All of Arsenal's first four games of the season will be televised by Sky or BT Sport, the broadcasters have announced. The selections they have made see Sky televise Arsenal's first three games of the season, with the opener against West Ham part of their flagship Super Sunday programme.
Arsenal's second game against Crystal Palace of the season will be played, like the first, in the Sunday 1:30pm slot and will again by televised by Sky. Arsenal's first big test of the season against Liverpool in late August will be televised by Sky on a Monday evening. This scheduling may cause travel problems for Liverpool fans as Arsenal's Monday night kick-off away at Old Trafford in the FA Cup did for their fans.
Arsenal's visit to Chelsea will be played on a once unlucky Saturday lunchtime spot
BT will show Arsenal's fourth game of the season away at Newcastle on a Saturday at 12:45pm, meaning an nearly start for travelling fans for one of Arsenal's longest trips of the season. The BT Sport 12:45pm kick-off spot will also host Arsenal's visit to Stamford Bridge on September 19.
The BT 12:45pm games have been seen as unlucky for Arsenal in the past, BT televised Arsenal's 6-3 loss at the Etihad, 5-1 loss at Anfield and 6-0 loss at Stamford Bridge. It has yielded better results recently though, with Arsenal's 4-1 victory over Liverpool coming on a Saturday lunchtime.
BT also have exclusive rights in the UK to the Community Shield and will therefore be showing the season curtain raiser on August 2. The game will see FA Cup winners, Arsenal, face Premier League champions, Chelsea, at Wembley. The BBC will show highlights of this game, as well as their traditional Match of the Day highlights programme that covers Premier League fixtures.
This means that only two of Arsenal's first seven games will not be televised at all in the UK, with September's games at home to Stoke and away at Leicester to remain as 3pm kick-offs. Sky and BT have now picked the games they are showing up until the end of September, the first seven games of the season. This means that, usually, fixtures up to the end of September will not change dates and will now be at these fixed times.