Claret Villans
Fansided

EFL to introduce new streaming platform for 2017/2018 season

By Khaled Abdallah

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - APRIL 23: Players stand at the minute of applaud for Ugo Ehiogu prior to the Sky Bet Championship match between Aston Villa and Birmingham City at Villa Park on April 23, 2017 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - APRIL 23: Players stand at the minute of applaud for Ugo Ehiogu prior to the Sky Bet Championship match between Aston Villa and Birmingham City at Villa Park on April 23, 2017 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The English Football League has unveiled a new premium streaming service starting in the 2017/2018 season. Global fans will now have the option to watch Aston Villa matches LIVE for approximately $145 per season.

This is huge news for EFL fans not located in the UK/Ireland. The English Football League released a new program dubbed, iFollow, a digital live streaming platform for the global fan.

Those not located in the UK/Ireland would pay £110 for the season. The whole service provides over 1,500 live matches streamed in HD.

There is a key qualifier, however. Clubs must opt-in to this service, and it remains unclear which have and which have not up to this point. The EFL’s press release indicates a “vast majority” have opted-in.

Undoubtedly, the platform provides another revenue stream for clubs in the second, third, and fourth divisions of English football. Many of whom, are cash strapped.

iFollow revolutionizes they way global EFL fans follow their favorite clubs. For most, leaving the Premier League is a death sentence for public viewing pleasure. As a Villa supporter, for example, I am unable to watch Villa closely until after the fact. Unless the match is carried on BeIn Sports streaming (about one per month) or Sky Sports, I am unable to watch live.

Next: Aston Villa Season Review: Sam Johnstone

West Midlands radio usually calls the matches, but it’s honestly not the same as watching live. Fans of clubs in League One and League Two benefit greatly from iFollow. Aside from Twitter and radio, there is no way to follow those teams – whose matches are shown even less than the Championship.

Hopefully this system works better than AVTV.

Home/Editorials