SCREENING more Premier League games across the weekend will lure people away from taking part in grassroots football, a Labour MP has warned.
The Football Association and supporters have genuine concerns over the "drift away from the Saturday afternoon" 3pm kick-offs, according to Thomas Docherty.
The MP for Dunfermline and West Fife urged broadcasting regulator Ofcom to consider its "social responsibility for the good of the game" in the UK when consulting on broadcasting rights.
Ofcom is investigating how the Premier League sells television rights in the UK following a complaint that they are anti-competitive.
Virgin Media argued the proportion of matches made available for live television broadcast under the current Premier League rights deals is lower than other leading European leagues, alleging this contributes to higher pricers for subscribers
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