Sky TV picks spark growing frustration among fans

Why Sky’s TV picks are causing a massive headache

Frustration is growing among supporters as TV scheduling continues to disrupt matchday routines across the Premier League.

At the centre of the debate is Sky Sports, whose fixture selections—especially Friday and Monday night games—are creating serious challenges for match-going fans.

Everton fans reach breaking point

Everton supporters have been among the hardest hit:

• 7 matches moved to Monday 20:00
• Only 3 traditional Saturday 3pm home games

Their Fan Advisory Board described the situation as:

“A disregard for supporters”

The latest change—moving a game against Manchester City to a Monday—triggered widespread backlash.

It’s not just Everton

Other clubs heavily affected include:

• Manchester United → 8 games moved
• West Ham United → 7 games
• Leeds United → 6 games

Meanwhile, clubs like Burnley and Brighton & Hove Albion have largely avoided disruption.

This imbalance is a key source of frustration.

Why some clubs suffer more

The main reason? European football.

Clubs playing in:

• Champions League
• Europa League
• Conference League

Cannot play on Fridays or Mondays

With nine Premier League teams in Europe, the scheduling pool shrinks—forcing broadcasters to repeatedly pick from the same clubs.

This leaves teams like Everton and Manchester United:

Overexposed to inconvenient kick-off times

The “five-game limit” explained

There is supposed to be a limit:

Max five Friday/Monday picks per club

But in reality, it’s flexible.

Because Sky holds four of five TV packages, it can:

• Swap fixtures between packages
• Change kick-off times after selection

Result:

A club may play more than five games in those slots

—without technically breaking the rule

Real impact on fans

For supporters, the issue isn’t technical—it’s practical:

• Late-night travel
• Increased costs
• Difficult work schedules
• Reduced accessibility

Fan groups warn this is:

“Damaging matchday experience and long-term engagement”

Will this change?

Unlikely.

With:

• More games broadcast (270 of 380)
• More clubs qualifying for Europe

The scheduling squeeze will continue

Clubs like Tottenham Hotspur could even become future targets if they miss out on Europe.

Final verdict

The clash is clear:

• Broadcasters want the biggest games
• Fans want accessible football

Right now, the balance is tipping heavily toward TV.

And unless the system changes…

Match-going supporters will keep paying the price.