Sky Sports staff have been given the green light to enter Elland Road and set up their equipment so that they can broadcast tonight's Championship match between Leeds United and Derby County.
Leeds owner Massimo Cellino had instructed club staff to not allow Sky engineers and camera operators into the stadium in protest over the number of Leeds matches that have been moved for television coverage.
Cellino, who is currently away in Miami, claims that Sky's regular broadcast of Leeds games is hurting attendances and giving opponents more rest between certain matches.
Sports Mole understands that senior staff from Sky and Football League chief executive Shaun Harvey travelled to Elland Road in an attempt to resolve the situation.
It appeared that the live coverage would have to be scrapped until five hours before kickoff when Leeds "reluctantly" allowed the crew to begin their pre-match procedures.
Had Leeds failed to allow Sky staff into the ground in time, they would have been facing a "full range of sanctions" from the Football League, which may have included a heavy fine.
Leeds released a statement on the matter via their website, which can be read in full below.
"Leeds United have reluctantly allowed Sky cameras into Elland Road to broadcast tonight's fixture against Derby County.
"Leeds United have noted that the majority of press reports on the matter have quite rightly appreciated that the club's issues with the Football League relate in part to the entirely disproportionate number of times Sky have selected the club for live transmission.
"It is not just the number of times the club has been selected, but the fact the adjoining fixtures are also then disrupted which adversely affects the players, the club's logistical arrangements and the fans' arrangements. It is clear to the club that its key supporters, the season-ticket holders, have also had enough of this constant alteration, often at short notice, to the fixture list to accommodate Sky.
"Leeds United were required to play Wolverhampton Wanderers on Thursday, December 17 followed by Preston North End at home on Sunday, December 20, followed by Nottingham Forest on Sunday evening and then Derby County tonight.
"Recent good results have been achieved despite the alterations to the fixture list, but at great cost to the players' fitness and a substantial injury list .The festive plans of supporters have also been entirely ruined by Sky's live TV selections.
"The league, despite the club having challenged them through the appropriate legal routes, continue to try and alter our schedule by insisting fixtures are changed to suit Sky, including Brighton & Hove Albion away from a Saturday to a Monday in February.
"Given Sky are to show 92 live games this season, a fair allocation would be four home games per club - so the selection by Sky is clearly unfair and the league are allowing this .
"The Football League regulations are supposed to be there to protect the integrity of the sporting competition, not to be used as a stick to beat the club on behalf of Sky.
"Leeds United season-ticket holders have had enough of these fixture changes, the players and staff have had enough, and Leeds United Football Club has had enough.
"It is to be noted that the League threaten a disrepute charge against the club. It is the League who are bringing their own competition into disrepute by unfairly prejudicing Leeds (and certain other clubs) by allowing Sky to unfairly disrupt Leeds United for their own commercial purposes."
Earlier this season, Cellino tried to enforce a protest against the club's fixture changes by only allowing away supporters to buy the minimum of 2,000 away tickets.
Pascal Lemesre
