Dazn National League row: Club in ‘poodles’ rant as owner calls for end to broadcast deal
Dazn is facing a major backlash after Boreham Wood FC’s owner urged fans to boycott the sports streamer and called on National League bosses to end their media rights deal.
Danny Hunter blamed Dazn for schedule changes that he called “a complete joke” and “utter nonsense” which treated clubs and their players as “poodles” and “performing seals” in a message to supporters on Boreham Wood’s website.
His diatribe was triggered by a change in the kick-off time of his club’s home match against Carlisle United in the sixth tier tomorrow from 3pm to 5:30pm, which he said would hurt both non-league teams.
“It’s a complete joke that amazingly loyal fans, especially at Carlisle, Southend and elsewhere, are made to struggle to get themselves to certain away games because of these ridiculous streaming company schedules,” Hunter said.
“Those fans are again being abused this evening, and it’s now embarrassing that it’s left to club owners like myself, with no backing whatsoever from the league, to constantly highlight this complete and utter nonsense.
“In my opinion, National League football, for no real money, is being held over a barrel by a streaming company, while supporters of its larger clubs are being discriminated against almost weekly with these deliberately timed late kick-offs.
“They appear designed simply to drum up more stream purchases from away supporters, which in turn reduces home attendances – it’s a lose-lose situation.
“If I was part of a supporter group at our level – and I’m not – I would encourage my fellow supporters up and down the country to get together and promote a blanket ban on buying anything on the Dazn streams.
“I would also encourage our league’s board, through respectful messaging, to find a way to end this deal with a streaming company who charge loyal fans an awful lot, care nothing for the real fans’ well-being and, in my opinion, give our clubs such poor production value.”
Boreham Wood boss: We are not performing seals
This is the third season of Dazn’s seven-year contract with the National League, which runs the sixth and seventh tiers of English football.
The streaming service, better known in the UK for boxing, shows 290 live games a season as part of the deal, as well as play-offs. Subscriptions cost £20 for a month or £130 for a year.
Hunter said he attempted to meet the National League’s leadership to raise his concerns about Dazn last season but was told there was “no appetite amongst the board to meet me”.
He added: “If anyone can tell me, our managers, players and supporters why the National League board, without consultation, decided to put on a full league programme at 7:45pm last Friday, other than for Dazn, I’d like to hear it.
“We are not performing seals, and none of us received one penny extra for having every one of our games televised. This change from a 3pm Saturday kick-off was done without any thought for you, the supporter, for train times or transport availability, nor was there any discussion with our member clubs.
“As such, it’s now very clear to me that Dazn are the ringmasters and care nothing for the clubs who provide the entertainment, while those clubs have become the National League board’s performing poodles and get literally a pittance, or nothing, for the privilege of working with Dazn.”
Dazn was approached for comment.