Bournemouth's sense of timing could hardly have been better.
The Premier League’s eye-watering new £5bn television deal has come with the South coast club making the most serious bid for promotion to the top flight in their 116-year history.
This is only the fifth season of second-tier football for the Cherries, who were playing in League II as recently as 2010.
But backed by ambitious Russian owner Maxim Demin and led on the pitch by highly-rated manager and former player Eddie Howe, they are pushing for a share of the new mega contract with Sky and BT.
Having topped the Championship since the middle of December, Bournemouth were knocked off the summit after they drew with promotion rivals Derby County on Tuesday and Middlesbrough won at Blackpool.
But with Boro and Derby both in FA Cup action, Bournemouth know they will be back on top if they beat Huddersfield Town on Saturday.
Chris Powell’s side are 13 places and 21 points behind Howe’s side as they aim to upset the odds at the Goldsands Stadium (Dean Court in old money).
Town are also on a revenge mission after their 4-0 opening-day defeat by the Cherries.
The season could hardly have got off to a worse start for the West Yorkshire side, with Marc Pugh putting Bournemouth in front inside the first 30 seconds.
Callum Wilson, freshly signed from Coventry City, scored twice in a victory which signalled the end of Mark Robins’ managerial reign.
Yann Kermorgant, the French striker who played under current Town boss Powell at Charlton Athletic, got the other goal.
All three have continued to find the net (Wilson and Kermorgant have 18 and 10 respectively).
And Matt Ritchie, Brett Pitman and Harry Arter have also weighed in.
Howe, in his second spell as Bournemouth manager after also bossing Burnley, has created a team high on organisation and workrate.
Daily Telegraph reporter Jonathan Liew saw Tuesday’s clash with Derby and noted: “Everyone knows their role. Everyone passes.
“Bournemouth come after you like bad guys in a kung-fu movie: one at a time, and then all at once.”
The Cherries, however, have been picked off at home, with Town out to follow Nottingham Forest, Leeds United and Norwich City.
