Goggles & Flippers Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 Just seen in the shoutbox that our away game at Pittrodrie has been scheduled for a Friday night for BT Sport. Surely common sense dictates games being planned that involve minimal travelling time. Games allows fans still to go to work until 5/5:30 and still make the match if inclined rather than take a half day or leave early. Celtic not welcome at away fixtures as they tend to leave the place looking like downtown Baghdad. ICT/Ross County (only Derby or Aberdeen) Aberdeen (ICT, Ross County or Dundee Clubs) Dundee Clubs (St. Johnstone or Aberdeen) St Johnstone (Dundee Clubs, maybe Motherwell, Partick Thistle) 5 clubs around Glasgow (St. Mirren, Killie, Motherwell, Partick Thistle) What is the mindset of those who sanction this? I rarely go to away games anymore and selfishly the game against Aberdeen is welcome but I feel for the guys who go on the buses or trains religiously every second week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toxteth O'Grady Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 Other changes... http://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2015/02/04/forthcoming-fixture-amendments-2/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 Common sense disappeared from scheduling a long time ago. Unfortunately, we sold any chance of sanity (at an undervalued price) for a short term gain and without any thought to the long term impact of this kind of stupidity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelboy Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 You're probably talking about 150 people that might have travelled versus the Tv income clubs rely on. It's shite for anyone who has booked travel though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshi-1991 Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 I personally would think it makes sense to put the further away games in the tele. More folk are likely to go to paisley for example than Aberdeen for an away game. There for putting the game that will have less fans attending on TV so as to get the ratings makes sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goggles & Flippers Posted February 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 You're probably talking about 150 people that might have travelled versus the Tv income clubs rely on. It's shite for anyone who has booked travel though. Clubs would still get TV revenue even if they scheduled a game where both clubs were "local" to each other. Aberdeen away 2014/15 season x2 is a scandal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzyB Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 What is the mindset of those who sanction this? The mindset of these people is that they couldn't give any less of a fuck about the fans if they tried; all they care about is meeting their quota of required TV games and picking out the ones that are usually half decent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelboy Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 Clubs would still get TV revenue even if they scheduled a game where both clubs were "local" to each other. Aberdeen away 2014/15 season x2 is a scandal. The Tv companies are paying to take what they see as the best games though not the easiest ones to get to. The amount of people incovienced is far smaller than the people who get to see the game that wouldn't have. We've been up there and they have visited us midweek in recent years, people will still go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmcalpin Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 The Tv companies are paying to take what they see as the best games...the amount of people incovienced is far smaller The number of fans who are inconvenienced are neither here nor there to the TV companies. Simply not an issue. The only message they understand is customers cancelling packages or not watching their offerings....end of. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superward Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 We'd be as well pinning a topic for reference each time this happens. It would save us all time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goggles & Flippers Posted February 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 The Tv companies are paying to take what they see as the best games though not the easiest ones to get to. The amount of people incovienced is far smaller than the people who get to see the game that wouldn't have. We've been up there and they have visited us midweek in recent years, people will still go. Not disputing that but you could easily schedule games such as: Aberdeen vs ICT (2nd vs 4th) Dundee Utd vs Aberdeen (New Firm) St Johnstone vs Dundee (Tayside Derby) Motherwell vs St Mirren (11th place match - to be fair that has been done) Celtic vs Partick (Glasgow Derby - for the time being) Killie doesn't offer much at present as they are mid table with no distinct rivalries except Ayr Utd and Celtic because of their support for Sevco. All decent TV draws that allow people to get to the matches Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 It's an obvious conflict of interest, but one that is too late to change - TV companies want more people to watch the game on telly. So whatever they can do to have less fans making the journey and more fans staying at home (or in the pub) the better. Clubs thought, presumably, that getting some financial compensation would make up for the loss of fans. While it may do that in the short term, in the longer term the risk (and reality) is that it is one more thing to drive supporters away from the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ONeils40yarder Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 I'm sick to the back teeth of missing games at this time of the season because of changes for TV...I bought season tickets, but any matches changed to a Friday night or Sunday lunchtime are impossible for me to get to because of Boys Club fitba'. The only reason I continue to buy a season book for me and the two kids is that I probably wouldn't go at all if I didn't have one. No wonder our attendances are woeful... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goggles & Flippers Posted February 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 It's an obvious conflict of interest, but one that is too late to change - TV companies want more people to watch the game on telly. So whatever they can do to have less fans making the journey and more fans staying at home (or in the pub) the better. Don't agree with that, TV wants to see busy stadiums as that adds a degree of atmosphere. A game where you can hear the centre half shout commands and the ball bounce echo around an empty stadium do nothing for the spectacle. The Aberdeen game being switched to a Friday means what 1,000 less inside the stadium? I'm not sure that amount will affect viewer numbers enough for advertisers and no way everyone of them has a BT subscription. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StipeIsGod Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 I'm happy. Wouldn't have been travelling to Aberdeen and now I can see the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepper Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 I'm happy. Wouldn't have been travelling to Aberdeen and now I can see the game. TBH I think that is how most of our fans will see it. Still agree with the general point the OP was making though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 Don't agree with that, TV wants to see busy stadiums as that adds a degree of atmosphere. A game where you can hear the centre half shout commands and the ball bounce echo around an empty stadium do nothing for the spectacle. I guarantee you if, say, Sky had to choose between 2 million viewers and a quarter empty stadium and 1.5 million viewers with a full stadium, they will take the 2 million every time and not give a toss. And if football goes down the pan, TV will just move on to another sport they can entice/charge punters to watch. They don't care if they have to show dwarf poodle racing - as long as they can deliver an audience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goggles & Flippers Posted February 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 I guarantee you if, say, Sky had to choose between 2 million viewers and a quarter empty stadium and 1.5 million viewers with a full stadium, they will take the 2 million every time and not give a toss. And if football goes down the pan, TV will just move on to another sport they can entice/charge punters to watch. They don't care if they have to show dwarf poodle racing - as long as they can deliver an audience. Must be nice to pull out 500,000 hypothetical fans to prove a point. However the point I was making, this game will affect attendance by 1,000 or so. All I was saying is when games are moved for TV whither it be Friday's at 7:45 or Sunday's at 12:30 then some thought has to be placed on the travelling fans. Teams that are close together, not so much of an issue, so why not do do that. ICT vs Killie at 12:30 or Motherwell vs Aberdeen on a Friday show a degree of poor planning which can be avoided with enough foresight and a willingness to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ya Bezzer! Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 It's an obvious conflict of interest, but one that is too late to change - TV companies want more people to watch the game on telly. So whatever they can do to have less fans making the journey and more fans staying at home (or in the pub) the better. The thing is I doubt BT/Sky/Whoever are even that interested in this game. The television audience for an Aberdeen v Motherwell match is extremely limited; some matches between two provincial clubs the audience will only be a few tens of thousand compare to Rangers or Celtic matches that attract TV audiences of a quarter of a million and upwards. These televised matches are to the benefit of the clubs more than the television companies and I'm sure if it wasn't written into the contract that they had to cover clubs like ours the only time you'd ever seen TV cameras there would be for Rangers or Celtic games. To all extents and purposes Friday night football is a television dumping ground for contractual obligations. You'll note the Rangers v Hearts match, probably the only match of mass appeal on BT's upcoming live schedule is being played on Sunday afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelboy Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 I guarantee you if, say, Sky had to choose between 2 million viewers and a quarter empty stadium and 1.5 million viewers with a full stadium, they will take the 2 million every time and not give a toss. And if football goes down the pan, TV will just move on to another sport they can entice/charge punters to watch. They don't care if they have to show dwarf poodle racing - as long as they can deliver an audience. They generally don't care about viewing figures. Subscriber numbers is all they care about, people paying is more important than people watching. Edit - the average viewing figure for a spl match is 88,000. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_P Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 Rangers v Hearts was originally scheduled for a Friday night though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ya Bezzer! Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 They generally don't care about viewing figures. Subscriber numbers is all they care about, people paying is more important than people watching. Edit - the average viewing figure for a spl match is 88,000. Wrong to say they aren't interested in viewing figures. Anyone selling advertising wants as many viewers as possible. However the TV companies know that only Rangers and Celtic matches are likely to bring in a mass audience. As long as Rangers and Celtic attract advertising loot they will tolerate having to show Ross County v Kilmarnock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelboy Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 To all extents and purposes Friday night football is a television dumping ground for contractual obligations. You'll note the Rangers v Hearts match, probably the only match of mass appeal on BT's upcoming live schedule is being played on Sunday afternoon. The last Rangers vs Hearts match was a friday and it's being rearranged that weekend because Rangers were supposed to be playing Alloa that weekend but they have the challenge final. Rangers vs Hibs a week on Friday is a big game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superwellfan Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 The most frustrating part about Friday night football is that it has completely went against the reasons why it was piloted in the first place (2011?). I seem to remember the SPL and its clubs speaking of things like local fixtures with lower prices that weren't on TV. The outcome of the scheme when it first started resulted in 6,741 at Fir Park for that abandoned 0-1 game v Hibs, a truly successful argument for Friday night football. Then, of course, when all the free vouchers were handed out for the replayed 4-3 fixture, where Michael Higdon scored an overhead kick and nearly 9,000 crammed inside Fir Park (in spite of the BBC noted 8,065 attendance), the successfulness of Friday night football became difficult to gauge from that. Tbh I just wanted to mention that 4-3 game, even though it's not particularly relevant to my point, because what a night and atmosphere that was! The main point of my post though is that fans are going to need to travel over 100 miles more for this Aberdeen v Motherwell fixture, it will no doubt cost upwards of £20 for an adult ticket unlike that Hibs game AND it's live on TV. Genuinely was excited by the idea of Friday night football when it was first launched but now it has just become another day to be exploited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 I don't know why you keep suggesting Aberdeen vs ICT/Ross County would be local or convenient for any set of fans... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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