‘Portsmouth on course for £7m+ boost’ after new EFL agreement
Portsmouth finally released the shackles on the supporters at Fratton Park when they won promotion last season.
The April evening against Barnsley when a place in the Championship was finally secured after 13 absent seasons was one of the most satisfying nights many at Pompey have ever experienced after all they have suffered through.
Having been thrust back into the second tier after such a hiatus, they became exposed to plenty of TV exposure and consequently financial reward, but also saw their expenses multiply to the extent the Portsmouth hierarchy announced a £5.6million loss over the 2023-24 financial year.
Portsmouth must avoid £8million crash
Finance expert Dan Plumley has explained that should Portsmouth fail to achieve their goal of Championship survival this season, they could lose out on as much as £8million.
The new deal in place which began this season through the Sky Sports+ channel, broadcasting far more EFL matches, is geared mainly towards the Championship and sees viewership skyrocket compared to Leagues One and Two.
Pompey have enjoyed successive victories and have moved clear of the relegation places which they have occupied with regularity this term, but are now set back with long-term injuries to both Callum Lang and Conor Shaughnessy, two of their most integral performers.
“Most of the £7-8million you bring in like Portsmouth is through TV money. So if you don’t stay in that league, you don’t get that TV funding,” Plumley exclusively told Pompey News.
“There’s obviously some money in sponsorship and commercial value, but that’s the minority. If you stay up each year, you bring in that TV revenue each year.
“We should also context it with the fact there is a new TV deal in place for this season which increases it further compared to previous years.”
Pompey fans have seen matches moved for TV
While Portsmouth were in League One and League Two, they were broadcast on television far less, but still a fair amount for a club competing at that level due to the increased appeal compared to rivals around them.
Nowadays, especially with the Sky Sports+ deal, even clubs in the third and fourth tiers are finding their kick-off times moved regularly to accommodate TV broadcasting. This has been cause for concern for match-going fans travelling long distances.
Leeds United have to go to Fratton Park for a Sunday midday kick-off on 9 March, a decision which has not gone down well with a support-base with an already sensitive relationship with media conglomerates.
Pompey’s reverse fixture with Leeds at Elland Road back on 10 August – their first Championship match in over 12 years – was a 12:30pm start likewise, and was one of the first-ever games to be shown live on Sky Sports+, a trend fans have now become used to.