How Sky can bypass TV selection limits & why fans are growing restless

Everton’s Monday shift sparks backlash over scheduling choices

Sky Sports has secured the right to air at least 215 Premier League matches this season. The decision to move Everton’s fixture against Manchester City to a Monday night in May became the breaking point for fans, who feel the broadcast rules are being stretched. Seven matches have been relocated to the Monday 20:00 slot, while only three Saturday 3pm games remain at Everton’s home ground. Despite the rule limiting teams to five Friday or Monday selections across 32 matches, fans are questioning how this cap is routinely exceeded.

The Everton Fan Advisory Board criticized the situation, calling it “another signal of the disregard footballing authorities and broadcasters have for supporters.” This isn’t isolated to Everton—Manchester United has seen eight of its games shifted to Friday or Monday, with five at Old Trafford alone. West Ham and Leeds United also face similar challenges, each with seven and six such matches respectively. With the Premier League offering 270 live matches out of 380 this season, more games are inevitably competing for TV slots.

Sky Sports’ dominance, holding four of the five available TV packages, gives it flexibility to optimize its schedule. European fixtures often exempt teams from the midweek limit, as they can’t play Premier League games on Friday or Monday when competing in the Champions League, Europa League, or Conference League. Clubs advancing in the EFL Cup further restrict their availability, leaving others to fill the gaps. However, not all teams are equally appealing for prime-time slots.

With nine Premier League clubs in European competitions this season, the pool of midweek options is smaller than usual. The Everton Fan Advisory Board argues this places “unacceptable strain on supporters,” eroding loyalty and trust. Manchester United, after a fans’ forum, pledged to “advocate on behalf of fans,” but highlighted a key point: “Our fixtures are available for broadcast picks at times when other clubs are not.”

Sky naturally prioritizes high-profile teams and competitive matches. Burnley has only two Friday or Monday games, while Brighton has just one. Meanwhile, Everton and Manchester United face the most midweek disruptions, with the latter having two of its matches moved to night slots. Arsenal and Tottenham, however, haven’t played any midweek games, though they may still be shown in those slots via different packages. When questioned, Sky Sports and the Premier League declined to provide a detailed breakdown of their selection process.

“Another signal of the disregard footballing authorities and broadcasters have for supporters.” – Everton Fan Advisory Board

“Our fixtures are available for broadcast picks at times when other clubs are not.” – Manchester United