‘TV comes first, fans come last’ – Spirit of Shankly call out Premier League broadcasters

NEW season. Fresh start. Same treatment.

TV comes first. Fans come last. Fixtures are moved with no thought, no care and no accountability — and it keeps happening.

Liverpool’s trip to Newcastle United, originally scheduled for Saturday 23 August at 3pm, has been moved to Bank Holiday Monday at 8pm for Sky Sports.

That’s a 350-mile round trip on a weeknight with no train home. Travelling supporters will be left with limited options: a late-night drive, an overnight stay, or a coach trip returning in the early hours before work commitments the next day.

Let’s be clear: this isn’t about fixture congestion or European commitments. There is no clash. No logistical reason. Just a TV slot to fill — with no consideration for the people actually travelling to attend the match; people who will sing, shout and support and are key to making the match what we know and love. Those very same people will no doubt feature in the TV coverage – their celebrations, their flags and banners.

Our loyalty is being exploited.

This is the first season under a new Premier League broadcast deal that allows up to 270 of 380 games to be shown live. That means more rescheduled games, more midweek slots, and more disruption for supporters. And as ever, when fixtures are moved, nobody takes any responsibility.

Ask the broadcasters — they’ll blame the Premier League. Ask the Premier League — they’ll say broadcasters make the picks. Ask the clubs — they’ll say their hands are tied.

But the clubs are the Premier League. The executives who sign off these decisions are the Premier League. And collectively, they could ask for more sense to be applied. They simply choose not to.

Even the minimal courtesy of giving fans notice is being eroded. TV selection deadlines exist to help supporters plan travel, time off work, accommodation — yet they are routinely missed.

Liverpool fans know the drill. Last season, the away trip to Brighton was moved late to a Monday night, turning it into a 540-mile round trip at short notice. The result? Travel chaos and increased costs dumped on those most loyal to the game.

What’s already in store this season is more of the same:

Last away of last season? Brighton – Monday night.

First away of this season? Newcastle – Monday night.

Opening game of the campaign? Liverpool v Bournemouth – Friday, 8pm (524-mile round trip for away fans – no option of a train to get home).

Further down the line, it continues, even before the next round of TV picks:

Liverpool v Sunderland – Wednesday 3 December, 8pm. (334-mile round trip for away fans – no option of a train to get home).

Sunderland v Liverpool – Wednesday 11 February, 8pm (as above).

Arsenal v Liverpool – Wednesday 7 January, 8pm (418-mile round trip. No return train.)

Wolves v Liverpool – Wednesday 4 March, 8pm (174-mile round trip. You might make the last train at 22:19 — if you’re lucky.)

And yet the same excuses are rolled out. The Premier League recently issued a warning that fixture disruption would be more frequent this season due to the number of English clubs involved in Europe. But that doesn’t apply here. There’s no congestion. No justification. This is just television taking priority over people. Again.

When football returned during COVID, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said: “The Premier League won’t be fully back until fans can return.”

Well, fans are back — and they’re being treated with contempt – again.

In Germany, fans protested against Monday night football and forced the Bundesliga to scrap it altogether with “active fan groups” and “protests” cited as the reason why.

Here in England, matchgoing fans are more connected, more organised and more fed up than ever. We’ve proved before that when the bear is poked enough times, it can bite back.

Supporters successfully opposed the European Super League, lobbied for the £30 away ticket cap in the Premier League and successfully advocated for safe standing.

We’re not extras in a broadcast, we help to make it what it is.

We’ll be writing formally to Liverpool FC, the Premier League, Sky Sports and TNT to raise our concerns — not just about one fixture, but the growing pattern of contempt shown towards matchgoing supporters.

But enough is enough. We urge supporters to act too:

• Write to Richard Masters, Premier League CEO, and ask him whether he still believes fans matter.
• Contact your MP and raise this as a national issue of fairness, affordability and fan rights.
• Tag broadcasters when fixtures are moved — show them the consequences of their decisions.
• And support calls for the new Football Regulator to take fixture scheduling seriously — because if clubs and leagues won’t protect fans, someone else must.

We’ve said it before — but this time, we won’t stop there.

Spirit of Shankly

Twitter users reacted as the Spirit of Shankly call out Premier League broadcasters…

@nufctrust: No consideration for travelling fans yet again. #stopexploitingloyalty

@Phil_Pritchard: Written by Liverpool fans, but it could have by any Prem / top half Champ club. Match-going fans have long been the lowest priority, and now they’re even lower.

@JTB_AFC: Speaking for all match going supporters 👏

@leoroberts: “Football without fans is nothing”. We keep being told that, yet @SkySports, @footballontnt, @premierleague and the clubs themselves don’t give a single care for us who make the game what it is. #StopExploitingLoyalty

@paul976431: This is spot on, fans taken for granted: Spot on @spiritofshankly well said. Supporters who actually go to matches are treated with contempt by the @premierleague and the broadcasters. And yes, the Premier League are the clubs, just in case anyone is confused….

@NeilDady: Supporters of all clubs can empathise with @spiritofshankly on the moving of fixtures for TV with no regard for match going fans @Wolves1877T 👇👇

@MCFCfoodbank: Something all supporters can empathise with, especially those of us in the PL and now Championship with more televised games than ever. Put fans first. #StopExploitingLoyalty

@manjgill: Regardless of who you support. If you’re a travelling fan or not. Please take time to read this and put your letter together and help make a change. Our voices will be heard. We’ve done it before, let’s do it again for the benefit of all 🙌🏽

@realmixing_desk: Hard to argue with any of this and #MUFC are among the worst offenders under Ratcliffe & @INEOS

@H_H_Hammer: Well said @spiritofshankly couldn’t agree more!!! @tntsports @SkySports @premierleague this can’t continue!