EFL reveals 50,000 domestic streams of matches via iFollow
Last updated on .From the section Football
The English Football League has had 50,000 streams of its matches online in the UK and Ireland since it began offering the service in August.
Fans have been able to view selected games via iFollow, their team's digital platform, at a cost of £10 per match.
EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey says the service "is making money" but that the EFL is determined to protect live attendances at matches.
Clubs are due to receive revenues from iFollow at the end of October.
The EFL sees streaming as an opportunity to bring in new revenue alongside its existing broadcasting deals.
It has been conducting a trial, which concludes at the end of October, to see what effect streaming has on attendances, and also which League One and League Two fixtures to stream in the future.
Clubs will receive between 70% and 80% of revenues from iFollow.
"We are committed to promoting live attendances at our games and any reductions will be looked at seriously as we value the service to the EFL as a whole," Harvey said.
How many people are watching?
iFollow, the League's digital platform, is used by 58 of the 72 EFL member clubs, with a further 11 offering their own streaming service.
League One pair Accrington Stanley and Charlton Athletic and League Two Forest Green Rovers do not stream their matches online.
The EFL has revealed the following statistics for 2018-19:
- There have been a total of 130,000 live video streams across EFL matches (including 80k from overseas, and 50k domestic)
- They estimate 11,000 supporters have used the service from overseas, with viewers from 165 countries
- Ipswich v Norwich has been the most-streamed match, with 2,500 streams in the UK and a further 600 from overseas
- The majority of domestic users have been over 25 miles away from the home stadium
Meanwhile, Harvey said the EFL is "absolutely in support" of the current restrictions which block matches from being shown on UK television or streamed online on a Saturday afternoon.
Games are ordinarily blocked from being shown between 14:45 and 17:15 on a Saturday, but matches on 8 September and 13 October were streamed as they fall outside of the broadcast times restricted by Article 48 of Uefa regulations.
When can the EFL stream games?
There are two instances where EFL games can not be streamed online in the UK and Ireland:
- Between 14:45-17:15 on a Saturday
- When games have been selected for live television coverage on Sky Sports
However, the EFL has streamed games on 8 September and 13 October, and will be able to on 17 November and 23 March 2019, when Uefa fixtures are being staged during international breaks.
Games streamed on iFollow are also available via Sky Sports.
Overseas supporters have been able to stream every non-televised EFL match online since the start of of the 2017-18 season, with the offering being expanded to domestic fans at the start of the current campaign.
Overseas fans can purchase a season pass for £110 or pay £5 to watch matches on a game-by-game basis.