SKY TV are anxiously eyeing their viewing figures before sorting out a new contract with the EFL.
And that could mean the broadcaster offers LESS money and wants FEWER live EFL games when the next deal starts in 2024.
Insiders reveal that numbers have been low this season, with the highest coming in the opening match between Huddersfield and Vincent Kompany's Burnley.
The exact audience sizes are kept quiet but sources claim the largest was only around 600,000.
There will be rival bids for television rights when the next package starts, with that contract due to be sorted out next season.
And the Sky appetite for spending big money on a lot of games may depend on the viewing figures over the coming months.
Sky have had a bad season to cover the flagship Championship as there are no huge clubs at that level with big fan bases.
The days of Leeds, Villa, Fulham and Nottingham Forest swelling viewing figures have gone with their promotion to the top flight.
And a general lowering of the standard and lack of ‘star’ quality players makes it a hard sell for the TV company.
Sky also made a mistake by introducing 8pm midweek kick-offs and even Saturday nights for some games, tinkering that has not made any positive difference.
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They will hope the South Wales derby between Swansea and Cardiff at 12pm today can draw in their biggest viewing figures of the season.
There is also a derby between Watford and Luton taking place today.
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