Portsmouth update on iFollow option for season-ticket holders and price hike prospect

And a price hike for other users of the EFL match-streaming service is another consideration which is on the table, as clubs weigh up ways they can offset the massive financial hits they’re taking through the coronavirus crisis.

The economic landscape of English football is being decimated by the suspension to the season as clubs see their major revenue streams cut off.

Clubs face refunding season-ticket money to fans if games restart and they are locked out, a scenario which would lead to a seven-figure hit for Pompey.

One alternative would be to allow the club’s 14,500 season-ticket holders to watch games on iFollow, while boosting the £10 one-game match pass cost is another consideration.

Catlin has already stated iFollow could be a key income source moving forward, with all options being weighed up.

He said: ‘As you would expect from any business - and any business which functions well, you discuss all options.

‘It doesn’t mean you are going to take a particular option.

‘At this moment in time, one, we don’t know if the games are going to take place and, two, we don’t know for sure if they are going to take place with or without fans.

‘Is it going to be over a shorter period or neutral venues? There’s so many issues.

‘Clubs are going to lose hundreds of thousands if not millions by games being played behind closed doors.

‘So if there is a way of clawing as much of that money back as possible then that is a commercial decision which will have to be made.

‘Until we get some certainty it will be foolhardy to speculate on what may or may not be there.

‘But it’s fair to say every single different option to how we finish the season with regards to season-ticket holders, iFollow and everything else, it’s all on the table at the moment - as it should be.’

One question being raised over iFollow being used to stream games with football played behind closed doors, is its capability to handle the influx of fans who will want to use the service.

The reliability of the service is an issue which has come to the fore in the past, but Catlin explained all technical possibilities are being considered.

He added: ‘That (capacity of iFollow) is something which is being looked at, as are all options over how games can be shown.’