Report details viewing figures for West Brom PPV match as PL clubs ready U-turn

Tue 27 October 2020 10:41, UK

West Brom fans have outright rejected the notion of paying £14.95 to watch Slaven Bilic’s team pay after the Premier League introduced their pay-per-view scheme earlier this month.

According to the Mirror, Premier League clubs are now planning a U-turn on the scheme due to “disastrous” viewing figures.

The Daily Mail has reported that fewer than 1,000 people paid to watch West Brom’s 0-0 draw against Burnley last Monday as Baggies fans instead opted to use their money to raise money for the Albion Foundation.

Here we go then, we’ve set an initial goal of £1000 to raise for the @WBAFoundation. Idea is to donate the £14.95 PPV fee (if you can) in protest against PL greed. Link is now live and you can donate here: https://t.co/bPknVYBO5T
— The Baggies Bible (@TheBaggiesBible) October 21, 2020

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All Premier League matches are able to watch via PPV if they’re not scheduled to be broadcast on the usual Sky Sports and BT Sport channels.

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However, none of West Brom’s matches since the scheme was introduced have been selected by Sky or BT, meaning that Baggies fans will have had to fork out a ridiculous amount of money to be able to watch their team play.

As pointed out by The Athletic journalist Steve Madeley, it is majorly unfair to expect West Brom fans to use pay-per-view more than supporters of big-six clubs, who regularly get to see their team play without having to shell out extra cash.

Reducing PPV rates to £5 would be a big step in the right direction but it still wouldn’t solve the other big flaw – the disproportionate unfairness of the hybrid model.
Albion fans would still end up paying extra almost every week while ‘big six fans’ hardly ever would. #WBA
— Steve Madeley (@SteveMadeley78) October 27, 2020

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The Mirror has now reported that the “exceptionally low” viewing figures of West Brom’s goalless draw against Burnley has “caused embarrassment and raised question marks about the whole concept”.

And rightly so.

Last season, Albion fans could watch their team play live at The Hawthorns for £20. Obviously, you have to throw in extra costs such as transport, food, drink, programmes and whatever else supporters usually pay for but it’s pretty obvious that watching your team live and in the flesh is more appealing than sitting at home and watching your team on television.

West Brom’s squad is also not too dissimilar to the one that was in the Championship last season and the Baggies are far less likely to win matches this season in the Premier League.

We just don’t understand how West Brom think fans can justify spending £14.95 on watching their team play each week.

Thankfully, the fans’ rejection of PPV has worked and the scheme could be scrapped all together soon.

In other West Brom news, Steve Madeley has shared an update on the money Barcelona owe the Baggies for Louie Barry.

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