FURIOUS football fans turned on BT Sport after they failed to provide any build-up for Chelsea vs Southampton – while charging £14.95 to watch it.

Frank Lampard's side drew 3-3 against the Saints in a thriller at Stamford Bridge – the first pay-per-view style game in Premier League history.

But those supporters who coughed up the cash to watch it were raging before kick-off with BT Sport neglecting to show their usual pre-match build-up.

There was none of the interviews with managers and players or analysis of the teams viewers are used to.

In their place was a holding screen with the message: "Chelsea v Southampton. Coverage starts at 2.55pm."

The game kicked off at 3pm.

Those watching took to social media to vent their fury – much like Spurs boss Jose Mourinho had already done.

One user wrote: "£15 and there's not even a build up. BT Sport have the masks on."

Another said: "BT Sport charging £15 for Chelsea vs Southampton, you would think that would include some pre-match build-up (interviews, analysis etc). But no… coverage starts at 2.55pm."

A fellow viewer posted: "Annoyed that I've paid the money. Won't be doing that every week."



One comment read: "Wow people are paying 15 pounds to have no pre match coverage, absolutely ridiculous!"

Another said: "If the joke of £15 for a game through @btsportfootball wasn't bad enough, the website is atrocious, it's a pain to find how to buy, there's no choice of payment options, clunky checkout and there isn't even any pre-game build-up.

"Just tune in for kick-off and thanks for the money."

All in all it led to the hashtag #BoycottPPV being used by a number of viewers.

However, BT's Marc Allera stood by their decision to charge with fans banned from grounds as a result of coronavirus.

Allera, chief executive of the company's consumer division, said: "We had a suggested retail price which was suggested to us by the Premier League. We also have a cost that they're charging us for those games.

"We're certainly not making significant amounts of money out of this, we're pretty much just covering our costs."

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