Fixture changes in April

[Dan LCFC]

On 22/02/2019 at 22:48, Tuna said:

I wonder how long it will be before we have a 4am kick off in the premier league for the overseas market.

Pretty sure Brighton v Everton last season moved to early Sunday, not on British TV for foreign coverage purposes and it largely went unnoticed.

[urban fox]

46 minutes ago, Bluetintedspecs said:

I fully understand the frustration with the amount of fixture changes, I would like to temper the outpouring with one question, where would we, the majority of PL Clubs and the EPL full stop be without the Sky & BT investment?

Agree.  Yes it is frustrating, annoying even if you are a season ticket holder and cannot get to these games due to other commitments, but then again, on the other hand for some of us who cannot get to the games regularly anyway, getting the chance to watch them on TV is a bonus.

I fully understand the arguments that STH and other regular match day attendees should be given a bit more consideration, and if a match is going to be moved for TV then it should be unambiguous and done in plenty of time.  However, despite all the outpourings of outrage from so called "real" fans,(reaches for tin hat!) we should remember that the vast majority of the clubs income now comes from TV not ticket sales.  I for one would not have been able to join in with and enjoy the end of the title winning season if it was not for TV reacting to what was going on and deciding to air all of our last few games.  Remember the ground only holds 32000. The TV audiences can be many, many times that.

 

Some may call me "plastic" but I have been following the city since my dad took me to my first game in 1968 and have spent many happy hours (and some not so happy) at Filbo and occasionally the walkers/KP over the years.  Just because I also have other commitments which now mean that I cannot attend most matches (or even get a ticket on the few occasions that have tried to go to a match) it does not make me any less of a fan.  For me, Radio Leicester (when I can get it) and TV is usually the only way I get to follow the matches.

[SamL]

Any idea when the May TV fixtures are likely to be announced by Sky & BT?

[jammie82uk]

6 minutes ago, SamL said:

Any idea when the May TV fixtures are likely to be announced by Sky & BT?

Around the 5th of April 

[Buzzell]

Looks like I won’t be going to the Newcastle one then. Cheers.

[mozartfox]

The downside of playing the World's richest League.  Could always swop with Celtic and play every Saturday at 3 pm and get paid 5 bob a game...

[Gamble92]

38 minutes ago, mozartfox said:

The downside of playing the World's richest League.  Could always swop with Celtic and play every Saturday at 3 pm and get paid 5 bob a game...

Agreed. But that doesn't make it right.

 

Theyll come a time when the fans say enough is enough. Eventually it will all become too much. Football will destroy itself.

[Russell sprout]

15 minutes ago, Gamble92 said:

Agreed. But that doesn't make it right.

 

Theyll come a time when the fans say enough is enough. Eventually it will all become too much. Football will destroy itself.

Your right but it makes no difference,

supply and demand,

if fans go these televised games then why would they be concerned,

only way to ristict it is to talk with our feet,

but Liverpool spurs and Watford away proved that whatever time and day of the week it kicks off fans will attend,

and if the hard core fans stopped going it’ll only encourage the fans that moan they carnt get tickets to attend instead

[Fox In The Box 90]

I dont know what the answer is but i think there needs to be a more flexible scheme for season tickets and tickets in general.

 

If you commit to paying for every game but then cant make some of them i dont know if you should be eligible for some sort of refund for the commitment you made up front?

 

Maybe could there be a "weekend" season ticket and then you have priority to buy weekday tickets over others?

 

Maybe the "weekend" could be an expected number of weekend games over a season (12 perhaps)

[Nalis]

The fact that a matchday weekend range from 8pm on a Friday and finish at 10pm on a Monday night means its a ballache to plan in advance. If you are an away fan and wanted to guarantee you are avaiable to go to a match, you might have to book Friday, Monday and Tuesday off work for one match. And thats if you dont do shift work.

Edited 12 March 2019 by Nalis

[Fox In The Box 90]

I personally also like the idea of an "armchair season ticket" if it meant all games were available to watch for all 

 

This should negate the need to move a game just for tv's sake to fill a slot, so the only changes are legitimate.

 

This would ONLY be though that attending the games for real is cheaper than the armchair season ticket.

 

Probably just a terrible idea.

[yorkie1999]

Just now, Fox In The Box 90 said:

I personally also like the idea of an "armchair season ticket" if it meant all games were available to watch for all 

 

This should negate the need to move a game just for tv's sake to fill a slot, so the only changes are legitimate.

 

This would ONLY be though that attending the games for real is cheaper than the armchair season ticket.

 

Probably just a terrible idea.

I think the rule on Saturday  3pm games not being shown on tv for fear of losing fans will be over soon. They currently seem to have a game at 12 a game at 5.30, and 3 on sunday all shown on tv, so where exactly is the argument for not being a 3 on saturday as well. 

[UniFox21]

1 hour ago, Fox In The Box 90 said:

I dont know what the answer is but i think there needs to be a more flexible scheme for season tickets and tickets in general.

 

If you commit to paying for every game but then cant make some of them i dont know if you should be eligible for some sort of refund for the commitment you made up front?

 

Maybe could there be a "weekend" season ticket and then you have priority to buy weekday tickets over others?

 

Maybe the "weekend" could be an expected number of weekend games over a season (12 perhaps)

Surely this would just give reduced numbers of people on mid-week games? 

Splitting it into different categories seems like a lot of complication for little to no reward. 

 

You 100% Should be able to trade your ticket in on games you can't make, the club can then re-sell them on and guarantee a person on the seat rather than leaving it empty. 

 

[CosbehFox]

The club should have a ticket exchange system but as along as they don't, it creates a false market which allows them to name their price for the most expensive tickets. 

[Gamble92]

3 hours ago, Russell sprout said:

Your right but it makes no difference,

supply and demand,

if fans go these televised games then why would they be concerned,

only way to ristict it is to talk with our feet,

but Liverpool spurs and Watford away proved that whatever time and day of the week it kicks off fans will attend,

and if the hard core fans stopped going it’ll only encourage the fans that moan they carnt get tickets to attend instead

I just think that kind of approach to things like that and ticket prices will eventually just get too much.

 

The money they get from TV vastly outweighs the money from inside the ground. Even if they were playing to smaller crowds because of it, theyd be a bit bothered about the revenue loss but nothing compared to the TV money.

 

What really does show how much theg think of fans is when they change the fixtures with less than a few weeks to go. 

[CosbehFox]

Anyone who thinks fans can't change it. 

 

The La Liga has stopped Monday evening fixtures after huge protests for continued weeks.

Similarly in the last week, the Genoa derby has been moved from a televised Monday evening to a Saturday because the fans who were so annoyed at a midweek staging. 

Last night, Eintracht Frankfurt's away end missed the first fifteen minutes of their fixture at Fortuna Dusseldorf. 

[Fox In The Box 90]

52 minutes ago, yorkie1999 said:

I think the rule on Saturday  3pm games not being shown on tv for fear of losing fans will be over soon. They currently seem to have a game at 12 a game at 5.30, and 3 on sunday all shown on tv, so where exactly is the argument for not being a 3 on saturday as well. 

I just feel if all games were shown, it would negate the need to move a game just to "fill a slot" on tv that will negatively effect the match going fans to broadcast to a relatively small neutral audience, whilst it would also give the opportunity for those who cant go to watch all games at sensible times AND keep mstches at a sensible time for those that actually GO to matches.

 

But it should be priced in such a way that rewards the match goer rather than the armchair fan

[urban fox]

Although not a STH, I was chatting to one yesterday about  this very same thing. They are a family of four, all with season tickets, but if mum or dad can't make it then neither can the kids meaning that all four tickets go to waste.

Obviously when the fixtures are released at the start of the season you have to weigh up whether or not you will be available for the scheduled midweek games and then decide if the ST is going to be value for money for you (especially if the whole family is involved). However, when games are moved last minute and this means that you cannot attend currently there is no mechanism for refunds.

I believe that clubs should do something like Wimbledon (the tennis that is) does and any unused portions of tickets are put on general resale on a first come first served basis. There should be some restrictions so that people do not simply buy up ST but say up to 2 scheduled games plus re0-arranged ones per year limit?.

Some sort of scheme such as this would encourage more people to actually take up ST but then go some way to ensuring that games moved are not played in front of half empty stands.

Just a thought.

[ian_marshall]

I appreciate that the bulk of a club's money comes from broadcaster's and subsequently they want their pound of flesh but it's the lack of consideration for travelling fans (particularly away fans) that annoys me. 

 

As someone who travels to away games frequently it's incredibly frustrating seeing broadcaster's switch games around with little notice. Those who don't go will say it's wonderful as they get to see more games, but for those who do, you're often put in quite a predicament with regards to personal commitments and travel arrangements.

 

There's been a number of occasions where I've had a ticket for a game only for the date to change at relatively short notice leaving me unable to go, and out of pocket on the ticket and occasionally out of pocket on train fairs. To add insult to injury, as a non subscriber to such premium sport's channels my only option to watch the game that I've already paid to watch is to subscribe to the service that has stopped me going in the first place. 

 

Whilst such changes inconvenience me I wouldn't have so much of a problem if the broadcaster's offered to refund expenses incurred (assuming proof of purchase is provided) for any games where their actions have prevented someone who has financially committed to the event being unable to attend, or at the very least if they included a NowTV code on the tickets (maybe under a foil coating which once unveiled invalidates the ticket) so that if you have bought tickets but aren't able to get to the game you are at least eligible to watch the game in some form given that you have paid to watch the game. 

 

Sadly the broadcaster's have no concern for anyone other than their viewers which is rather ironic considering how much their presenters bang on about the atmosphere in English football. 

Edited 12 March 2019 by ian_marshall

[Fox In The Box 90]

Just now, urban fox said:

Although not a STH, I was chatting to one yesterday about  this very same thing. They are a family of four, all with season tickets, but if mum or dad can't make it then neither can the kids meaning that all four tickets go to waste.

Obviously when the fixtures are released at the start of the season you have to weigh up whether or not you will be available for the scheduled midweek games and then decide if the ST is going to be value for money for you (especially if the whole family is involved). However, when games are moved last minute and this means that you cannot attend currently there is no mechanism for refunds.

I believe that clubs should do something like Wimbledon (the tennis that is) does and any unused portions of tickets are put on general resale on a first come first served basis. There should be some restrictions so that people do not simply buy up ST but say up to 2 scheduled games plus re0-arranged ones per year limit?.

Some sort of scheme such as this would encourage more people to actually take up ST but then go some way to ensuring that games moved are not played in front of half empty stands.

Just a thought.

My idea is very general at thid stage and needs adjusting. I just thought (and i know its not perfect by any means) you have:

 

Season ticket holder - this fan is happy to attend all games at.all times and can do so.

 

Next level down is weekend  ticket holder - this fan pays up front for entry on a saturday and sunday for an estimated number of games...lets say 12 or 13 out of 19. They then become highest priority to buy their seat (if they want to) for a game out side of this, before the ticket is sold to the next priority etc etc

 

Hopefully therefore guaranteeing their attendance at weekends but limiting the cost of games they cant attend.

 

If they dont want to come to a game outside of their ticket then as the ticket goes down the priority list it becomes slightly more expensive each time

[Corky]

The Champions League draw is on Friday, all four English teams still in it. Man City and Liverpool both scheduled to play on Sunday 14th, Tottenham at 12.30pm on the Saturday so I doubt our game with Newcastle will move again, although I'm probably wrong.

[KrefelderFox666]

2 minutes ago, Corky said:

The Champions League draw is on Friday, all four English teams still in it. Man City and Liverpool both scheduled to play on Sunday 14th, Tottenham at 12.30pm on the Saturday so I doubt our game with Newcastle will move again, although I'm probably wrong.

I would assume two sides play Saturday (12:30 and 17:30) and two Sunday. We remain on Friday.

[Yes N'Didi]

I wouldn’t bank on it, the amount Poch was kicking off about no support from the PL when they played Saturday/Tuesday. The likelihood is that two of the English teams will be drawn against each other so can’t put one of them on the Friday slot as it would favour one over the other. Just depends if Spurs are picked on the Tuesday and if the FA want to protect their darling investment.

[KrefelderFox666]

1 hour ago, Yes N'Didi said:

I wouldn’t bank on it, the amount Poch was kicking off about no support from the PL when they played Saturday/Tuesday. The likelihood is that two of the English teams will be drawn against each other so can’t put one of them on the Friday slot as it would favour one over the other. Just depends if Spurs are picked on the Tuesday and if the FA want to protect their darling investment.

the CL games are the week before and after that weekend, so if they play Tuesday one week, it's Wednesday the week after. A Friday game for either club would be pointless. Two English teams will play Tuesday 9th and Wednesday 17th (these two teams should get the Sunday slots), the other two English teams will play Wednesday 10th and Tuesday 16th (these two teams should get the Saturday slots). Now it all depends on how well BT will work with Sky on changing fixtures.

 

Scenario:

 

Liverpool and Man City both play Wednesday 10th and Tuesday 16th. Both are scheduled to play Sunday at the moment so these would need moving to Saturday.

Spurs and Man U play Tuesday 9th and Wednesday 17th. Both are scheduled to play Saturday at the moment so they could swap to the Sunday to replace the above.

 

I just can't see why one of those teams would play Friday night rather than Saturday at the minute. But stranger things have happened.

[Corky]

Chelsea play Liverpool on the Sunday and are through in the Europa League so that will stay at the current time.