West Brom should be furious as FA decision confirmed on Thursday

While West Brom and Carlos Corberan are currently focused on their upcoming Championship matches, attention at The Hawthorns will soon shift to the FA Cup. The third-round opponent for West Brom is yet to be determined, with Aldershot Town and Stockport County awaiting the outcome.

West Brom fans now know that they must attend the stadium to witness their team in FA Cup action, as the FA confirmed on December 7 the selected third-round matches for broadcast. ITV has chosen Crystal Palace vs. Everton, Tottenham vs. Burnley, Sunderland vs. Newcastle, and Wigan vs. Manchester United. The BBC will broadcast Middlesbrough vs. Aston Villa and Arsenal vs. Liverpool.

All 12 teams with broadcasted matches will receive £85,000, in addition to potential prize money from the competition. West Brom supporters might be displeased that their game wasn’t chosen for broadcast, especially considering the possibility of facing a National League or League Two top team in a potentially classic FA Cup encounter.

The #EmiratesFACup third round TV picks have been selected! 📺

— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) December 7, 2023

It appears illogical that ITV and the BBC selected games between teams that already play each other regularly. The broadcast money may not significantly benefit the Premier League’s top clubs but could be crucial for West Brom, given their recent financial challenges. Moreover, it would be more impactful for lower-league teams like Aldershot or Morecambe.

The financial boost for West Brom from a lower-league opponent in the third round is unlikely to match the support and revenue generated by facing one of the big six Premier League sides.

Adding to the frustration for West Brom supporters, the FA has not yet released the schedule for the remaining third-round matches, raising the possibility of the Baggies’ match being rescheduled to a different date or time.