Newcastle United movement urges fans to ditch Premier League payment for food bank donation

A growing movement on Twitter has sprung up this weekend with fans kicking back against the recent announcement of pay-per-view football.

The Premier League today revealed on Friday those behind-closed-doors games not chosen for live broadcast will now be screened on a pay-per-view basis by Sky Sports and BT Sport.

Fans who have existing TV packages, often worth anywhere between £50-£100 per month, will still have to pay, so too will season ticket holders who have already paid for a ticket to the game, either by paying for their season pass in full at the start of the season or as part of the monthly direct debit scheme.

Newcastle United are yet to issue any details with regards this issue, with cash still being taken from bank accounts of fans, and withheld, despite the fact there is no end to sight to when fans may safely be allowed to return to their seats at St James’s Park.

And instead of lining the pockets of the clubs further, some fans are calling for people to bin the idea of watching United – their first PPV game is on Saturday v Manchester United at 8pm – and instead give their cash to the Newcastle West End Foodbank.

On Twitter, fan @gazrob99 posted a picture of his donation to the cause and urged other fans to do the same.

He said: “Nobody should pay the PL a penny, send it where it is needed and local.”

Fellow fan @dpgcrimethink added: “I salute and applaud! Better use of the £15, right?”

@jason17jhw added: “A multi-million pound organisation/s attempts to pick our pockets AGAIN for yet more football! I say enough is enough. It's with great pleasure that I donate £20 to @nufcfoodbank a much more worthy cause. @BillCorcoran5 and all do a great job there and long may it continue."

Fans have not been allowed inside stadiums since March due to the coronavirus pandemic – and there is no date for the return of spectators to top-flight games.