According to a report by The Sun, it may seem that there is some concern regarding the number of people that are tuning in and watching the action that the EFL has to offer.
The Championship has always been a competitive league and one that has provided us with plenty of incredible football over the years, which is perhaps why it has become a very popular betting market on the sites listed on the website Apostas24, as punters continue to look for the biggest and best odds possible to wager on.
However, while it may be an attractive proposition for bettors, it would seem it is not attracting the viewing audiences that broadcasters who present live games would have liked.
The report has highlighted that SKY TV are considering their position regarding the contract that they may offer in the future to broadcast the EFL in coming seasons, with there being some concern regarding the number of watchers.
A new deal is not scheduled to come into effect until 2024, but with the way that things are currently going, the EFL could be set to suffer. According to the report, it has been suggested that Sky will want to offer less money as they will want to broadcast fewer games live.
Unfortunately, numbers are currently low, with it being claimed the largest audience figure was around the 600,000 mark, although other figures have been kept closer to their chests as of the moment.
The opening game between Huddersfield Town and Burnley attracted the highest audience, but there have been criticisms that some games being shown at the same time as Premier League matches has not helped as the competition is too great.
Additionally, the clubs that used to attract the biggest numbers are now each playing in the Premier League, too, thus making it more difficult to attract the same viewing figures as before.
It is an uphill battle that the EFL is going to have to fight, and they may have to hope someone else offers them a big package when it comes down to having the rights to show live games, but with Sky the biggest player in the industry in the UK, this might not be easy to achieve.
Perhaps a big relegation – or two – from the Premier League could help, as this could provide the numbers with the spark that they so dearly need.
