Champions league k/off times next year

[FantasyIreland]

They probably won't have games in the west of Europe kicking off at 5:55pm, that'll be Germany and further east. Makes more sense then as a local time.

Lets hope that turns out to be the case.

Have they actually given their reasoning?

 

[Alex - City Matters]

When do we take a stand?

We don't. We already should have - but we are beyond the point of no return now.

German fans have made a real fuss over the past week regarding the adoption of Monday night Bundesliga games. Frankfurt fans stopped the game with thousands of tennis balls, whilst 25,000 Dortmund fans boycotted last night's game against Augsburg. They've made a stand before the changes are set in stone.

Would that ever happen over here? No; because we're spineless.

 

[SWP's back]

5:55pm and 8pm that's gonna piss quite a few people off.

Shit for you guys but excellent for me.

3 hour difference means 10:45 kick offs kills me at work the next morning.

 

[SWP's back]

Would that ever happen over here? No; because we're spineless.

And because the reason we can buy all the expensive players is because the TV companies pay the PL so much money.

 

[Blumers Bloomers]

Shit for you guys but excellent for me.

3 hour difference means 10:45 kick offs kills me at work the next morning.

And that's what it's all about SWP - maximising global audience and therefore advertising/tv rights revenue. Never mind Joe Bloggs who will need to finish work 2 hours earlier (and possibly find himself out of pocket having to do so) to have any hope of getting there in the rush hour (it's not as if the trams/transport infrastructure are renowned for coping with rush hour is it?!

No personal offence obviously!

Where can we get a shitload of tennis balls from?

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

I imagine it will be restricted to Central and Eastern Europe.

 

[aguero93:20]

Lets hope that turns out to be the case.

Have they actually given their reasoning?

Not that I've seen. At the minute they have 7:45 and 5:30 kick offs so it's not a huge change, the extra 25 minutes on the earlier kick off may be to facilitate that slot in Central Europe? Can't imagine Germans and Italians, are too fond of 9:45pm local time kick offs, Czechs/Hungarians of 10:45pm etc and it lets UEFA get higher viewing figures so that would look like a win win.

 

[UUJblue]

A earlier kick off would also make life a bit easier for Thomas cook day trippers...you could be back in manchester for 12am from most of europe.

 

[Alex - City Matters]

And because the reason we can buy all the expensive players is because the TV companies pay the PL so much money.

Caring for match going fans and having random kick-off times are not mutually exclusive concepts. German football, although not on the same level (but that's because of structural reasons), isn't doing too bad financially.

 

[Eds]

25,000 Dortmund fans stayed away because their game was moved to a Monday night. English fans are essentially spineless. If the Etihad (or any other stadium) was completely empty for a 5:55pm kick-off then they'd think again. But it won't happen.

Spot on although unfortunately it will take every team's fans to stay away in large numbers which won't happen.