The BBC could be handed free-to-air Premier League matches this season for the first time in the competition's history.
Since the launch of the Premier League, matches have been exclusively on pay-to-view TV channels such as Sky Sports.
However, in an unprecedented move, The Times report that the BBC could be handed some of the remaining 92 fixtures to air for free.
The proposal for playing the remaining 92 matches of the season in empty grounds would mean all the games televised.
Of these, 47 have already been allocated for TV coverage and the plan would mean the majority of the remaining 45 given to the main rights holder Sky, with BT Sport also getting some extra games, plus a few live matches being given to the BBC and Amazon, who are also rights holders.
The report states that government and broadcasting industry insiders have confirmed that the option of giving a handful of matches to the BBC is “very much on the table”.
The draft plan for televising games will be outlined to Premier League chairmen at a video-conference meeting of the top-flight clubs on Monday.
Of the 45 unallocated matches, 32 would go to Sky, eight to BT Sport and five split between the BBC and Amazon.
It is understood that clubs’ determination not to use neutral grounds has increased the government’s determination that some of the matches should be on free-to-air television.
As previously reported, Sky and BT Sport could use their YouTube channels to show matches without charging viewers, but the BBC option would take that to another level.
