV deal, which kicks off next season and will expire at the end of the 2018-19 season, will Sky and BT pay £5.1bn for the rights to broadcast Premier League matches, an 80% increase compared with the current contract.

Virgin said it did not expect Ofcom to halt the deal, although it said any changes should be implemented in the next contract from 2019-20.

The Premier League and the Football Supporters Federation have repeatedly stated the absence of 3pm kick-offs live on TV on a Saturday afternoon safeguard attendances in lower league football, although games are abroad.

Fans have also resorted to watch 3pm kick-offs via illegal streaming, while an ever-growing number of pubs are showing Saturday afternoon matches via foreign channels.

“The Premier League argues there is a consumer benefit in limiting the number of matches. We would argue the opposite,” said Mockridge.

“I am not criticising the Premier League. Richard Scudamore [the Premier League chief executive] has done a terrific job for them but it’s up to Ofcom to act as the referee.

“Their primary aim is to protect the consumer. What is the consumer benefit in only showing 40% of the games on TV?”

In Germany, fans are able to watch all games or purchase a pass that allows them to watch all their team’s matches, a system similar to that on offer in the NBA and the NFL in the US.