April 23 – The English Premier League is reported to considering screening games on free-to-air channels if and when the season returns amid concerns fans will visit friends who have Sky Sports or BT Sport and risk contracting Covid-19.
Culture secretary Oliver Dowden says he has been having “productive talks” with governing bodies from across British sport on what happens following the coronavirus shutdown.
He said any resumption hinges on passing the government’s five tests as well as meeting social distancing guidelines.
Matches will almost certainly be played behind closed doors if the season is allowed to resume with Premier League clubs reportedly targeting a return to training on May 9 and hoping to complete the current campaign starting in either June or more likely July.
How matches will be broadcast is one of the many issues being discussed and speaking at a meeting of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport committee on Wednesday, Dowden said conversations have been held between the Premier League and broadcasters about making matches available for everyone to watch without subscription.
“I’ve raised exactly this challenge to the Premier League in the conversations that I had with them,” said Dowden.
“I have said to the Premier League in particular, it wouldn’t send the best signal if they were the first or one of the first major sports to resume behind closed doors and the public at large wouldn’t have access to it.”
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