Not that I mind the Sunday game or the extra days rest, but doesn't if feel odd to anyone else that the champions no longer kick off the new season?
It’s a myth that the Champions kicked off new seasons. It has never been a ‘thing’.
Leeds kicked off at 15:00 with everyone else in 1992
United played Norwich on the Sunday in 1993
United played Forest on the Monday night in 1994
Blackburn kicked off at 15:00 with everyone else in 1995
United kicked off at 15:00 with everyone else in 1996
United played Spurs on the Sunday in 1997
Arsenal played Forest on the Monday night in 1998
United played Everton on the Sunday in 1999
United played Newcastle on the Sunday in 2000
United played Fulham on the Sunday in 2001
Arsenal played Birmingham on the Sunday in 2002
United kicked off with everyone else at 15:00 in 2003
Arsenal played Everton on the Sunday in 2004
Chelsea played Wigan on the Sunday in 2005
Chelsea played City on the Sunday in 2006
United played Reading on the Sunday in 2007
United played Newcastle on the Sunday in 2008
United played Birmingham on the Sunday in 2009
Chelsea played West Brom at 17:30 on the Saturday in 2010
United played West Brom on the Sunday in 2011
City played Southampton on the Sunday in 2012
United played Swansea at 17:30 on the Saturday in 2013
City played Newcastle on the Sunday in 2014
Chelsea played Swansea at 17:30 on the Saturday in 2015
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Leicester did kick off the new season as Champions in 2016 (12:30 Saturday at Hull)
Chelsea played at 15:00 on the Saturday in 2017 but there was a game on the Friday night before it
City played Arsenal on the Sunday in 2018
City played West Ham at 12:30 on the Saturday but there was a game on the Friday night before it in 2019
Liverpool played Leeds at 17:30 on the Saturday last season.
So in the Premier League era, the Champions have kicked off the new season once.