Sky ruining the Championship fans day out
Fri Feb 09, 2018 4:25 pm
Yet another away match moved. Derby is on the direct train line from Cardiff and about three hours away. Ideal for an early, but not too early start, a few hours in Derby before going to a game which is shaping up to be one of the pivitol games of the season for us. And with luck back home in time for Match of the day. Ideal football day out. That's if its 3pm Saturday.
Not now. Not sure if there are any trains that get there in time for the game - early start/ Sunday service etc -but even if there are, it will be straight to the ground and the game will probably have started. Its about 180 miles away so even if going on the bus it means leaving at just after 6 in the morning to watch a game that can be watched on TV. If it was on a Saturday at 3pm, we would- for once- sell out easy. But now once again we can add this to the long list of fixtures where our support will probably be in the hundreds rather than the thousands.
Even if we don't have another one moved it will mean that 13 of our 23 away games will have not been on the traditional 3pm on a Saturday. Of our last 14 away games only 4 have been 3pm Saturday kick offs and 2 of these were our longest trips of the season. This isn't all Sky's fault of course- Bristol City and Forest were moved for other reasons and some were mid week games - but Saturday afternoon kick offs are becoming so few these days that we can ill afford to lose yet another.
We aren't in this alone. All clubs are suffering particularly those at the top end. But one of the benefits of not being in the Premier League was that at least we would have an abundance of Saturday afternoon kick offs. Not the case anymore. And the sad thing is there's not a thing we can do about it.
Not now. Not sure if there are any trains that get there in time for the game - early start/ Sunday service etc -but even if there are, it will be straight to the ground and the game will probably have started. Its about 180 miles away so even if going on the bus it means leaving at just after 6 in the morning to watch a game that can be watched on TV. If it was on a Saturday at 3pm, we would- for once- sell out easy. But now once again we can add this to the long list of fixtures where our support will probably be in the hundreds rather than the thousands.
Even if we don't have another one moved it will mean that 13 of our 23 away games will have not been on the traditional 3pm on a Saturday. Of our last 14 away games only 4 have been 3pm Saturday kick offs and 2 of these were our longest trips of the season. This isn't all Sky's fault of course- Bristol City and Forest were moved for other reasons and some were mid week games - but Saturday afternoon kick offs are becoming so few these days that we can ill afford to lose yet another.
We aren't in this alone. All clubs are suffering particularly those at the top end. But one of the benefits of not being in the Premier League was that at least we would have an abundance of Saturday afternoon kick offs. Not the case anymore. And the sad thing is there's not a thing we can do about it.
Re: Sky ruining the Championship fans day out
Fri Feb 09, 2018 5:02 pm
Totally agree with you.
Normally do about 6 away games each season, only managed one so far this time around because of changes due to Sky.
Normally do about 6 away games each season, only managed one so far this time around because of changes due to Sky.
Re: Sky ruining the Championship fans day out
Fri Feb 09, 2018 5:39 pm
bopman wrote:Totally agree with you.
Normally do about 6 away games each season, only managed one so far this time around because of changes due to Sky.
About same as me and I was hoping to do a few more this season. I went to the first three - all Saturday 3pm. Since then I have only been to Reading-and QPR. I would have definitely gone to Forest, Birmingham and Wednesday but times- (and admittedly price at Wed) put me off. I was definitely going to Derby but now not so sure. Of the other tasty away games, Villa is in the night and Sheff Utd has been changed to an evening (and on Sky I think). That doesn't leave a lot apart from Brentford which I think is safe now for 3pm kick off. All that's left after that is very long trips to Norwich and Hull ( I will try and do one of these but one is bound to be changed by Sky by then) and a night match at Ipswich.
Re: Sky ruining the Championship fans day out
Fri Feb 09, 2018 6:11 pm
bopman wrote:Totally agree with you.
Normally do about 6 away games each season, only managed one so far this time around because of changes due to Sky.
Me to with going continental shift work haven't been to one yet,Derby was going to be my first of the season but sky has now put paid to that the tossers
