The Premier League's first nine pay-per-view matches have garnered less than 100,000 viewers - with three games failing to break the 10,000 viewer barrier.
Sportsmail have revealed the average number of buys per game sit at around 39,000, not counting Brighton's 1-1 draw with West Brom on Monday evening.
It means the numbers are a fraction better than the Premier League's goal of sales to match average stadium attendance.
The average attendance for a Premier League game in 2018/2019 was 38,168.
But no game managed to break the five-figure sum with the two highest games earning between 70,000 and 90,000 watchers.
Three games even had less than 10,000 viewers and it proves fans weren't lying when claiming they'd boycott pay-per-view.
Fans of all 20 teams have managed to get #BoycottPPV trending while their team has played, with some donating the £14.95 cost to food banks and charities.
Important message for Arsenal fans. Today is Arsenal's first ever Pay Per View game - at an exorbitant £14.95. Two more games are lined up for November. Please do not watch on PPV & if you can donate some of the saving to @isgiv at https://t.co/JiZuYpKXmD Please RT & tell friends pic.twitter.com/ymwqVUmfAs
— AST (@AST_arsenal) October 25, 2020
A shareholders meeting will take place after the next international break to discuss altering the price, with the next two matchweeks still featuring pay-per-view games.
It's believed that Sky Sports and BT Sport are not happy about airing on pay-per-view and would be welcome to a change.
"Sky is not happy to be involved in showing the pay-per-view games," a Sky source told The Mirror.
"We never thought it was a good idea and nothing's changed since it started.
"It is damaging the reputation of Sky Sports to be linked to this scheme - and that feeling is shared at BT. Everyone here would prefer for it to stop."
When the Premier League returned in June, all games were televised live through Sky, BT, BBC and Amazon - with some even made free-to-air.
But with no fans allowed in stadiums, Premier League chiefs decided to implement the extra charge for fixtures not already selected for television.
Staggeringly, following on from the addition of 170 pay-per-view games, it's been revealed it'll cost £3399 to watch every game live this season.
Do you think pay-per-view Premier League football should be scrapped?
Let us know in the comments.
source https://www.sportbible.com/football/football-news-stats-premier-league-pay-per-view-numbers-have-been-revealed-20201027
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