Rebel Championship clubs including Aston Villa, Stoke and Leeds to hold crisis meeting after EFL agree £595m TV deal with Sky
Up to 15 clubs, led by Leeds and Derby, demanded that the deal was left unsigned and they will now meet at Villa Park on Tuesday to plot their next move
REBEL clubs who opposed the EFL'S new five-year broadcast deal with Sky will hold a crisis meeting at Villa Park on Tuesday.
The EFL and the broadcasting giants announced an astonishing £595million deal today that will come into effect from the 2019-2020 football season, running until May 2024.
This was despite up to 15 clubs, led by Leeds and Derby, demanding that the deal was left unsigned.
Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani and Derby counterpart Mel Morris had been determined to force a re-negotiation, with threats of a “Premier League 2” breakaway being made.
But Prem chiefs made it clear they were not interested in expanding their competition while the FA signalled it would not sanction a rebel league.
Lower division chairmen, including Burton’s Ben Robinson, publicly voiced fears that clubs in Leagues One and Two could not survive unless the deal - worth 35 per cent more than the current agreement - was signed.
And after a board meeting, in which Reading, initially among the potential rebels, switched sides, the EFL agreed the new deal which will see 138 EFL league games, 15 play-off matches, 15 Carabao Cup ties and the semi-final and final of the Checkatrade Trophy screen live.
The big question is how the rebels will respond, with EFL bosses hoping they will recognise the deal is in the best interests of the 72-club pyramid.
EFL interim chair Debbie Jevans said: “The EFL Board is satisfied that the right deal for the EFL and its Clubs has been reached.
“Concluding these negotiations has indeed been challenging, as is the case when managing a diverse group of stakeholders.
most read in football
“The Board took on board the comments and frustrations voiced by a number of Clubs and has committed to reviewing the way the League engages with its Clubs to ensure that we move forward in a collaborative way in the future.”
Under the terms of the deal, Championship clubs will see their basic TV income rise from £2.33m to £2.96m per season.
League One clubs will earn £884,000, up from £708,000, with League Two sides bagging £613,000, a rise of £121,000 each season.
The deal entitles Sky to screen another 20 weekend games in each of the final two seasons and show all midweek championship games via their interactive service.
Clubs will be entitled to stream any of their own unscreened games that take place outside the Saturday 3pm “blackout” window.