Watching Fulham in 2021/22

The EFL has updated their list of TV providers for the 2021/22 season. ESPN and Disney Streaming Services (referenced as BAMTech) hold the rights. It looks like it will be a similar situation to the last season in the Championship where some games will require an ESPN+ subscription to watch while others will require an FFCTV subscription. However, Fulham does not yet have an FFCTV package available on their site for 2021/22 so the exact arrangement remains to be seen.

Meanwhile I found it interesting that the Fulham website promoted subscribing to their YouTube channel. The channel description infers that there will be highlights on the YouTube channel with "exclusive content" still available on FFCTV. A few years ago the YouTube channel was a dead space with almost no content. Last season they started showing highlights again, but they were generally inferior to the highlights from NBC, so I seldom bothered watching. In the off-season there have been a number of clips related to training, flashbacks, and the new manager. Hopefully at a minimum they will get serviceable highlights on YouTube so we don't have to go begging at other team channels.

 

I guess I shall retain my ESPN+ for another year.

 

Fulham has released their FFCTV package details for 2021/22:
https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/august/FFCtv-2021-22-Passes-Available/

In summary:

• The subscription that includes live broadcasts of matches not on ESPN+ costs about $236 for a year's subscription, just under $20 a month.
• PPV is about $14 a match
• Matches will only be available if not selected for live broadcast, meaning it can't be on ESPN+
• Match audio with Gentleman Jim will only be available with a subscription. You can get a lesser version that includes replays and live audio, but no live video for about $70

Last time around, I'd have to guess about 1/3 of the matches were available on ESPN+, but that is a VERY rough guess. With that I'd say figure on getting access to about 30 matches over the season, which would cost just under $8 a match for the season. To make the full subscription worth it I think you either have to be really committed to watching matches (remember a bunch will be mid-week) or you think you'll use the replays a lot or you love listening to GJ. Otherwise, going with the PPV option might make the most sense, especially if you already have ESPN+.

 

I'll likely just stick with my ESPN+ Only having the occasional games makes it more an event in my household and I can more easily bully my wife into keeping the kid occupied while the game is on.

I doubt I could do that with 40+ matches.

 

Looked it up and there's been a 50 pound increase in the package since 19/20. Whereas before it was ~$160 in prior seasons, which was costly upfront but arguably agreeable in the long run, nearly $240 seems too much.

Also Micah, I also have no proof of this but 1/3rd seems too high. I would say a 1/5 to 1/4 at least were on ESPN+ (so 9-12 games).

 

I think I did over estimate a little. Based on a search of "ESPN+" in the posts from 2019/20 it looks like there were 13 matches that were carried out of the 46, so about 28%. The pace of coverage picked up later in the season when Fulham was involved in the automatic promotion race (which is probably why I overestimated because my last memory of my FFCTV subscription was frustration at not being able to watch half the games). Only three of the first 15 matches were on ESPN+ in the 2019/20 season, just 1 in 5. So if Fulham is making it interesting figure on more late-season coverage, if not then there could be slim pickins.

 

I already have espn+ so the only debate here is whether I want to fork out for every match. Micah makes a good point in that doing so would be quite the commitment. So like StLBrad I’ll just stake claim to the tv when they play on espn+. I may also consider a couple pay per match if I feel like sitting in front of a (maximum) 13” screen to watch. That’s the worst thing about FFCTV in my opinion - only being able to watch on a computer or mobile device. I get espn+ in 51” glory.