Liverpool fans boycotted Sky Sports Box Office after being told they had to pay £14.95 to watch their team play Sheffield United.
Instead, supporters got together and managed to raise over £81,000 for foodbanks.
Premier League clubs almost all voted unanimously to charge fans £14.95 to watch matches that were not scheduled to be on television.
The move has been greeted with sheer negativity, ridiculed by supporters and pundits alike.
With grounds off-bounds due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the measures brought in have been declared opportunistic, out-of-touch and shockingly greedy.
Sky Sports and BT Sport have refused to reveal the number of PPV matches sold and fans have taken matters into their own hands.
Liverpool’s faithful are the latest, refusing to pay up and instead contributing to local charities.
Spirit of Shankly fan group raised over £81,000 after making donations of £14.95 to foodbanks.
It follows a week of humanitarian work from Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, who has been busy trying to keep hungry children from starving over half-term.
The Liverpool fan group said: “Don’t sign up to the profiteering. Boycott. There is a humanitarian crisis in our country which is only going to worsen.”
The Merseysiders follow other Premier League clubs’ sets of fans – who have also refused to boost the Premier League coffers.
(Image: GETTY)
Newcastle fans started the trend after raising close to £20,000 after boycotting their match against Manchester United.
That game came on the first Saturday since the measures were brought in by the Premier League.
Leeds United supporters followed when they donated around £40,000 to foodbanks during the Whites’ match against Aston Villa.
With growing unrest over the extra fees on top of Sky Sports and BT Sport subscriptions, it remains to be seen whether or not prices will be lowered.
Similar measures have already been in place throughout the football pyramid.
However, it can be argued that clubs in the lower leagues are in much more desperate need of the revenue compared to teams in the Premier League – who are already given huge slices from TV deals around the globe.
