TV companies "have come under fire after non-League Eastleigh’s FA Cup third-round clash against Bolton Wanderers was overlooked for live broadcast and Liverpool’s tie away to Exeter City was scheduled for a Friday night," according to Tony Barrett of the LONDON TIMES.
Eastleigh was left disappointed when neither BT Sport nor the BBC, the rights holders for the FA Cup, "opted to screen" its home tie against Bolton, meaning that the Vanarama National outfit missed out on the £144,000 ($218,600) fee that is paid to all clubs whose third-round matches are broadcast live. Eastleigh Chair Stewart Donald: "We live in the real world and we know that in the modern day the pull of the Premier League clubs is huge for broadcasters. But, by the same token, when people talk about the romance of the cup what is more romantic than the last remaining non-League club definitely through to the third round taking on a team that has won the competition four times?" Eastleigh CEO Mark Jewell: “It would have made a massive difference, not just the money but the spin-offs we would have got from the extra exposure."
For Liverpool, the dissatisfaction belonged to its supporters who "will face a 500-mile round trip" on Jan. 8, if they "wish to see their team in action" against League Two side Exeter at St. James’ Park. With kickoff at 7:55pm, 90 minutes after the last train back to Liverpool departs, "no public transport will be available to supporters, a situation that the Spirit Of Shankly group believes is unacceptable." SOS spokesperson Jay McKenna: "It shows the contempt and lack of regard with which they hold football supporters" (LONDON TIMES, 12/12).
