The English Football League was accused of "misleading clubs" over the live streaming of matches after it emerged that fans would be able to watch games that kicked off at 3pm on Saturday live online, according to Martyn Ziegler of the LONDON TIMES. There is "usually a blackout of live broadcasts of matches" between 2:45pm and 5:15pm on Saturdays in England and Scotland to encourage attendances at games, but that has been suspended because this is an int'l weekend. There is, however, an "almost complete fixture list" in League One and League Two, and the EFL’s streaming service, via the iFollow platform, will allow fans to watch the matches online. League One side Accrington Stanley Chair Andy Holt claimed that the decision to allow the 3pm streaming was "never made clear at the clubs' annual meeting in June." He is worried it will mean that "away fans in particular will be deterred from attending matches." Holt wrote on Twitter, "I think our club has been misled by EFL, it’s really that simple. We held meetings with them to ascertain our level of interest and this was never brought up." The EFL declined to comment on Holt's criticism. The blackout rule is agreed by the three footballing authorities in England -- the EFL, the Premier League and the FA -- and is sanctioned by UEFA (LONDON TIMES, 9/8).
