Boycott PPV: Please donate £15 to the Brighton Foodbank instead

Brighton & Hove Albion’s first game on PPV takes place on Monday 26th October against West Bromwich Albion and taking the lead of other Premier League supporters, we are asking Brighton fans who wish to boycott to instead donate £15 to a local foodbank.

Supporters already pay Sky Sports and BT Sports hundreds of pounds from supporters in subscriptions. The Premier League is one of the richest sporting competitions in the world.

For them to somehow try and justify charging £15 per game for fans to watch their own club is profiteering, exploitation, and a step too far, even for organisations who have long taken supporters for granted.

The good news is that this appears to be the straw that is breaking the camel’s back when it comes to fans’ relationships with the league and its broadcast partners.

Sky and BT have said they will not be releasing the viewing figures for PPV, probably because they are embarrassed at what a dismal failure it is turning out to be. Amid a concerted boycott, rumours suggested that only 74 people paid to watch West Bromwich Albion draw 0-0 with Burnley.

Instead, Premier League supporters have hit upon a far better way to spend £15 than line the pockets of the already-rich. Inspired by fans of Newcastle United, those who can afford to pay the money but do not want to are instead being encouraged to donate to their local foodbank.

Newcastle supporters did this for their first PPV match against Manchester United and it has so far raised over £20,000. That is a huge amount to feed people who would otherwise go hungry in their city.

The idea has caught on rapidly, with Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Everton and Crystal Palace fans already pledging to do the same for their upcoming PPV matches.

Currently, the Brighton Foodbank delivers food and toiletries to households twice a week and runs a pick up service once a week. They work with 17 business and 58 churches across Brighton and Hove, who collect food on their behalf.

The Brighton Foodbank also run a Fuel Aid scheme. A small number of carefully selected families and individuals, struggling with heating their home, benefit from this grant scheme.

In addition to this, for those being housed for the first time, the Foodbank assist with a Start Up Home Pack which consists of some essential items such as kitchen equipment, a towel, and some bedding.

Foodbank use is expected to increase over the coming months as winter arrives, the threat of a second lockdown looms and people face a very uncertain financial future.

Having spoken to Brighton Foodbank team leader Mike, he told us that any donations Albion fans could make would be hugely appreciated by the charity to help support the most vulnerable in the city.

As a result, we would like to encourage all Brighton supporters who wish to boycott the Albion’s PPV match with West Brom to donate £15 to either the Brighton Foodbank or their local foodbank if they can afford to do so.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter which foodbank gets your money. If you live in Lewes, Haywards Heath, Shoreham or Seaford and want to donate to a foodbank there, then you will still be helping those in need as opposed to fuelling the greed and gluttony of the Premier League.

You can find out more about the Brighton Food Bank here. If you wish to donate, then this link will take you straight to their donation page.

Thank you. Your £15 can make a real difference to people struggling across Good Old Sussex by the Sea.