Leeds United fans should be filled with rage as FA decision confirmed
Leeds United fans should be raging after the FA decided not to select the FA Cup clash against Peterborough as one of the six games chosen for television coverage.
Instead, the decision was made that has seen each of the six selected games feature a Premier League team, with three all-PL ties and Wigan Athletic the only side not in the top two tiers to feature.
The decision will see Championship rivals Sunderland and Middlesbrough receive the benefits of the additional income from TV rights while Leeds miss out.
The official FA Cup Twitter account shared that the televised games will be: Crystal Palace v Everton, Tottenham v Burnley, Sunderland v Newcastle, Middlesbrough v Aston Villa, Arsenal v Liverpool and Wigan v Manchester United.
Once again, very little imagination has been shown by those selecting the fixtures, with a clear bias towards the Premier League sides who are shown on TV practically every week anyway, while the EFL clubs are routinely ignored by broadcasters.
While there is understandably more of a draw towards the country’s bigger teams, Leeds could feel hard done by, as they can consider themselves in that bracket despite their Premier League relegation, and would be sure to bring in viewers as well as provide an entertaining game.
It’s not just Leeds fans who can feel let down either – non-league side Maidstone United have been drawn against one of Stevenage or Port Vale and would greatly benefit from the money TV coverage brings.
The decision to focus on Premier League teams is an unsurprising but embarrassing decision for the TV selection, and even for those games that have been selected, the fans have been put second again.
Championship and EFL clubs will be grateful for any money coming their way, and the continued decision by the FA to snub the clubs that need it most is an embarrassment to English football.
In other Leeds United news, the club are expected to seal a major new deal in the coming days.