EFL confirm when Leeds United's final fixture change and Bristol City TV status will be revealed
The EFL have confirmed the notice period that will be given to Leeds United fans for changes to the penultime round of Championship fixtures.
The promotion-chasing league-leading Whites resume their Championship campaign on Saturday with a home game against Swansea City, as Daniel Farke attempts to guide them through the final run-in and into the Premier League. Leeds have eight games remaining in a season that will conclude on May 3.
This season one of the aims of the EFL’s broadcast agreement with Sky Sports was to give fans greater notice of when fixtures would change date or kick-off time for broadcast selection, but the notice period has altered as the season has progressed towards what Farke calls the ‘crunch time period.’
TV selections for matches scheduled after the first weekend in March were made by Sky on a four-week rolling basis, starting from February 1, meaning that a selection for this weekend’s round of fixtures was confirmed at the start of March.
According to the EFL website, selections for matches scheduled for the penultimate weekend of the regular season will be made three weeks in advance, which means that next week Leeds fans will learn the broadcast fate of their game at Elland Road against Bristol City. Sky’s selections for the April 26 games are expected to be made and announced next Thursday. There is a high likelihood that Leeds will once again find themselves involved in a game that has been chosen for live broadcast and the clash with the Robins will move from its current Saturday 3pm slot. Should the game move it will mean that tomorrow’s fixture against Swansea is Leeds’ final remaining 3pm Saturday outing of the season.
The trip to Luton Town on Saturday April 5 has moved to a 12.30pm kick-off time, while the home game against Preston North End a week later will also begin at lunchtime. And the Easter weekend clash with Oxford United as Kassam Stadium is taking place at 8pm on Good Friday. Leeds then face Stoke City at home on Easter Monday, at 3pm.
Sky will make their broadcast selections for the final weekend of the regular season known to supporters a week before, but all of the fixtures will take place at 12.30pm due to the possibility of promotion and relegation fates being decided on the last day.
Leeds United supporters groups have lashed out at Sky and the EFL for the lack of consideration given to travelling fans with a number of this season’s broadcast decisions. The Whites were given a noon kick-off on a Sunday in Portsmouth and a week later had to get to Loftus Road for 12.30pm. Chris Hall, secretary of Leeds United Supporters Club told the YEP: “We are continually reminded that 'football is for the fans.' Unfortunately that appears to be for the ones sat in front of a television screen rather than the ones travelling all around the country to games.”
Leeds United Supporters Trust added: “The increased notice period of fixture changes imposed by the EFL and Sky is a welcome one, but this is drastically undermined by implementing kick-off times that are inconvenient at best, or even impossible to attend for some fans. Fans are consistently being failed by these fixture changes and we need to see more action being taken from the authorities to implement a basic level of consideration for logistics and impact on fan attendance. While broadcasters are allowed to call the shots, we will continue to see the exploitation of match going fan loyalty. Leeds fans will sell out our allocation, Sky will get their atmosphere, and nothing will change."