Our initial approach to the league’s official broadcast partner was made with supporters in mind - particularly those of Ashton United who face a long midweek journey and may be unable to attend the match in person. We believed this fixture represented a strong opportunity to provide access for those fans and to showcase the club and the Northern Premier League to a wider audience.

At the start of the 2025/26 season, clubs were introduced to Clubber TV at the Pitching In Northern Premier League AGM, where the platform was presented alongside financial incentives for clubs whose matches were broadcast on the online channel. Following an initial request from Clubber TV, we provided full details regarding the media facilities at the Towbar Express Stadium. These facilities meet, and exceed, the specifications required for live coverage with Clubber TV.

Despite regular communication during the early stages of the process, the club received no response after Thursday of last week when images were sent across showing what we believe to be one of the best full pitch views in the league. On Wednesday 11th March, we were informed via the Northern Premier League that Clubber TV had declined to broadcast the fixture. No explanation was initially provided.

After seeking clarification, we were told: "After a review by our fixtures team, they concluded that this game did not make sense to cover right now and they cited viewership concerns based on past performance and lack of jeopardy with this particular game."

The club finds this reasoning extremely disappointing. At no stage during the Northern Premier League AGM or in the more recent mid-season meeting, nor at any point since, were clubs made aware of any defined selection process or criteria used to determine which matches would be broadcast. Given some of the fixtures already selected for coverage this season, we also question the interpretation of “jeopardy” being applied in this instance.

We believe clubs were encouraged to engage with Clubber TV on the understanding that the platform would actively support the Northern Premier League and its member clubs. In light of the circumstances surrounding this decision and the lack of communication throughout the process, we feel this commitment has not been demonstrated here.

While we remain focused on preparations for Tuesday’s match and look forward to welcoming Ashton United to the Towbar Express Stadium, we felt it was important to outline our disappointment and provide transparency to supporters of both Whitby Town and Ashton United.