No TV for Fulham tie

  • by Graeme Howlett
  • Thursday, 5th February 2004

The BBC will not now be screening West Ham's fifth round FA Cup tie with Fulham, it was revealed earlier today.



Fulham - who beat Everton 2-1 last night to secure a fifth round match with Alan Pardew's side - have been forced by police to make the game kick off at 3pm.

And with the BBC having just the 5:35pm live TV slot available for February 14th the Hammers have missed out on a lucrative screening, worth in the region of £250,000. That honour going instead to Sunderland and Birmingham, who meet at the Stadium of Light.

Although most Hammers will be happy with only having to travel across the City for the tie - as opposed to up the M1 had Everton won last night's replay - the club will be cursing, as not only will they be losing out on the TV revenue, but Fulham can pack just 19,000 people into Loftus Road compared to the 40,000 capacity at Goodison Park.

And of that 19,000, only around 4,000 tickets are expected to go on sale to Hammers fans - which means that they are unlikely to go on sale to club members, let alone reach general sale.

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