Reason Middlesbrough v Rotherham United Was Late Saturday Night Kick-Off

[Ericsladkilnhurst]

The reason Middlesbrough v Rotherham United fixture was a Saturday evening kick off.

A Sky-sports obligation as part of their EFL broadcast deal was the reason that the Middlesbrough
v Rotherham United fixture was played at the unusual time of 7.45 on Saturday evening.
Such kick-offs - Reserved for midweek fixtures, with weekend games tending to take place at
mid-day on a Saturday, & afternoon for Sunday.
Sky-sports deal with the EFL is that they are obligated to show every side at home, at least twice
in a season, once each side of the new year, & with plans in place through out the rest of the
year, it was realised that Rotherham United hadn't been scheduled.
When looked at, it was realised that it would be unable to schedule Rotherham United in for live
broadcast at the NYS.

So provisions were made to show the game at Middlesbrough's Riverside stadium, which then from
a broadcasting point of view, was therefore viewed as a Rotherham United home fixture.

Financial Payment - Sky-Sport Broadcast

Home clubs receive around £100,000 per televised game, away sides receive around £10,000 plus
logistics costs, such as travel & accommodation where necessary.
Because Rotherham United had to be shown at home, & therefore classed as the broadcasters
home side, in order to receive fair share of broadcast money, Rotherham automatically received
the home side reward, therefore receiving around £100,000
Where Middlesbrough were the actual hosts, they fought also to receive the same fee, which
understood was given.
Meaning Sky-sports paid out around £200,000 to broadcast the game.
Paul Warne said, " I bet sky are buzzing with that ! I appreciate fans who came, considering its on
TV at a unsociable time in the Worlds history, no one wanted to be here, the people on Sky
buzzing, I got out quick, so they could go home. "

[frogmiller]

So that’s our home game played!

The Riverside New York Stadium

Fiick me! Sky really do hate us

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

So that’s our home game played!

The Riverside New York Stadium

Fiick me! Sky really do hate us

After that game Sky would have a good case for a refund based on entertainment value

[Pattylallacks2]

After that game Sky would have a good case for a refund based on entertainment value

Hardly, as it was on a par with most of the other dross they show

[CAMiller]

So basically they forgot about us whilst at the same time managing to schedule the likes of Sunderland to be on 7 or 8 times

I suppose it at least eliminates the fact that if it had been a real home game our attendance would have probably suffered and so nullified some of the £100,000 income.

[crookadile]

We are scheduled for a home game. Huddersfield Oct 15. 12:30 ko.

[CAMiller]

We are scheduled for a home game. Huddersfield Oct 15. 12:30 ko.

Yes you are right - I thought CT and I had a 4:30am kick-off to look forward to because of TV 'shuffling' but couldn't remember if it was a home or an away game.

Seems Sky themselves had even forgotten that they hadn't forgotten about us

[Ericsladkilnhurst]

We are scheduled for a home game. Huddersfield Oct 15. 12:30 ko.

I knew about the moving of Huddersfield Town game from Friday evening to Saturday afternoon, but when
did Sky sports decide to change & broadcast the Middlesbrough game, probably pencilled in before the
Huddersfield Town change.
Extra £100,000 for the Millers, then another Millers game at the NYS shown after the new year, according
to EFL & sky sports deal.

[jocksgloves]

Not our job to entertain the Sky sports public.