To stream, or not to stream?
That is the question facing the National League Board - and it took a tweet from a Hollywood star owner of one of its member clubs to bring the matter into the open.
With a sponsor deal with social media site Tik Tok already secured and a fly-on-the-wall documentary, Welcome to Wrexham, currently been shown on Disney+ brand awareness isn't a concept that is lost on Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds.
Former EFL Chief Executive Shaun Harvey, who works as a strategic advisor to Reynolds and Red Dragons co-owner Rob McElenney, has sent a memo to all other 23 clubs in the National League outlining their proposals. It is believed that the interim proposal would see any club who can meet the National League's minimum criteria should be allowed to stream games with immediate effect.
Additional provisions also include the observing of UEFA's Article 48 (which prevents matches being televised between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on Saturdays except during the FIFA international calendar), the streaming of games should not be compulsory, the home club should decide if the game is to be streamed - so their own gate receipts aren't at risk, the home club should meet the costs of streaming and any games selected for coverage by BT Sport (who hold the rights to show National League matches) would be exempt from streaming.
The statement also adds that Wrexham would charge £10 to domestic subscribers and make the games free of charge to overseas subscribers until a centralised solution is put in place by the National League board.
During the 2020-21 season, when clubs were forced to play games behind closed doors due to the Covid 19 pandemic, many National League clubs set up their own streaming services, which fans could subscribe to, with varying degrees of success. Notable successes of this period included Notts County and Wrexham.
It also provided clubs with crucial income during a time when they weren't able to make any money on the gate. In addition to this, it also meant that exiled fans would have been able to tune in and watch the games and contribute to the club fianancially - something which will ring true with Torquay United and Yeovil Town.
With the National League still harbouring the long term ambition to introduce three up, three down between themselves and League Two, the ability to earn extra income from streaming their matches might act as a potential sweetener for the EFL to agree to it.
