Sky Sports and BT Sport want to scrap the Premier League’s pay-per-view service amid fears of damage to their reputations.

LONDON, ENGLAND: A member of staff disinfects the goal posts amidst the COVID-19 pandemic prior to the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Ham United at Emirates Stadium on September 19, 2020. (Photo by Ian Walton - Pool/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND: A member of staff disinfects the goalposts on September 19, 2020. (Photo by Ian Walton – Pool/Getty Images)

The Mirror report that a ‘top Sky source’ told them they aren’t happy about the current system with the pay-per-view games. They reportedly never thought it was a good idea, and nothing has changed since it started.

According to the source: “It is damaging the reputation of Sky Sports to be linked to this scheme – and that feeling is shared at BT. Everyone here would prefer for it to stop.”

Multiple fan groups have set up protest campaigns against the service, encouraging other supporters to donate to charity instead of paying the PPV fee. Arsenal fans have their own campaign, at around £20,000 per the latest update.

The price is the main point of contention. Now TV have a 24-hour option to sign up for £10 and watch as many games as they show that day. iFollow provide EFL matches for £10 a game. The Carabao Cup showed Leicester City vs Arsenal last month for £10.

There’s no reason it should suddenly cost £15 to show the matches. I’m a season-ticket holder with subscriptions to Sky, BT, and Amazon and now I have to pay an extra £15, more than I would for any other service, to watch each of the next three home games?

Sky and BT were showing these extra games for free before, and they weren’t doing so out of a sense of charity. They know they’re increasing the value of their product and encouraging new customers to sign up.

There was no need to introduce this PPV fee for anyone except the Premier League, for whom the massive broadcast rights agreements and sponsorship deals aren’t enough. They really need your £15 as well, £10 is just too little. Pull the other one.