Why watching and following Sunderland is going to change next season as major new TV agreement kicks in

Following and watching Sunderland and the Championship will alter substantially starting next season,

So, what is truly changing, and how will it affect Sunderland fans? Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know.

What will change for Sunderland supporters?

Simply said, there will be more games broadcast than ever before.

The EFL has decided to preserve the Saturday 3pm blackout,

but more second-tier games than ever before will be moved from that time period.

As part of the agreement, Sky Sports will broadcast five Championship games each weekend,

all of which will take place outside of the Saturday 3pm window.

They’re also committing to showing five games across League One and Two over the course of each weekend,

with all the game available either on current Sky Sports channels or via streaming across a TV and mobile platform.

Sky Sports will also broadcast all EFL fixtures in the middle of the week and on bank holidays,

as well as all games on the season’s first and last days.

Around 56% of EFL fixtures will be aired throughout the season,

up from around 13% under the present agreement.

In summary, that means more Sunderland games will be available to watch on television than ever before,

as well as more disruption for fans attending games. To mitigate the impact of the latter,

the EFL and Sky Sports have agreed to provide early notice of fixtures chosen for broadcast,

including a commitment to reveal all TV picks before the FA Cup third round weekend BEFORE the season begins.

They have also stated that they will ensure a fair proportion of TV games throughout each league,

ensuring that certain groups of supporters and clubs are not adversely impacted.

Championship clubs are expected to be aired 23 times every season, including midweek and bank holiday fixtures, as indicated above.

As part of the agreement, the EFL has committed to enhance the broadcast experience for streamed matches,

with at least four cameras in place and Sky Sports commentary offered.

What will change for Sunderland, and what is the financial benefit?

While the specific amounts have yet to be published,

the EFL estimates that the arrangement will be approximately 46% more lucrative for Sunderland and their Championship arrivals.

As it stands, the EFL will pay out about £8.5 million to Championship clubs this season,

The new arrangement will increase the basic award money,

giving Sunderland and its divisional rivals a seven-figure boost per campaign.

Clubs will continue to receive a ‘facility fee’ for each game shown on Sky Sports.

While the amount will be disputed by clubs before the new arrangement goes into effect, it is now roughly £75,000 per fixture.

What does this mean for Sunderland fans who already rely on streaming services?

It is unlikely to have a significant impact in Sunderland’s case.

While the new agreement would remove the ifollow system used by most EFL clubs,

Sunderland has always used their own streaming platform.

Games will no longer be able to stream for domestic viewers,

existing streaming arrangements for international supporters can remain in place.

This also applied to commentary services offered online by clubs.

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