Why is this a big deal?

Because for the last few years the annual finale to the English football season has been aired here live exclusively on pay per view.

So that has meant crawling out of bed at 6:30 a.m. or so for the dubious honor of paying $24.95 to watch the game at home. Or heading to a British pub, paying a $10-$20 cover charge, and then having some inebriated Brit screaming in your ear by half time “Come on you (pick the team).” Or waiting until the next day to see it free and hope you manage to avoid seeing the result (an increasingly iffy idea these days).

I don’t know about you, but those prospects in what I like to call my reclining years has proved less and less alluring. That’s prompted me to skip the game entirely in recent years.

But this Saturday, as a result (I believe) of Fox’s new deal with the English FA the game between Chelsea and Everton will be seen live at 6:30 a.m. on Fox Soccer Channel.

With U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard between the posts for Everton and Chelsea scheduled to play in Pasadena this summer, there’s plenty to keep Southern Californian soccer fans interested.

For a primer on the historic game click here.

For a preview of this year’s game click here.

Enjoy.