Televised Games = Less Income?

[Edmund]

Leeds chairman Ken Bates in collision course with Sky

Leeds chairman Ken Bates is on a collision course with Sky Sports over the broadcasting company’s live coverage of the Championship club’s matches.

Bates wants action after insisting the £100,000 poured into the club coffers by Sky for live broadcasts at Elland Road do not make up for the consequent loss in income in other areas when Leeds are on television.

The former Chelsea chairman spoke out after Sky covered their 4-0 defeat by Cardiff on Monday night and revealed that he had already had talks with the broadcaster over their plans for the rest of the season.

“I was described as money-grabbing Bates when the Cardiff game was switched and of course we didn’t want the Cardiff game to be switched at all,” Bates said.

“The fact of the matter is that the away club gets £10,000 which is pitiful but it doesn’t affect us financially though it does inconvenience the fans.

“The home team gets £100,000. That might be a lot of money to S****horpe or certain relatively small clubs. To us it does not compensate us for the inconvenience to the fans, the break in routine for the players which is also important to remember.

“We had 20,700 on Monday but if it had been played on Saturday we would have got 25,000. Of that there is no doubt. We would have had bigger sponsorship – match and ball – more corporates would have turned up and we would have taken more money in food, drink, catering, programme sales and visits to the club shop.”

Bates says he wants Leeds to be asked to switch fewer games over the course of the season.

He added: “We have had five out of 13. We think we have had more than our fair share. The majority of the money is shared out sensibly to all 72 clubs and so the small clubs gain at the big clubs’ expense and we are getting a bit tired of it.

“We have had discussions already about other matches at Elland Road of which I am not going to go into detail but we have made it quite clear that there is a limit for us to sacrifice.

“It affects pour budget. At the start of the season you expect this, that and the other. We budgeted for 25,000-gates which rose to 26,700 but now after the Cardiff game we are marginally over the 25,000 and it is not fair and we are making a fuss about it.

“It became an issue because inevitably you get a few sick-pots who support Leeds who blame me for everything, even when it is raining and I am getting a bit tired of fit and I tend to treat it with the contempt they deserve because the express their opinion without finding out the facts.”

I know it's been a hot topic on here before but I must admit, I thought that clubs weren't left out of pocket from games being switched to television.

It seems only the big clubs are affected.

[CosbehFox]

Didn't affect Man U enough to charge £43 a ticket last night and not get too fussed over a poor crowd at OT

[lcfc_jme]

He wouldn't care one iota if it were happening to them in the PL.

Everyone on this forum knows my thoughts on Sky, but Ken Bates is a dick as well so he can fvck right off.