Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊

Liverpool object to Sky moving Arsenal match to Christmas Eve



GT49er

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
46,471
Gloucester
For no other reason other than to satisfy my curiosity, I've had a look at our Christmas Day games. They weren't quite as 'local' as you would expect.

Post-War, we played:

1946 Exeter City home
1947 Port Vale away
1948 Exeter City away
1951 Palace away
1952 Newport County away
1953 Walsall away
1956 Gillingham away
1957 Swindon Town away

Pre-war, we had away fixtures at places like Bristol Rovers, Aberdare Athletic, Northampton Town, Mansfield Town and Luton. We played Portsmouth once, at home in 1922.

Which was nice
Yes, not that local really then. Difference was, of course, that there were special trains laid on for football fans (and generally extra trains over the holiday period anyway).
 


Gwylan

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
31,323
Uffern
For no other reason other than to satisfy my curiosity, I've had a look at our Christmas Day games. They weren't quite as 'local' as you would expect.

Post-War, we played:

1946 Exeter City home
1947 Port Vale away
1948 Exeter City away
1951 Palace away
1952 Newport County away
1953 Walsall away
1956 Gillingham away
1957 Swindon Town away

Pre-war, we had away fixtures at places like Bristol Rovers, Aberdare Athletic, Northampton Town, Mansfield Town and Luton. We played Portsmouth once, at home in 1922.

Which was nice

Blimey, they weren't that local. Bet they didn't get many away fans for those games - Brighton to Port Vale would have taken all day.
 




clippedgull

Hotdogs, extra onions
Aug 11, 2003
20,789
Near Ducks, Geese, and Seagulls
I'm with Sky on this.

Sky Sports are paying £11m per Premier League game under the current broadcasting deal and it is believed their preference is to have a live match on Christmas Eve.

Supporters are not being forced to travel, and they can still watch the match on tv/in the pub.

Anyway, it's long been known supporters are just collateral damage to the tv companies/clubs.
 








1066familyman

Radio User
Jan 15, 2008
15,185
Quite right. Bollocks to the travelling fans who wanted to go to the original fixture. They support a Premier League team, so that serves them right...

I have every sympathy for ALL fans that are screwed over by the tv fixtures.

To be clear, this is Liverpool the club protesting (granted on behalf of their fans).

The club can't have it both ways. If they think they're one of the big clubs that should get more TV money than others because they're a bigger draw for audiences, they can't then complain when the TV companies want to schedule them in what they see as the prime slots.

So, for a greedy club, I have no sympathy I'm afraid. I bet their fans were uppermost in their minds when they went seeking more than their fair share of TV money :rolleyes:
 


Badger

NOT the Honey Badger
NSC Patreon
May 8, 2007
12,749
Toronto
Leicester v Man U

It's not that far back from Leicester to Milton Keynes.

:lolol:

This did make me CHUCKLE as one of my best mates is a Man U supporter who lives (and grew up) just outside Milton Keynes.
 




Easy 10

Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Jul 5, 2003
61,673
Location Location
An empty away end (and therefore even less atmosphere than normal at the Emirates) would send a message to Sky that this isn't really cricket.

But you just know 3,000 scousers (plastic or otherwise) will grizzle like fvck, and then pack out that away end regardless.
 




Gwylan

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
31,323
Uffern
The club can't have it both ways. If they think they're one of the big clubs that should get more TV money than others because they're a bigger draw for audiences, they can't then complain when the TV companies want to schedule them in what they see as the prime slots.

So, for a greedy club, I have no sympathy I'm afraid. I bet their fans were uppermost in their minds when they went seeking more than their fair share of TV money :rolleyes:

I quite agree. It's sheer hypocrisy for Liverpool to protest this

And I wouldn't say the fans are totally blameless either, I bet a large proportion of those moaning have Sky subscriptions. If they really wanted to force change, have a mass cancellation of Sky contracts but we all know they won't.
 






Guinness Boy

Tofu eating wokerati
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patreon
Jul 23, 2003
33,818
Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
Just don't have a game on Christmas Eve. I LOVE my football but I've got way better things to do on that particular day. Nearly as barking as Paul Hayward's championing of Sunday night games
 






GT49er

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
46,471
Gloucester
How about blaming the Premier League for not keeping half an eye on all travel distances around that time of the year when the fixtures came out? Perhaps if they had, this would never have been an issue..................

Good point, that. Would have been easy to fix - could even make it a feature by having the home and away fixtures back-to-back over the holiday period.
 


el punal

Well-known member
Stoke vs. West Brom. is the obvious choice. With Liverpool all the way on this one.

Besides, do we need a football match on Christmas Eve anyway? Most of us have plenty of other things to do on that particular day.

I hope everyone's had their chimneys swept. Last year was a real bugger and had my favourite red suit ruined. All the dry cleaners could say was that soot stained really badly and that they did their best to clean up. Be good boys and girls, yours F.C.
 


sams dad

I hate Palarse
Feb 7, 2004
6,383
The Hill of The Gun
Bit harsh to blame Sky.... as recently as 1965 we had fixtures in England on Christmas Day!

xmas-1.jpg

I've been watching the Albion since 1962, and , to the best of my knowledge ,a professional game has not been played on Christmas Day during that period.
 











Paying the bills

Latest Discussions

Paying the bills

Paying the bills

Paying the bills

Albion and Premier League latest from Sky Sports


Top
Link Here