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Newcastle United fans accused the Premier League of "selling their soul" over TV rights as supporters prepare for an "exhausting quartet of away fixtures all moved for Sky Sports cameras," according to Harry Slavin of the London DAILY MAIL. Manager Rafael Benítez's side traveled to Swansea City on Sunday for a 4pm kickoff at the Liberty Stadium, and supporters embarked on the "longest journey any away fans have to make in the top flight this season -- a 708-mile round trip." Due to the revised kickoff time, it was "impossible to get back to Newcastle on public transport after the match, with the last train to the North East" leaving at 5:51pm from Swansea station, over a mile away from the ground. Subsequent trips to Brighton and Southampton, the third- and fourth-longest away trips to be made by EPL supporters this season, have also been moved to 4pm on a Sunday afternoon, "while the following trip to Burnley is now on a Monday night." It is a schedule that the Newcastle United Supporters Trust believes shows a "complete lack of regard" for the fanbase. An NUST spokesperson said, "The way Newcastle's away fixtures have been rescheduled is unfair to our fans and it's the fault of the Premier League for not caring enough about the fans when they sell their soul to the TV companies" (
DAILY MAIL, 9/10).
