Streaming non-league football – clubs and supporters need a say
FC United chose not to sign up to the Clubber TV agreement when it was introduced. Our concern wasn't simply about streaming football; it was about whether the proposal worked for clubs and supporters, and the extent to which clubs had been involved in shaping something that could have a significant impact on how people watch and support non-league football. Other clubs expressed similar concerns.
At our level, getting people through the turnstiles remains hugely important. Matchday income isn't just the admission price. It's the pint in the bar, the food, the programme, the half-time draw ticket and everything else that comes with somebody spending their Saturday afternoon or Tuesday evening at a football ground. For clubs operating on tight margins, it doesn't take a huge movement in attendances for that to matter.
There is something else we shouldn't lose sight of. Football has built its support over generations around routines. Saturday at three o'clock still means something. So does knowing when your club plays, arranging your weekend around it, travelling to away games and meeting the same people in the same places week after week. Once broadcasting starts moving kick-off times to suit a streaming schedule, the impact isn't simply an inconvenience for individual supporters. Over time, you risk weakening some of the bonds, habits and traditions on which clubs have built their support.
That's particularly important in non-league football, where the experience of actually going to the game is one of our greatest strengths. People travel home and away, meet their mates and create the atmosphere and sense of belonging that attracts people to this level of football in the first place. Much of that experience is also made possible by volunteers, who give up countless hours to put games on.
That's why we felt clubs and supporters needed a much stronger voice in the Clubber TV proposal. We raised those concerns at the time, subsequently heard similar concerns from other clubs and, ultimately, not enough clubs chose to participate for the agreement to continue.
We're not saying there can never be a place for streaming in non-league football. It might provide something useful for supporters who genuinely can't attend. But we're yet to be convinced how a model works which provides enough benefit to outweigh the potential impact on attendances, matchday income, kick-off times and the experience that makes non-league football distinctive.
If another proposal comes forward, we'd like things to happen differently. Start with the clubs rather than presenting them with a finished deal. Talk to supporters. Talk to volunteers. Understand how clubs at this level actually operate, where their income comes from and why people choose to attend in the first place. Then demonstrate what streaming adds.
FC United was created because we believe supporters should have a proper say in their football. That principle doesn't stop at the gates of Broadhurst Park. Clubs should have a proper say in decisions affecting them too.
The Clubber TV agreement hasn't worked. Before another streaming deal comes along, it's worth understanding why.
