Culture Secretary challenges Premier League to show games free-to-air

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden admitted it “wouldn’t send the best signal” if Premier League games were only available via subscription should the competition be able to resume behind closed doors.

Sky Sports and BT hold the UK television rights for live Premier League matches in what remains of the 2019-20 Premier League season, which is currently suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Dowden appeared before the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee on Wednesday, and its chair Julian Knight raised concerns that if matches were only on subscription services rather than free-to-air, there may be the temptation for people to go to each other’s houses to watch it.