[Albion] New EPL TV deal - 6.30pm Sunday games - we need to stop this

[medwayseagull reborn]

Absolutely.

4:30 match
Countryfiie over dinner
Antiques Roadshow
Bed

Watching those two shows would be enough to send anyone to sleep.

 

[tronnogull]

I know that there is zero chance of this happening.....but........what would happen if the EPL simply set the fixture list at the beginning of the season and stuck with it. Let the TV companies bid for the rights to those matches but have no control over them. ( Oh, we could sweeten the pot by allowing tv broadcasts of 3pm Saturday games ) Of course they would only be prepared to pay less money in that situation, lets say £ 1.5 Billion less. Would we end up with exactly the same football with exactly the same players but simply with lower transfer fees and lower player and agent wages ?

 

[Guinness Boy]

I know this is missing the point a bit but ‘broadcasted’? In a Telegraph headline. The standard of writing these days

Oh. On the subject, pretty dire slot. A lot of the weird kick off times I quite like though. It’ll work for some people. Sadly, the bottom line is you can’t have everything we’ve got which is underwritten by the TV billions without giving them what they want in return. To keep that money flowing, the Premier League is forever looking to offer something different. Haven’t read the article yet but presumably Sunday evening here is an attractive slot for one of the big markets abroad so potential new revenue.

Edit: Having read it now, partly a defensive move by the PL to answer calls for more matches televised (50 extra) and to protect the 3pm blackout. I know a lot of people would like all the games available to pick and choose, kicking off at sensible times, but I think they deserve a little credit here. They’re sustaining the collective model in the face of powerful opposition. Once the whole thing goes pay per view, you won’t stop the likes of Manchester United demanding the money reflects the number of viewers and clubs like ours will fare very badly indeed. A compromise protects what’s left of a level playing field & the 3pm blackout is still good for EFL clubs.

I disagree. The 3pm blackout needs to go asap. Anyone with a dodgy firestick, IPTV or access to reddit can watch any of them online and every town in England must have one pub that's prepared to use these tools to show games. It's no longer fit for purpose and is leading to these situations where kickoff times simply don't work for visiting fans, the most loyal and those who spend the biggest proportions of their income.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Different times appeal to different people. Personally, I'd love a 6.30 KO on a Sunday. I'm missing the Bournemouth as we have an away fixture that day and I'm missing the Liverpool match, as we have an away fixture on that day. Anyone involved in junior sport will probably be much happier with a later kick-off

To be honest, I agree. This weekend my son is fortunate to have a match in the morning, but with Europe Sunday KOs are going to be more common and he'll have a choice to make. It certainly makes it harder for most away fans, but does make it easier for fans with kids.

 

[CHAPPERS]

What if they restrict these to London derbies, Liverpool derbies, Villa Wolves even our games in London. There's surely enough of those types of games to fill 20 slots of Sunday evening.

Would hope if they are going to be a regular occurence SOME thought is put into the ability to travel via train. Us away at Newcastle on a Sunday night woud see us taking about 500. Doubt it though eh.

 

[CaptainDaveUK]

I chose quite a long time ago not to revolve my life around football. When the Albion were in the lower divisions it was much easier because all the games generally happened at 3pm Saturday or Tuesday at 7:45pm, leaving time for other more important things. I’d happily see all games on a Sunday and Monday scrapped, but it’s not going to happen anytime soon, so I’ll just watch and listen to games as and when it works for my family and work commitments, amen.

 

[SeagullinExile]

I don’t watch this EPL.... I watch the PL.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Trying to get to the Amex on a Sunday by public transport is a nightmare. Even worse than Saturday. 2pm marginally better than 4.30 as you have more time to win the battle.

 

[Change at Barnham]

The more Albion games played on Sundays means that I can watch more non-league games on Saturdays.

 

[Icy Gull]

The thread title strikes me as incredibly naive! There is no chance we, as fans, are stopping any of this

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

The more Albion games played on Sundays means that I can watch more non-league games on Saturdays.

Oh l would be happy enough if every game kicked off at 3pm on a Saturday. That way l would get the best of both worlds, the Amex one week, and Horsham YMCA the next.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

The thread title strikes me as incredibly naive! There is no chance we, as fans, are stopping any of this

Indeded, that's the bottom line.

Football is well and truly governed by the TV companies now.

 

[Hotchilidog]

Sunday 6pm is for the NFL not the EPL

 

[Official Old Man]

We could refuse to go to these matches, we could protest about them and we could put up banners at all TV games shown, but it would make no difference. If TV wants to show a game at 6:30 pm on a Sunday and will pay money to do so, then it will happen. There could even be an 8:00 pm Saturday game if they paid for it.

 

[Hamilton]

I'm really so pleased that I got to see the Albion in Europe before the modern elite football family finally ate itself.

For Christ's sake. Will there be any times when the blood-sucking Premier League isn't trying to encroach on our lives?

Not only is it unfair on travelling fans, it's also just too much! Give us a break!

 

[carlzeiss]

Would prefer Sat & Sunday evening to Sat & Sunday mornings so I'm in

 

[GoingUp]

Yeah this won't work for me at all. I can only make Saturday 12.30, 3pm or Sunday 2pm as it is.

6.30pm is ridiculous but if there is money to be made they would host 12am games on the moon.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

As others have said some people will like it and others not. Depends upon your personal circumstances. The angriest will be the ones who don’t like it. Perhaps it would be worth checking with all supporters before manning the barricades though…..

 

[Beanstalk]

The lack of clarity as to what this would actually mean is quite important.

If it is to address the annoyance at there being 2 TV slots on a Sunday, but regularly having 4 games due to European commitments then sure, that could work.
If it is to add another game onto the Sunday schedule regardless of whether the teams have been involved in Europe, it's a different story. Could end up with 2 fixtures at Saturday 3pm over a normal Premier League weekend.

 

[crodonilson]

I prefer Sunday games to Saturday less traffic on the roads and I get to do things on a Saturday that I cant do if im driving to football..

Agree, always preferred Sunday games. I think plenty of Europe agrees too. I know there is always a Sunday night game in Seria A and La Liga, why not here?? Personally I would move all EPL games to Sunday other than televised Saturday evening, Friday evening and Monday evening games and leave Saturdays for the lower leagues to showcase.