Enough Is Enough ! Constant Fixture Changes Unfair To Fans !
Sunday, 31st Jan 2016 10:17

Although there probably weren't many Saints supporters who were disappointed with West Ham drawing with Liverpool meaning that Saints game with the Hammers moved back to the Saturday, the fact is that TV scheduling cares nothing for fans.

Without too many people noticing, in recent times the TV companies have started calling the shots with even less care for the supporters who will be attending the games they are intending to broadcast.

In the past they would put out there schedules nice and early so that although supporters might not like a game being changed from 3pm on a Saturday, they at least had plenty of time to put the fixture change in their diary and make sure they could make it.

No though it seems that supporters who attend the game are the least consideration as shown by the fact that when it was announced that the Saints game against West Ham would be changed to the Monday evening, it had the added caviat that should either club have an FA Cup 4th round replay, then the game would be moved back to the Saturday with a 5.30pm kick off.

Now although most Saints fans will be relieved that the game is now back to the Saturday, the fact remains that a fixture change with less than a week before the game is not fair on the fans and that as many supporters who would not have been able to attend the Monday game will probably be unable to make a Saturday evening kick off.

That is just from a Saints perspective, but what about the travelling supporters, many of who would have have had to book time off work on both Monday and Tuesday for the Monday game, now have that all made redundant. How many suporters of both teams are now no longer able to attend the game and may not get their ticket money back ?

Enough is enough, the football authorities have to look at issues like this and do their best to make sure that they do not happen too often or preferably not at all.

What has never been addressed is the financial aspect to the fans when a game changes kick off times, many fans can simply choose not to attend and watch it on TV, keeping their money in their pocket, but that is not an option for season ticket holders, club's are compensated financially for the fact that a crowd may be less for a TV fixture and therefore income will be lost.

Season ticket holders are just expected to grin and bear it when a game is changed for TV, they have already paid to attend the game, so have too choices, go to the game or if they can't then tough, the club still has their money in their pocket.

Saints ticket re selling system introduced this season has gone a very little way to address this problem, but that only kicks in when the game is sold out and that these days at most Premier League clubs including Saints is rare.

So the time is here for Saints and other club's for that matter to consider options when a home game is televised, firstly season ticket holders should have the option to sell their ticket back to the club, even if it is only having the cost applied as a discount to the following years season ticket, if a non season ticket holder has the option not to buy a ticket or to get a refund due to a change in date, why should a season ticket holder, after all they are the most loyal fans due to the fact they put a substantial sum of money into the club many months before the actual fixtures.

Yet they still have to pay whatever, money is paid to the clubs to compensate them for financial loss that is never passed down to the fans, clubs could as reduce prices for TV games but never do.

So with a Premier League where although grounds are still 95% full most weeks, they are not quite at the peak they were, with seats available for most fixtures these days , this is the time to address the problem rather than firefighting it when supporters are deserting due to high prices and feeling disenfranchised from the club's they support.

Photo: Action Images

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arfurdent added 10:52 - Jan 31 like the clubs actually care about the spectator cash cows. TV rules as it is big money. The only reason they want spectators is because the TV companies want some atmosphere. Will not be long before large crowds are simulated on TV games with computer graphics
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legod7 added 12:56 - Jan 31

Nick, Games in the Premier League have for quite a few seasons been subject to change for Sky/BT broadcast. It is not a new thing. Any fan of any club in the Premier League must by now realise that before they buy a ST then any game at any time can be changed. Yes this particular game was very short notice but I think the overall majority of fans are glad that this now a Saturday game. We will probably get a higher attendance any way. Sky pay the Premier League mega bucks for the broadcasting rights so they probably think a weeks notice is enough time to let everyone know.

halftimeorange added 14:35 - Jan 31

I completely support the sentiment expressed in your article because I am a member of a club whose annual dinner is scheduled for Saturday, the date having been set so that it didn't clash with a Saints home game. Approximately half our members are Saints season ticket holders so we have the choice of not seeing the West Ham game or not supporting our dinner which we have paid for and, in doing so, affect many other people who have freely given their time to book the catering, etc. This, more than anything else, will make me think twice about renewing for 2016/17. We are being taken for mugs.

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derbydog added 16:13 - Jan 31

You can't blame Sky for this one. They were entitled to move it to Monday and gave plenty of notice of the switch. Moving it back to Saturday is not for their needs, it is because West Ham can't be expected to play Monday and Tuesday or Wednesday. Sky have in effect only moved it from 3pm Saturday to 5:30 Saturday because they can't show games at 3 o'clock. Sky can be crass and unthinking but they weren't on this occasion.

Cheer up Nick, you still have a whole day of the transfer window to punt Saints signing Ron Vlaar!

legod7 added 16:29 - Jan 31 halftimeorange, When Sky first picked the game for Monday 8.00 there was a proviso that if West Ham or Saints needed an FA Cup replay then the game would be switched to Saturday 5.30
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halftimeorange added 19:12 - Jan 31 Our dinner was arranged before Sky chose to show the game. It's the lack of notice that compounds the problem.
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legod7 added 20:14 - Jan 31 halftimeorange. Why wasn't your dinner arranged when Saints had an away game.
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SanMarco added 01:09 - Feb 1

Well done for arguing strongly on this issue - We seem to take for granted that Sky and all the other powerful elites, be they bankers or whatever, can simply do what they like. The more they get away with the further they push. What they would love, especially in the later part of the season, is to not have to pick the matches much in advance. It wont be long before a date/kick-off time for every match will only be confirmed a week or two before. We will moan but, just like the campaign to have the FA Cup draw back to a Monday lunchtime, any successes will be short lived. These people rule the world and in coming years they will let us know it more and more. I have no solutions but at least moaning is a start...

Canadian_Saint added 02:22 - Feb 1

For many Saints fan it is just not acceptable. Supporters who live abroad (I live in Canada) spend thousands of pounds to see the Saints. By the time you have arranged time off work, thought you were on top of the TV schedules, manage to book tickets for the match, arranged flights, accommodation, etc and then find your game has been changed at the last minute is unacceptable!

Canadian_Saint added 02:22 - Feb 1

jonrog added 14:20 - Feb 1 Well said Nick They hacked me off with the Boxing day game now they do it again. Absolutely no thought for supporter. That's real supporter who attend games not those sat at home watching the tv. Do they really think we do not have a life outside and can just jump to their tune.
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