The 2023/24 season has seen an increase in
ball-in-play time across all three EFL league competitions, after the
introduction of a new approach.
Average effective playing time has increased by almost five minutes in the Sky Bet Championship this season, from 52 minutes 16 seconds to 57 minutes 3 seconds.
And effective playing time in Sky Bet League One has risen by more than five minutes, to 55 minutes 29 seconds, and increased by more than seven minutes in Sky Bet League Two, jumping from 48 minutes 8 seconds to 55 minues 32 seconds.
The increased minutes comes after EFL officials were tasked with applying a more accurate calculation of additional time, in line with IFAB guidance, and stronger measures to reduce timewasting.
Mike Jones, National Group Director at PGMOL, said: "Effective playing time had been significantly reducing over a number of years, to the point where it was under 50 minutes effective playing time.
"We have a duty to the paying public to ensure we maximise playing time. So the approach has been a robust approach to kicking the ball away and delaying the restart of play, enhancing the actual time the ball was in play. That’s a combination of stricter management as well as resorting to formal discipline where it was a clear, deliberate and impactful act by a player.
"On the first two match rounds the additional time, particularly in the second half, quite often was in double figures. There was an educational piece with match officials, re-affirming what actual time was required for - actual time is not for cautions or for players going down without physio treatment.
"So that recalibration of time actually took
place in early August and what we’ve seen is players understanding that
time will be added on and a more accurate recording of actual time by
match officials, meaning the reduction from double figures added on time
to six, seven or eight minutes, which is appropriate."
The increase in playing time has coincided with a rise in goals across all three divisions, with EFL League matches averaging 2.77 goals per match so far this season compared to 2.44 last season.
Average goals per game has gone up to 2.75 from 2.43 in the Championship and to 3.03 from 2.34 in League Two, while League One has decreased ever so slightly from 2.56 to 2.54.
