Sky Sports will show 130 live EFL contests throughout the 2020/21 campaign; Reading vs Norwich, QPR vs Stoke, Brentford vs Bournemouth live throughout December; Watford vs Norwich to be shown live on Boxing Day; League One clash between Hull and Portsmouth live on Friday December 18
Monday 30 November 2020 12:05, UK
Sky Sports has announced 14 new Sky Bet EFL matches to be televised in December.
A bumper month of action gets underway on Tuesday December 1, with Birmingham vs Barnsley (7.45pm kick-off) and Rotherham vs Brentford (8pm), while Sheffield Wednesday vs Reading takes centre stage the following evening (7.45pm).
In Sky Bet League One, Hull vs Portsmouth will be shown live on Friday December 18 and on Boxing Day, Watford vs Norwich promises to be an exciting encounter between two sides with designs on an immediate return to the Premier League.
The festive fixtures continue on Tuesday December 29, when Millwall host Watford and Nottingham Forest travel to Stoke, with Brentford vs Bournemouth and Reading vs Swansea live on Wednesday December 30 to round off 2020.
December 1: Cardiff vs Huddersfield* (7pm), Birmingham vs Barnsley, Bournemouth vs Preston*, Derby vs Coventry*, QPR vs Bristol City* (All 7.45pm), Rotherham vs Brentford (8pm)
December 2: Middlesbrough vs Swansea* (7pm), Blackburn vs Millwall*, Luton vs Norwich*, Nottingham Forest vs Watford*, Sheffield Wednesday vs Reading, Wycombe vs Stoke* (All 7.45pm)
December 4: Barnsley vs Bournemouth, 5.30pm
December 5: Reading vs Nottingham Forest, 12.30pm
December 8: Coventry vs Luton*, Huddersfield vs Sheffield Wednesday*, Millwall vs QPR, Stoke vs Cardiff, Swansea vs Bournemouth*, Watford vs Rotherham* (All 7.45pm)
December 9: Preston vs Middlesbrough* (7pm), Barnsley vs Wycombe*, Brentford vs Derby*, Bristol City vs Blackburn, Norwich vs Nottingham Forest*, Reading vs Birmingham (7.45pm)
December 12: Cardiff vs Swansea, 12.30pm
December 15: QPR vs Stoke (5.30pm), Watford vs Brentford (8pm)
December 16: Derby vs Swansea (5.30pm), Reading vs Norwich, Coventry vs Huddersfield (Both 8pm)
December 18: Hull vs Portsmouth (5.30pm), Preston vs Bristol City (8pm)
December 19: Norwich vs Cardiff, 12.30pm
December 26: Watford vs Norwich, 7.45pm
December 29: Millwall vs Watford (5.30pm), Stoke vs Nottingham Forest (8pm)
December 30: Brentford vs Bournemouth (5.30pm), Swansea vs Reading (8pm)
*Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button
While the doors remain shut to fans, or with limited spectators allowed through the turnstiles, an arrangement exists whereby all matches that are not live on Sky Sports will be available to stream by clubs on iFollow (or club equivalent service), for a match pass price of £10.
In addition, season-ticket holders will, under the newly agreed framework, be provided access to all home games subject to the agreement of the club where the supporter holds a season ticket. In the Championship access to away midweek matches will also be available as part of the season ticket package if clubs choose to offer it.
The match by match streaming and season ticket offer is a temporary measure that has only been put in place while clubs operate at a zero or reduced capacity as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and will be subject to regular review.
EFL chief executive David Baldwin said: "There is no argument that attending live matches is what the League, its clubs and fans want to see and, clearly, the overriding objective is to get supporters back into stadiums as soon as it is safe to do so. In the meantime, this framework allows our clubs, if they so wish, to reward their most loyal supporters by providing what we hope is only short-term access to watch their matches.
"It's important that whilst the doors remain fully, or part shut, we ensure there is the ability for fans of all EFL clubs to be able to gain access and watch their team and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sky Sports for their support in this matter. Collectively, it's not our preferred situation but given the circumstances Covid has presented us it gives us a temporary option whilst we finalise our plans for fans returning."
Championship clubs are able to stream any match not shown live on Sky to fans who purchase individual match passes for £10.
The new framework for season-ticket holders allows clubs to have the option to provide streams of:
Clubs cannot provide access to any away weekend match, live on Sky or not, within a season ticket package.
League One and Two are able to stream any match not shown live on Sky to fans who purchase individual match passes for £10.
The new framework for season-ticket holders allows clubs to have the option to also stream:
Clubs cannot provide access to any away match, live on Sky or not, within a season ticket package.
