One Cobblers game chosen for Sky Sports as EFL announce first batch of TV picks
The EFL and Sky Sports have announced the first selection of matches that will be moved for television coverage in the 2024/25 season, with one Cobblers game among those chosen.
In the announcement of the TV selection matches up to the end of September, Northampton’s Sky Bet League One visit from Wycombe Wanderers to Sixfields on Saturday, September 14th, will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Plus. The game will therefore kick off at the earlier time of 12.30pm.
With the uplift in matches, fans can expect the following template for broadcast-selection matches for regular weekends, where all divisions and the Premier League play, up until the end of September. This is subject to non-foreseeable match postponements:
• Up to 10 regular weekend games across the three divisions will be broadcast
• Up to five Sky Bet Championship matches
• Up to five matches across Sky Bet League One and Sky Bet League Two
• Up to three Championship matches and, for the first time, at least one League One or League Two fixture will be broadcast on Sky Sports Main Event or Sky Sports Football
• The remaining broadcast fixtures will be available to watch via Sky Sports+
• 26 out of the 36 regular weekend games across the three divisions will remain in the Saturday 3:00pm slot, which will not be broadcast in the UK
For matches on a regular weekend broadcast outside of the blocked hours, fans can watch seven matches on a Saturday lunchtime (12.30pm kick-off), frequent slots on a Friday night and additional selected picks on a Thursday night, Sunday afternoon and Monday night.
A statement read: “Following the EFL’s Fixture Release Day and announcement of the broadcast selections for the opening weekend, this announcement provides fans and clubs further notice of schedule amendments.
“In addition, and prior to the start of the 2024/25 season, all TV selections will be confirmed for the period up to the FA Cup third round in early January. This is a landmark commitment, providing fans and clubs up to five months’ notice, an increase from the five weeks' notice given across the majority of the 2023/24 season.
“The League is committed to greater parity in the number of times that clubs are selected for TV coverage across all competitions, with clubs set to feature more than 20 times per season on Sky Sports.
“All fixtures played in League One and League Two will be available for broadcast on Sky Sports, the majority of these in the Saturday 3:00pm slot.
“At least one match from each division will be broadcast on Sky Sports Main Event or Sky Sports Football, with the remaining matches available to stream via Sky Sports+.
“Article 48 'blocked hours' will not apply during International Break weekends. Before the season started, the EFL, with the Premier League, nominated applicable dates to submit to UEFA, via the Football Association.
“ITV will show highlights of the Sky Bet Championship, Sky Bet League One, Sky Bet League Two, Carabao Cup and the Bristol Street Motors Trophy across the 2024/25 season. The ITV Highlights Show will provide a comprehensive round-up of all the day’s action from across the EFL will be screened in the primetime slot on Saturday at 9pm on ITV4, with a repeat being shown on ITV later in the evening.”