Hibs TV bid to attract wider audience with PPV initiative for VAR match against St Johnstone

With Easter Road heading for a sellout, club chiefs are aiming to make the most of interest in VAR’s introduction to Scottish football by offering Friday’s match as a pay-per-view option on Hibs TV.

Club chiefs are marketing the club’s TV channel as the only place for fans to watch the first VAR match in domestic Scottish football unfold from the comfort of a sofa. St Johnstone are the visitors for the cinch Premiership fixture and non Hibs TV subscribers can pay £10 to watch the match live.

Discussions with the SPFL are taking place over whether or not the club channel will be allowed to broadcast actual VAR replays when a check is under way, with the governing body understood to have the final say. Hibs TV commentator Cliff Pike will be joined by analyst Joelle Murray for the 7.30pm kick-off, with VAR decisions likely to be a hot topic for discussion. Willie Collum has been confirmed as the video assistant referee (VAR) in the new system’s nerve centre at Clydesdale House in Glasgow’s Merchant City quarter, with Kevin Clancy taking charge on the field.

The fixture is fast approaching a sell-out after the club reduced ticket prices to £10 for adults and £5 for concessions for the first top-flight match to be played on a Friday night this season. Hibs are trialling a new initiative for the Premiership in a bid to bolster attendances and match-day revenue.

The PPV offer and Friday night move are initiatives the club are keen to experiment with, even though there is no desire to move away regularly from traditional Saturday 3pm kick-offs.