Project Restart latest: Government backs free-to-air Premier League games if season resumes

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18 May 2020

The government has backed free-to-air matches on TV platforms should the Premier League season resume.

There remains 92 games of the 2019-20 campaign to play, with discussions over 'Project Restart' continuing on Monday, with Sky Sports and BT Sport holding the rights to 45.

Oh the remaining 47 games, the BBC has been touted as a possible home for a selection, along with YouTube platforms and Amazon Prime.

Culture secretary Oliver Dowden, said making the games available on free platforms could help to prevent fans from turning up outside the stadium for games that are being shown behind closed doors.

"It is likely to (resume) mid June at the earliest," he told BBC Breakfast.

"It would be a good thing to do if we can and I'm also looking as we do it at increasing the number of matches that could be free to air so people wouldn't be tempted to leave their homes to watch it.

"There is a rule at the moment that at 3pm you can't show matches on TV because people were watching it in the football stadiums, clearly that is not going to be the case anymore, so some of those slots may be available for free-to-air."