Millwall want to BAN Sky Sports from screening their clash with Watford amid dispute over story on fans booing players who took the knee – and club are prepared to sacrifice £75,000 broadcast fee
- Sky Sports are due to broadcast Millwall’s December 29 game with Watford live
- But Millwall are moving to ban the broadcaster from The Den amid ongoing row
- Some fans booed players who took the knee before recent match with Derby
- Sky carried a website story ahead of QPR game saying Millwall players would still take a knee – but players instead held up an anti-discrimination banner
- Sky refused to amend the article, which has annoyed executives at Millwall
Millwall want to block Sky Sports from televising their home game against Watford this month amid fury at the coverage of last week’s clash against Queens Park Rangers.
As Sportsmail reported on Monday, Millwall have submitted a request to the EFL to prevent the network showing the game on December 29.
The EFL are acting as a go-between in the dispute and, with two weeks to go until the fixture, there is hope the issue can be resolved.
Millwall and QPR players took a stand against racism before their game last week following the controversy of some Millwall fans booing players taking the knee at their previous home game
A negative response from home supporters to Millwall players taking the knee ahead of their match against Derby the previous weekend caused huge controversy on Saturday
However, if there is no resolution Sky could take legal action against the Championship club for not allowing them to fulfil their broadcasting rights.
Clubs are contractually obliged to ensure rights-holders fulfil their schedules, for which they have paid millions of pounds.
Sky Sports’ live coverage of the London derby against QPR at the Den took place amid a backdrop of controversy stemming from Millwall’s previous home game against Derby, where fans booed the pre-match gesture of taking the knee.
The broadcasters carried a story on their website before the game against QPR, reporting that Millwall’s players would still take a knee — despite a joint statement from both clubs that they would not perform the gesture but hold up an anti-discrimination banner.
Millwall, who wore Kick It Out logos on their shirts for the QPR game, have been angered by an incorrect story on Sky’s website and are moving to ban the broadcaster
An anti-racism message was shown on the screens at The Den ahead of the QPR match, but Millwall players did not take the knee
Millwall refuted the story to Sky but the broadcasters
refused to amend the article. There was also concern about Sky’s coverage of the game. Pundit Keith Andrew branded a leaflet that was handed out to supporters before the game as ‘disgraceful’ and ‘barbaric’.
The leaflet read: ‘The eyes of the world are on this football club tonight — your club — and they want us to fail. Together as one, we will not let that happen.’
Millwall are prepared to lose their £75,000 fee for live coverage. Sky are remaining tight-lipped on the conflict amid hope that it will be resolved.
The dispute is similar to one between Leeds and Sky in 2015. The Yorkshire club wanted to ban the broadcaster from showing a game against Derby but an arbitration ruling said they had to allow Sky access into Elland Road.
Premier League clubs displayed the Black Lives Matter logo in their stadiums last season
This season the Premier League has replaced the BLM message with ‘No Room for Racism’