Why watching and following Sunderland is going to change next season as major new TV agreement kicks in

Following and watching Sunderland and the Championship is set to change significantly from next season, as a new five-year TV deal between the EFL and Sky Sports comes into place.

So what’s actually changing and how will it impact Sunderland fans? Here we break down everything you need to know.

What's going to change for Sunderland supporters?

Put simply, more games are going to be broadcast than ever before. The EFL has opted to keep in place the Saturday 3pm blackout, but there will be more second-tier games than ever move from that slot. As part of the deal, Sky Sports are committing to broadcast five Championship games every weekend, all of which will take place outside of that Saturday 3pm window. They are also committing to showing five games across League One and Two over the course of each weekend, with all the game available either on current Sky Sports channels or via streaming across a TV and mobile platform.

The deal will also mean that all EFL fixtures in midweek and on bank holidays will be broadcast by Sky Sports, as well as all of the fixtures on both opening day and the final day of the campaign. Around 56% of EFL fixtures will be shown across the season, up from around 13% on the current deal.

In short, it means more Sunderland fixtures available to watch on TV than ever before - as well as more disruption than ever for supporters attending games. To offset the impact of the latter, the EFL and Sky Sports have pledged to provide earlier notice of fixtures selected for coverage, including a commitment to announce all TV picks before the FA Cup third round weekend BEFORE the start of the campaign. They have also said that they will guarantee a fair share of TV games across each division, meaning certain sets of fans and clubs aren't unduly impacted. It's estimated that Championship clubs will be shown 23 times per season, though this tally includes the midweek and bank holiday fixtures as explained above.

As part of the deal, the EFL have said that they will commit to improving the broadcast experience for streamed matches, with a minimum of four cameras in place and Sky Sports commentary provided.

What's going to change for Sunderland - how big is the financial benefit?

While the exact figures are yet to be released, the EFL are estimating that the deal will be around 46% more lucrative to Sunderland and their Championship arrivals. As it stands the EFL pay out around £8.5 million to Championship clubs over the campaign, split between solidarity payments (£5.2 million approx) and a basic award payment (£3.2 million approx).

It is the basic award payment which will increase as a result of the new deal, meaning Sunderland and their divisional rivals should get a seven-figure boost per campaign. Clubs will also continue to receive a 'facility fee' for every game that is broadcast on Sky Sports. While the fee will be debated by clubs ahead of the new deal coming into place, it is currently around £75,000 per fixture.

What does it mean for Sunderland fans who currently rely on streaming services?

It's unlikely to make a major difference in Sunderland's case. While the new deal will bring an end to the ifollow system used by most EFL clubs, Sunderland have always operated with their own streaming platform. While games will no longer be able to stream for domestic viewers, existing streaming arrangements for international supporters can remain in place. This also applied to commentary services offered online by clubs.