Leeds United chairman Andrea Radrizzani has given more details about his problems with the Football League’s television deal.
The Italian, who made his fortune in the media industry, was an outspoken critic of the latest arrangement, signed midway through last season.
The £595m deal with Sky Sports, securing EFL rights with the broadcaster for the next five years, drew opposition from a number of high-profile chairmen.
It’s a 35% increase on the previous contract, and will come into effect from the start of the new season, but Radrizzani and others felt it didn’t offer clubs outside the top flight enough revenue, and many clubs are increasingly finding it difficult to be sustainable.
"I think we need to sit down and have a different strategy to help the club create more revenue,” said Radrizzani said at the FT Business of Football Summit, as reported by FC Business magazine.
"The deal probably could have been done better if the rights could be packaged differently, maybe creating more time slots on different days, and stimulating the competition with new digital players coming up, and being active in other territories."
Last season, United were on television more than any other club in the Football League but their earnings were only a little over £1m, which is a fraction of that it costs to run a top-level Championship club.
Radrizzani’s relationship with Derby County chairman Mel Morris has since soured, but at the time they formed an alliance in opposition to the new deal - threatening a breakaway if it went ahead.
"That is maybe too many in professional football to be competitive and self-financed so they are sustainable,” he added.
As the chasm between the Premier League and the lower leagues gets wider, several clubs have struggled. Bolton Wanderers were in serious trouble last season, setting up food banks to help unpaid members of staff.
Elsewhere Coventry City, Bury, Morecambe and Oldham Athletic have all faced financial difficulties, while even Blackburn Rovers - in a relatively stable position in the Championship - recorded record losses.
