Supporter groups call on Premier League to change Christmas Eve fixture
The festive football fixtures are always received with a level of controversy. Year on year the TV deals and footballing organisations seem to cast those in attendance aside.
We take a look at the latest fixture announcements and what they may mean for the fans of Premier League sides Wolves and Aston Villa.
We take a look at the latest fixture announcements and what they may mean for the fans of Premier League sides Wolves and Aston Villa.
Transcript
00:00 As the Premier League announced its decision to stage Wolves' game against Chelsea on Christmas
00:07 Eve, it's made all the sporting headlines, naming the organisations to not be considering
00:12 the fans.
00:13 Wolves' supporter trust has come together with Chelsea's to argue the fixture be changed
00:18 to another date.
00:19 If it would be to go ahead, it would be the first top flight game on Christmas Eve since
00:24 1995, and the first time Wolves have played on the date for almost 60 years.
00:30 So how has it been received across the footballing world?
00:33 It's just scuppering loads of Christmas plans, isn't it?
00:36 It's the first time since 1995 that a Premier League game has been played on Christmas Eve.
00:41 There's a reason for that.
00:42 Well, why change it?
00:43 Well, the broadcasters, they want to fit more games in, I suppose, but it just doesn't make
00:48 any logical sense to me.
00:49 You've got to think about the fans, the travelling to the games.
00:52 Obviously, people can say, "Oh, I'm not going to go.
00:54 I'm seeing my family."
00:55 But when a game's on, you're more likely to go, aren't you?
00:58 I think that's probably more down to the people problem rather than the broadcasters.
01:02 But it just shouldn't be an option.
01:04 Probably going to have to cover it.
01:05 Obviously, a massive privilege to cover walls.
01:07 But on Christmas Eve, it's just not what you want to be doing.
01:10 Boxing Day is the day for football, and New Year's Day and Eve, you can understand that.
01:16 But I think Christmas Eve is ludicrous, and it should be changed.
01:20 It won't.
01:21 I'm sick like that now.
01:22 But, dearie me, it had to be walls as well, didn't it?
01:28 It's not only the date specifically that we are seeing fixtures changed to.
01:33 We have also seen 12 different kick-off times being introduced to the calendar since the
01:37 COVID season to allow more of a worldwide reach for football on television.
01:42 This has also been brought up by a number of football fan trusts, arguing it's favouring
01:46 the paying subscribers at home and not the fans who attend the games.
01:52 More and more, season on season, decisions from these organisations and broadcasters
01:57 that really, really affect the fans.
02:00 It's just becoming a theme now, it seems, as well.
02:03 Obviously, next year we are looking at an improved, increased amount of teams in Europe
02:08 so that will affect Villa, where the fans aren't thought about enough.
02:14 What stage is it going to get to?
02:15 Is it going to get to a point where they start just boycotting the games?
02:19 I don't know.
02:20 People might boycott this one, but it's kind of down to family.
02:24 I don't think it's going to make a difference if people boycott the games.
02:26 It's not about those going anyway.
02:28 They obviously don't care about those, otherwise they wouldn't make the decision in the first
02:31 place.
02:32 It's all about the TV revenue.
02:33 People aren't going to give up their subscriptions because of one game.
02:35 I mean, fair play to people if they do, but if you can't get to an away match, you want
02:39 to be able to see your team on TV.
02:41 It's a very tricky position to be in and the power, unfortunately, is in the hands
02:45 of the broadcasters.
02:48 As Wolves fans are preparing for a Christmas Eve game, and the likes of Aston Villa are
02:53 readying for a busy season in Europe, the pending decision by England's top flight could
02:59 be the final nail in the coffin for an array of football fans.
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