Soccer: Tour games could cost armchair fans

English Premier League sides Newcastle and West Ham United will play in New Zealand in July. Photo / AP

The Wellington Phoenix's pre-season games against English Premier League opposition may only be available to watch on pay-per-view.

Yesterday, the Phoenix announced the details of the Football United Tour, which will see Premier League teams Newcastle and West Ham United meet the Phoenix and fellow A-League side Sydney FC in late July.

Newcastle and Sydney will square-off in Dunedin on Tuesday, July 22 with the Phoenix set to play Winston Reid's West Ham at Eden Park in Auckland the following day.

The tour will then wrap up with a double-header at Westpac Stadium in Wellington on Saturday, July 26 with West Ham facing Sydney and the Phoenix meeting Newcastle.

There's no specifics confirmed yet, such as a potential price, but there's a possibility all four games will only be on offer via pay-per-view.

"We are investigating the TV rights now, exactly how we are going to make it work for us to try and cover our costs,'' Phoenix general manager David Dome said.

"We've got to make sure we get the best possible revenue out of it. So our commercial manager's investigating that now.''

Newly-formed Sky Arena shape as the potential partner and director John McRae said they were interested but wouldn't comment further.

If it isn't on pay-per-view, the games will likely be broadcast on Sky who screen the A-League.

Phoenix ownership group Welnix will underwrite the tour if there is a financial loss and it has taken a lengthy amount of time to negotiate the specifics due to the short off-seasons of the Premier League sides.

Tickets to the double-header in Wellington will start from as little as $35 for adult Phoenix members, while the general public can grab tickets for $59.

"The other thing about pay-per-view of course is it makes turning up to the actual game so much more attractive,'' Dome said.

"One of the obstacles we've found with Sky TV and the Hyundai A-League is everything's live in Wellington so you can just sit at home on the couch and watch the game. With pay-per-view, if you're going to spend $40 why don't you just buy a membership and you can get the whole ticket for $35.''

The English Premier League sides have confirmed they will send their best available squads, while the games will also make up a crucial part of Ernie Merrick's pre-season campaign for the Phoenix.

"It's part of positioning the club as more than just a player in the A-League,'' Dome said.

"We want to be seen as football in New Zealand. We are the home of football in New Zealand, outside the All Whites, and this is what football can bring to the table. It's what rugby can't do. It's what league can't do. We can bring an English Premier League team to play us.''