Aston Villa News 24/7Writer: J P Fear 
Date:Monday July 9 2007
Time: 3:42PM
UK time is: 09:51:07
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TV Takes Firm Grip Of Fixtures
Well, that is it, TV has taken over the game and us fans no longer really matter at all. I think we can forget 3pm on a Saturday and forget any sensible kick off times at all! It is no wonder clubs are struggling to attract the fans back and we saw so many empty seats last season, this has become a nightmare.
Has this all gone too far, is football about to implode due to the tv money and greed? Who knows, all I know is I am being turned off the sport by these changes, if they want to show a live game, why not be allowed to show it live at 3pm on a Saturday? What is the difference, if you are going, you'll go, if you aren't then ??? I don't understand.
Sky have selected their games for the first four months of the season.
August see's no Villa on their schedule, the first live match being Sunderland v Spurs, hmmm, riveting!
September has our home game against Chelsea moved to the Sunday for a 4pm kick off and our away game to Manchester City the same slot two weeks later.
October has us on the Sunday at 1.30pm away to Bolton.
That leaves our local derby with Birmingham being moved to 1pm on Sunday 11th November.
So ok, not too much disruption? Wrong, Setanta are also showing games this season so we have more fixture changes to put up with.
As we reported earlier, the first game against Liverpool at Villa Park will now be shown at tea time. The week after our away game to Newcastle will also be a 5.15pm kick off.
In October our away trip to Spurs is screened as an 8pm Monday night game and our home game against Manchester United is now a 5.15pm kick off.
So in other words, eight changes to suit tv. Am I alone in yearning for a season full of 3pm Saturday afternoon kick offs and Wednesday's for night games?
We can't publish the dates for fear of breaching FA regulations as we've not paid the fee, so for full dates of matches go to the official site: Click Here
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Your Comments
Nice of them to change the times and days after everyone has gone out and bought season tickets. GREED is all I can say, no wonder a lot of people are switching to rugby league !!! 3 pm on a saturday is for football, 7.30 wednesday nights for week games.
astonmilan
it is getting beyond a joke, especially for people with family considerations, work etc.
The Fear
astonmilan I would say that is naive in the extreme. The old days of playing at 3pm on a Saturday mostly went out of the window as soon as Sky got involved. Mind you I do not see any rugby league club in Brum suddenly having 1000's of extra fans. I agree with most others, that Saturday 3pm is preferable. But why moan because it ain't gonna change. You knew before buying S T's that fixtures were at the discretion of the TV companies and the Police. No doubt some will say they are not going to go to the live matches in protest. All this means is that more people watch it on tv. These are probably the same people that said they would return to VP when the previous manager (can't remember his name) and Ellis left. So the TV companies win anyway. Alternatively you could turn your back on the Premier League and go and watch a Nationwide Team. This only works until you get promoted and then you are in the same boat again. Or you can just turn your back on football. It's personal choice for all of us. On the bright side we have only lost one home game to a Sunday. All the others at the moment are still Saturday. And from a personal point of view I prefer the 5.15 kick offs. The other thing to bear in mind is that a majority of threads debate transfer dealings. Without the TV money this wouldn't even be happening. For better or worse the world has moved on. A lot of people on here will complain against the media interference and change but not realise the irony of using a website to share their views against change. Those also harping back to the old days must be trying to convince the younger audience that it was all full houses and great football. Strangely though, our average attendance last season was bigger than when we won the league in the pre live tv days.
voiceoftheholte
Well it looks like I wont be going to any games next season maybe I might be able to fit 1 or 2 games in but I cant be mad at Sky they do give me great channels and great programmes with shows on Sky one and WWE
Christo
lol Christo, looking on the bright side there then!!!
The Fear
Yea lol but I aint saying anything nice abut Setanta
Christo
lol did you ever hear that song........ Always look on the bright side of life... I think they wrote it for cristo
col8
lol yea and ppl have to play it sometimes because am normally so depressed
Christo
Its a sad fact of the modern day football supporters life, and as voth says, we have to get used to it, accept it, and get on with it. Its here to stay. I think that generally the true supporters will attend, no matter what the kick-off time. Personally its the timing of the away games than can cause the odd problem or two, but even that inconvenience has not yet caused myself and my traveling companions to actually miss a game. You adapt to it, and get yourself to the game. While the increase in televised football is great for the armchair supporters, or the long distance supporters who cant make it to the games as often as they would perhaps like, for myself and thousands like me, you cant beat, and there's nothing like, actually being there. So isn't everybody a winner here?
glensider
Most of the money in Football comes from TV generated income, either through advertising on shirts around the grounds Football has to tuft its fetlock and please the Masters of the game.
col8
football is getting more and more money from tv col, you are right, so it makes you wonder why the FA don't sort it, let them show games at 3pm and we'd all be happy. They could also drop the sily charges for showing fixtures etc, especially when the European Courts have already said they shouldn't charge!
The Fear
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