On the topic of TV, I wonder how much influence the new TV deal will have on the scheduling of matches. Traditionally, 3:00 on Saturday is when most games are played. The 1:30 and 5:00 time slots on Saturday, along with the a Sunday fixture or two, are clearly for the TV audiences. If fewer matches are played simultaneously, there should be less audience splitting. Will this mean more Sunday and mid-week games so that the matches won't compete for an audience with each other?
Purists in England (like my cousin) already cuss non-traditional times for matches for TV, but the revenue is simply so important to the league.
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