FA.com Statement re Cup Final

[BoyBlue_1985]

It would be fantastic if both Wigan and City fans boycotted the fucking match,unfortunately that isn't going to happen,but i would love it,just love it those bastards having a half empty stadium instead of their empty seated 'Club fucking wembley' usual no shows!

We would all have to buy a ticket and not go though. Otherwise the FA would just re release them to anyone

 

[cibaman]

It's all United's fault.

When ITV got a better than expected audience for their game against Crawley a few years ago they decided that 5.15 would be their preferred time slot for the FA Cup.

 

[laserblue]

In relation to the information announced for the kick-off time of The FA Cup with Budweiser Final, The FA would like to highlight that 5.15pm is a regular kick-off time in the football calendar.

Bullshit. It was only changed to 5.15pm last year. When City beat Stoke two years ago the final kicked off at 3pm.

This time was agreed with major stakeholders and broadcasters and has been used across the game for a number of years for televised matches.

In other words we don't give a flying fuck about the travelling fans who are the lifeblood of the competition.

In terms of transportation, a small percentage of Cup Final fans use the method of train travel.

In other words we don't have a clue how many as we just made that up. Fuck 'em anyway.

Additional coach services which National Express are running, including directly from Wembley Stadium, mean there are more options for fans returning north after the game from Wembley on Saturday 11 May.

So National Express coaches that hold, say, 60 people are being laid on to take, say, 60,000 fans home. Let's see 60,000 divided by 60 is, er... anyone got a calculator?

The kick-off time is unchanged from last year and this allows more football fans around the country to watch The Cup Final in its entirety.

But it is changed from every cup final before that. So much for the 'tradition of the competition' the FA are always banging on about. Oh, and we care more about some couch potato in Milton Keynes (and Ronnie Irani) sat in front of the TV with a pizza on his lap and a can of lager in his hand than we do about the fans who are actually paying to attend the game.

The domestic viewing figures for last year’s FA Cup Final, shown on ITV and ESPN, recorded a combined peak in-home audience of 11.7m people in the UK.

In other words we really, really don't give a flying fuck about the travelling fans. (See above).

This was the highest peak viewing figure The FA Cup Final has achieved under the current TV deal and a higher audiencee than that of Bayern Munich v Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League Final.

So we have to compensate ITV for disappointing Champions League viewing figures by screwing over genuine fans.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

Surely the fans are major stakeholders too?

Too right. I've been putting money into the game a long time before that Purveyor of Gnat's Urine turned up! I'm more major than Budweiser!

 

[the goats backside]

So 5 15 is a good time for arm chairs, will someone tell the FA the scum got knocked out

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

As an afterthought, we could all turn up and not go in until fifteen mins after kick-off! And then we unfurl our banners - 3 o'clock KO!

 

[DavidChubs]

5.15pm has become a regular kick off time, but 99% of the time there is a home & away team. The home fans will mostly live nearer to the ground & there would be a relatively small amount of away fans who have to travel home. For this final we have the best part of 90,000 all making the long trip.

Last years final had Chelsea in it. Most of them didn't have to worry about the last train home.

National Express seem to stop at every other lamp post. It will take days to get back & if 90,000 go by National Express they will need around 1700 coaches.

 

[bluetonium]

Incredibly short sighted and selfish, exactly what we have become accustomed to with our FA.

The fan obviously comes last in their list of priorities, certainly compared to the sponsors and 'partners' who line their pockets.

And they criticise us over FFP... greedy T**ts

 

[crystal_mais]

Boycott buying any booze, food, programmes etc as a means of protest.

Alot a driving so will not be drinking. The only way to let them know is through their projected forecasts for spend on the day. It's ridculous how much they charge once you're in there

 

[Inter Me Nan]

5 hours on coach, 2 hours on train, it's not rocket science most people will want to travel by train!!!