[Football] Return of football. Bothered?

[The Wizard]

The same people making the same statements, again. If you've nothing new or original to say, why keep posting the same replies to the same thread?

It's coming back, like it or not - nobody really cares. Debate it until you're blue in the face, but the season will be and should be completed.

I think most people on here including me, who say they aren’t that bothered about it coming back would still watch us play perhaps that’s hypocritical but I certainly would, would I watch Burnley against Watford in an empty stadium? Couldn’t be less interested and I think TV companies and the sponsors need to realise this, the interest around games won’t be the same.

I couldn’t care less if the season is finished or not.

 

[Bakero]

After watching the Bundesliga it made my mind up - fans are football, without them football is nowhere near the spectacle I love to watch, I can’t put my finger on what it is but I just do not enjoy watching the matches even a little bit, it’s soulless.

Very much this.

 

[amexer]

How many of you are going to sign up to Sky and BT to watch Albion games. If I am available to watch will subscribe to NowTV for each game

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I do wonder how long it will take for those wholly opposed to empty stadium football, to come around.

Oddly I think we'll get used to 'the new normal' surprisingly quickly.

I think [MENTION=14080]The Wizard[/MENTION] has this called correctly. Even a bigger game like Man U v Liverpool will be significantly devalued and less interesting without the fans there.

I think most people on here including me, who say they aren’t that bothered about it coming back would still watch us play perhaps that’s hypocritical but I certainly would, would I watch Burnley against Watford in an empty stadium? Couldn’t be less interested and I think TV companies and the sponsors need to realise this, the interest around games won’t be the same.

I couldn’t care less if the season is finished or not.

 

[hart's shirt]

The same people making the same statements, again. If you've nothing new or original to say, why keep posting the same replies to the same thread?

There's a lot to be said for consistency.

 

[symyjym]

Masked subs sitting 2 metres apart sensible.
Players on pitch all playing less than 2 metres apart madness.
Contradictory.......IMO

All I'm interested in is the Albion, but can wait

I only flicked through the first German games and I didn't notice any social distancing, and the games from the little I watched looked quite entertaining.

Edit (I thought you wrote having to play 2m apart)

 

[Napper]

bunch of melts our fanbase sometimes isnt it.

If we were playing tonight, I'd be buzzing.

Football is as much about the social for me but be good when its back.

People slating the Bundesliga etc. Did they watch it before all this. I reckon if you know the teams inside out its a different watch all together.

Glad its coming back. Another step to normality

 

[GT49er]

Extremely underwhelmed. Better to have voided it, and start again as near to the 'right' time as possible, with a new set of rules to cover such things as pademics and other unavoidable disruptions. Don't think we'll go down anyway, but really can't be bothered with football in the cricket season (World Cups excepted).

 

[n1 gull]

bunch of melts our fanbase sometimes isnt it.

If we were playing tonight, I'd be buzzing.

Football is as much about the social for me but be good when its back.

People slating the Bundesliga etc. Did they watch it before all this. I reckon if you know the teams inside out its a different watch all together.

Glad its coming back. Another step to normality

Totally agree. Obviously it won't be the same but we've been put under house arrest for ages. I'm definitely up for some football on tv

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

How many of you are going to sign up to Sky and BT to watch Albion games. If I am available to watch will subscribe to NowTV for each game

My subscription to Now tv is not dependent on them showing Albion games. Presumably the return of football means also the return of cricket as it is a sport that can more easily comply with social distancing. Really looking forward to that whereas I am happy to wait until football can be played safely. Sorry if that makes me a ‘melt’ although as I am not a cockney I am not exact sure what that is.

 

[BBassic]

The only thing I miss is the pre-match pints in the Welly with my Dad and my friends.

Though I suspect that's because I miss them rather than it being anything to do with the football.

 

[The Wizard]

I think in general most people would agree they would be ‘buzzing’ if we were playing tonight and I would certainly be watching, however, we all know the motivation behind wanting the season finished (money) and I don’t actually have a problem with that money rules football we know this but the broader question as to whether I would watch other games I really don’t think I would, which ponders the question: Will it actually be worth it to the TV companies who are so desperate to get games on?

Perhaps my mind will change when it does come back that’s perfectly possible but my feeling right now is I really don’t care, and that is the way clearly a lot of people feel and honestly I’m surprised those words are even coming out my mouth because I watch any football I can where possible.

 

[el punal]

As much as I hate to say, end the season now.
Start afresh next season.
Wouldn't be the same behind closed doors, no atmosphere and the player's need to interact with the crowd to play, whatever the final score.
PL should grow some and make that decision IMO.

Totally agree. It is so long ago since we were due to play Arsenal, almost immediately followed by lockdown, that 2019/20 season is an irrelevance. Had we been able to resume within days or weeks then fair enough but the earliest foreseeable date for resumption would probably be July - that’s a delay of at least three months. On that basis the new season (had Coronavirus not come upon us) would be the beginning of August.

There are far too many disruptive factors to take into account in forcing a restart - I can’t be arsed to start detailing them save that many of us know pretty much what they are. Surely better still is to expunge all results for 2019/20 and go all out for a new season - hopefully 2020/21, and, hopefully not too long into Autumn so that all fixtures can be completed by May next year.

Finally, yes, I do miss going to watch the Albion and all that goes with it - friends, beers, chats, banter, atmosphere and getting three points. I do NOT want the artificial behind-closed-doors-we-have-to-finish-the season shit just to satisfy every self-serving non football fan money grabbing b******!!

 

[zefarelly]

There's a lot to be said for consistency.

no there's not

 

[zefarelly]

There's a lot to be said for consistency.

yes there is.

 

[A1X]

TBH playing out the rest of this season just feels a bit weird and frankly I don't think I can really get too much into it. That said this is now, when we get into the stuff I'll probably be right in it.

 

[HalfaSeatOn]

On the basis I tune in to watch U23 streams in near empty stadia, fair to say I’ll be watching the first team.

 

[BN9 BHA]

The summer is here now so I'm not thinking about missing football, i enjoy the warmer months and don't worry about football after the season has ended anyway.
Not watching any German football as I haven't got BT Sport, if the rest of this PL season does get played behind closed doors I won't be watching apart from MOTD highlights. I haven't got SKY Sports.

I will look forward to football only when I can attend again, the Albion or seeing the non league teams I also watch.

 

[Wellesley]

On the basis I tune in to watch U23 streams in near empty stadia, fair to say I’ll be watching the first team.

That's a good point, I do the same and really enjoy it. As I said earlier, I'd love to be watching the Albion tonight and I'd love to watch any Premier League match, especially if it included another team that's in the relegation scrap.

 

[symyjym]

Playing out this season is good preparation for next. Having players sit out for 7 months won't help us if we stay up or go down because we are yet to find our style and even gel.