There has been a groundswell to abolish the 3pm blackout in recent weeks, with several bandwagon-hopping MPs hoping to catch Andy Burnham’s eye.
Superficially, it seems like a good idea. An easy vote-winner, giving the people even more live football and mentally preparing your re-election speech.
But without wanting to rubberstamp ‘killjoy’ across our own forehead, the number of unintended circumstances of such a decision would be overwhelming.
The English Football Pyramid, arguably the strongest in the world, would be undermined at a stroke. Sky, TNT and the rest are unlikely to lower their subscription fees to make the televised matches more accessible.
Clubs may look at the situation and decide to further pitch the matchday experience as ‘premium’, with ticket prices rising accordingly.
There’s also a more existential question: should we be broadcasting every single football match? Is it not good to maintain the bare minimum of scarcity in our instantaneous society?
And would the viewing figures for Coventry versus Hull – a match almost exclusively of interest to fans of both clubs only – justify the opening of Pandora’s Box?
The first-half hustle and bustle on a dank Saturday afternoon would’ve had floating viewers switching over to Dave.
This was Coventry’s debut Premier League game at the CBS Stadium (‘Ricoh Arena’ for the Millennials), and the club’s first top-flight home match for 25 years.
For the home fans, just being here was enough. Reward for all the hardships, indignities and round trips to Sixfields.
It was karmic payment for all the Monday mornings of keeping your head down in the office and fielding well-meaning, but condescending chat about the various off-pitch binfires.
Paradoxically, there were also empty seats amidst fan disquiet over increased admission prices and a lack of an easy-to-use ticket exchange.
Given the significance of the occasion, this was embarrassing and a massive oversight from Coventry’s owners.
This was already a massive game; only three August points on offer, but three points that fans of both clubs would’ve already added to their survival tallies.
Coventry started the match with adrenaline, pushing forward in the steady drizzle. New signing Taiwo Awoniyi, a rare purchase with Premier League experience, was central. They dominated possession, but lacked the necessary guile to break through.
Hull’s initial response was to furiously kick their legs underwater, but they gradually grew into the game. Their McVities sponsor was also delightful, a throwback to when these things were tangible everyday items rather than cryptononsense.
Oli McBurnie did little, but still loomed ominously over everything. We predict several chin-stroking thinkpieces dedicated to the Big Man before Christmas. We’re already starting to draft our own.
The best chance of the half fell to Awoniyi, almost unwittingly; the ball bounced off his thigh, but needed a sharp save down low from Konstantinos Tzolakis.
Despite the stodge, Coventry’s performance did little to deserve the smattering of half-time boos.
It’s easy to criticise from the outside-looking-in, but effort certainly wasn’t lacking from the home team. The angst felt more like impotency; if we can’t beat this lot, what chance have we got?
Proceedings did improve after the break, but Hull had the greater composure. Liam Millar squandered one good opportunity, before slotting a late winner underneath Carl Rushworth and that was basically that.
There’s an uncomfortable truth emerging for Coventry; they’ve invested (relatively) heavily this summer, but too many of their Championship team remain.
Sunderland and Nottingham Forest have set the template for building a Premier League squad in one summer: jettison the lads who won you promotion and raise the floor of your squad significantly.
Coventry have broken their transfer record four times since May, but on players probably more suitable for next year’s promotion push. They are being punished for doing things differently.
It’s probably too early to question Frank Lampard, but those defensive failings at Chelsea and Everton are cropping up again. One pass was enough to dissect Coventry’s backline for the winner.
He now has one win in his previous 19 top-flight matches as a manager and it’s Manchester City away next week. Welcome back, Frank.
This felt like an ominous loss for Coventry, three of those mentally banked points squandered cheaply.
Meanwhile, Hull have an improbable six from six; the impressive game management that saw off Manchester United was once more in evidence and they look better prepared for the scrap ahead.
It wasn’t a game that will leave an imprint in the imagination, but it mattered immensely to both teams. That used to be enough. But everybody wants more now.