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Sunderland have revealed quality, cost, and uncertainty over the number of games that could be broadcast lies behind the club’s decision not to livestream games for Black Cats fans based overseas.

But the club has unveiled plans to screen full 90-minute re-runs of home games via the official website for a subsidised fee. Those games will be available from 12noon the day following the match, to comply with EFL rules.

Starting this season, the EFL has introduced an online platform named iFollow to allow fans living outside the UK and Ireland to watch live games for an annual subscription fee of around £110.

But Sunderland are one of 14 Football League clubs that has opted out of the service, which has left overseas fans frustrated and wanting to know the reason for the decision.

Today the club has emailed fans who had enquired why it would not be signing up to iFollow, explaining that the standard one-camera coverage option offered by iFollow would not provide a sufficient quality service.

And to use a multi-camera setup to cover games, along with commentary, would be too expensive.

The club says it is also concerned that, with games broadcast on TV in the UK and abroad unable to livestreamed due to EFL rules, it could not offer fans a guaranteed minimum number of games that could be shown via iFollow.

However the plan to show home games via the website will at least give fans the ability to see some matches from afar.