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FC United and TV

FC United is not opposed to live football being shown on television.

TV exposure and the revenue it generates are important to football. However, we believe that the balance has swung way too far in the TV companies' favour - and too far away from the match-going, admission paying, regularly attending football supporter.

FC United seeks to change the way that football is owned and run, putting supporters at the heart of everything. This includes a better and more balanced relationship with TV.

How would FC United like to see TV revenue spent?

It is of course up to each club how they spend their revenue. However, we think it is a great pity that the increase in television money in recent years has not been used more to improve grassroots football, upgrade supporter facilities and lower admission prices rather than increase the wealth of players and owners. FC United is a not-for-profit organisation. This means that any TV income is reinvested in running the club, providing services and facilities for members and carrying out community work.

Will FC United move kick-off times for TV coverage?

FC United it is not intrinsically opposed to the re-arrangement of a fixture time, provided that it meets with the approval of and benefits the respective clubs and their supporters.

In 2007, members of FC United voted in favour of entering the FA Cup and acknowledged the competitions rules and TV contracts.

In December 2007, FC United's fixture with Curzon Ashton was moved to a 12:45pm kick-off without the agreement of either club to accommodate the game being shown on an Internet TV channel. FC United supporters exercised their power to influence decisions by not attending the fixture. No further FC United fixtures were moved for internet TV that season.

In November 2010, FC United were drawn to play Rochdale in the 1st round of the FA Cup and ESPN requested our game be shown live on their channel on a Friday evening. The switch was not enforced by the broadcaster and the club had a choice. The Board reached the decision that it was in members' best interests to accept the offer from ESPN.

In April 2011, the membership agreed a resolution that gave the Board some guiding principles to be taken into account when considering any future request to televise an FC United game. The resolution read as follows:

"The membership believe that changing kick off times from their traditional slots can be inconvenient to fans and detrimental to the match-day atmosphere. The membership instruct the Board to take this and the following guiding principles into account when deciding whether to accept an invitation to move a game to be shown on TV:

1. The time of kick off proposed
2. The travelling times involved for the fans (FC United fans for away matches, opposition fans for home matches)
3. The impact of a no decision on the other club
4. The benefits to our club to be derived from this exposure
5. The impact of any additional money in helping the club achieve its aims.

The outcome of such discussion should be recorded and made available to the club's membership"

Future decisions on whether to accept TV offers will be made using the criteria above until the membership instruct the Board otherwise.

Will FC United be showing subscription televised football in their clubhouse?

In November 2012, the membership voted that FC United funds are not to be used to pay for subscription or pay-per-view based television channels.

In December 2016, the membership voted in that the club board can make use of the free subscriptions offered by the League partner BT Sports.

Whether individuals or groups of supporters pay for subscription based television channels is entirely a matter of individual choice. FC United is a broad church where individual choices are respected and anyone supporting FC United knows they are supporting a club committed to improving the way that football is owned and run.

Do FC United have their own TV channel?

Yes, FCUM TV is FC United's TV channel. It is run by volunteers and provides free match highlights to supporters. FC United does not charge for FCUM TV

This summary was agreed by the Board in 2013.