FA showing concern for travelling fans

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 3:31 pm

It's really good that the FA have put their foot down and said no to fans having to travel long distances to watch their team in the FA Cup.

Televised 1st round fixtures are:

Friday 8 November 2019
Dulwich Hamlet v Carlisle United (7.55pm)
Live on BBC Two

Sunday 10 November 2019
Dover Athletic v Southend United (Midday)
BT Sport 1
Hayes & Yeading v Oxford United (2.15pm)
BT Sport 1

Monday 11 November 2019
Harrogate Town v Portsmouth (7.45pm)
BT Sport 1

Devils_Advocate · Post by **Devils_Advocate** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 3:44 pm

Totally agree. Televising certain matches to stop the fans needing to travel long distances is the FA really thinking outside the box and something others could take note of.

I mean the amount of derbies that get put on TV when its only down the road for the away fans is just plain silly

Aclaret · Post by **Aclaret** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 3:48 pm

2 nightmare journeys you have highlighted there Tony, night games too !

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 3:56 pm

Aclaret wrote:2 nightmare journeys you have highlighted there Tony, night games too !

It's a bloody disgrace. The FA keep going on about the magic of the cup yet they give Carlisle and Portsmouth fans horror trips.

FactualFrank · Post by **FactualFrank** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 3:58 pm

What's worse - the nightmare journey from Portsmouth to Harrogate and back, or listening to the BT Sport pundits? That's a toughie.

Grumps · Post by **Grumps** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 3:59 pm

ClaretTony wrote:It's a bloody disgrace. The FA keep going on about the magic of the cup yet they give Carlisle and Portsmouth fans horror trips.

Is it not a random draw?

wilks_bfc · Post by **wilks_bfc** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 4:03 pm

Grumps wrote:Is it not a random draw?

It is but travelling those distances is a lot easier/convenient for a 3pm Saturday than it is for a Friday or Monday evening

Grumps · Post by **Grumps** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 4:10 pm

I don't think Portsmouth to Harrogate is an easy trip at anytime, neither would be Carlisle to Dulwich, the numbers who would actually travel would be minimal anyway due to size of grounds, so not really affecting that many fans

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 4:52 pm

Grumps wrote:Is it not a random draw?

Yes, but the point I'm making is that Carlisle (on a Friday night) and Portsmouth (Monday night) now have to travel ridiculous distances because of the TV picks. Would have been much better to switch the two Sunday games with those two.

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 4:53 pm

Grumps wrote:I don't think Portsmouth to Harrogate is an easy trip at anytime, neither would be Carlisle to Dulwich, the numbers who would actually travel would be minimal anyway due to size of grounds, so not really affecting that many fans

Hardly matters how many, and I think you are deluded if you don't think Portsmouth travel in numbers.

Bosscat · Post by **Bosscat** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 5:03 pm

Think about Maritimo fans in the portuguese League ... away games all a flight away from Madeira

Grumps · Post by **Grumps** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 5:08 pm

ClaretTony wrote:Hardly matters how many, and I think you are deluded if you don't think Portsmouth travel in numbers.

Iam sure they do, but Harrogate is only a small ground, so the allocation will be low, so not deluded at all.

DCWat · Post by **DCWat** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 5:23 pm

Does the FA have a say in the ties that are chosen for television coverage?

Fully agree though that some of the scheduling is a joke.

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 5:24 pm

Grumps wrote:Iam sure they do, but Harrogate is only a small ground, so the allocation will be low, so not deluded at all.

Admittedly they've only got just over 600 tickets but that's 600 plus with an awful journey on a Monday night.

turfytopper · Post by **turfytopper** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 5:30 pm

ClaretTony wrote:It's a bloody disgrace. The FA keep going on about the magic of the cup yet they give Carlisle and Portsmouth fans horror trips.

Yep...great for the armchair fan.....but for someone who wants to be there ...total crap. So those televised games are to me a bit odd.
Re our own game tomorrow, kicking off at 5.30 is problematic for me...makes sitting at home and watching the 'magic lantern' quite appealing.

conyoviejo · Post by **conyoviejo** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 5:32 pm

ClaretTony wrote:Admittedly they've only got just over 600 tickets but that's 600 plus with an awful journey on a Monday night.

Yes,they have to travel all the way from their ground which is the only ground in England that is based on an Island in Gt Britain..

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 6:36 pm

turfytopper wrote:Yep...great for the armchair fan.....but for someone who wants to be there ...total crap. So those televised games are to me a bit odd.
Re our own game tomorrow, kicking off at 5.30 is problematic for me...makes sitting at home and watching the 'magic lantern' quite appealing.

It's shocking and somehow rules have to be brought in for the sake of committed supporters.

Leisure · Post by **Leisure** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 6:45 pm

As I've repeatedly stated on other threads, the TV companies are only concerned about the armchair/pub watching fans. Traveling fans just don't figure in their decision making.

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 7:38 pm

Leisure wrote:As I've repeatedly stated on other threads, the TV companies are only concerned about the armchair/pub watching fans. Traveling fans just don't figure in their decision making.

BT are by far the worst. They won’t even engage with fan groups.

Grumps · Post by **Grumps** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 7:47 pm

TV companies look after the majority.... Choice of the 600 who travel, or the thousands who watch it on TV.... Any company worth its salt would look after the people who pay the money, sorry but its a fact of life. Don't see anyone on here complaining on behalf of Chelsea fans tomorrow who Carnt get a train after the game

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 7:51 pm

Grumps wrote:TV companies look after the majority.... Choice of the 600 who travel, or the thousands who watch it on TV.... Any company worth its salt would look after the people who pay the money, sorry but its a fact of life. Don't see anyone on here complaining on behalf of Chelsea fans tomorrow who Carnt get a train after the game

But our supporters groups have forwarded their views on it to the league and Sky in support of the Chelsea fans.

Grumps · Post by **Grumps** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 8:05 pm

I know it's a pain for travelling fans, but TV companies are businesses which have to make a profit, those travelling to games aren't helping them make that profit, so why would they look after them

turfytopper · Post by **turfytopper** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 10:51 pm

Grumps wrote:TV companies look after the majority.... Choice of the 600 who travel, or the thousands who watch it on TV.... Any company worth its salt would look after the people who pay the money, sorry but its a fact of life. Don't see anyone on here complaining on behalf of Chelsea fans tomorrow who Carnt get a train after the game

I can't get a train home either. It really hacks me off.

Leisure · Post by **Leisure** » Sat Oct 26, 2019 12:44 am

Grumps wrote:TV companies look after the majority.... Choice of the 600 who travel, or the thousands who watch it on TV.... Any company worth its salt would look after the people who pay the money, sorry but its a fact of life. Don't see anyone on here complaining on behalf of Chelsea fans tomorrow who Carnt get a train after the game

Chelsea fans will have a special train organised and subsidised by their club. Usually £10 per person.

AfloatinClaret · Post by **AfloatinClaret** » Sat Oct 26, 2019 1:56 am

Grumps wrote:TV companies look after the majority.... Choice of the 600 who travel, or the thousands who watch it on TV.... Any company worth its salt would look after the people who pay the money...

And with a good chance of adding a proportion of those 600 potential 'live' spectators to their viewing figures; sound business practice.

AfloatinClaret · Post by **AfloatinClaret** » Sat Oct 26, 2019 2:13 am

conyoviejo wrote:Yes,they have to travel all the way from their ground which is the only ground in England that is based on an Island in Gt Britain..

News of that indisputable fact may not have reached Sheppey United yet, but you'd expect that Portsmouth's close neighbours at Cowes Sport FC and Hayling United both know it.

jrgbfc · Post by **jrgbfc** » Sat Oct 26, 2019 9:28 am

Football sold its soul to the TV companies a long time ago. If we want to be in the Prem and accept all the riches that come with it then we can't really complain about games getting moved for TV.

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Sat Oct 26, 2019 9:58 am

jrgbfc wrote:Football sold its soul to the TV companies a long time ago. If we want to be in the Prem and accept all the riches that come with it then we can't really complain about games getting moved for TV.

I don’t think Carlisle are accepting any riches from the Prem

Grumps · Post by **Grumps** » Sat Oct 26, 2019 10:05 am

ClaretTony wrote:I don’t think Carlisle are accepting any riches from the Prem

But they do get money from TV for this fixture
There are many posts on this board about how proud people are at the way BFC is run, and how much profit we make. The majority, if not all of that profit comes from payments made from the TV companies, now they don't give that money just for the love of it, they give it so they have control of which games are shown, and what times those games kick off.
We Carnt have it both ways, if we want the cash, we have to take everything that comes with it.

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Sat Oct 26, 2019 10:11 am

Grumps wrote:But they do get money from TV for this fixture
There are many posts on this board about how proud people are at the way BFC is run, and how much profit we make. The majority, if not all of that profit comes from payments made from the TV companies, now they don't give that money just for the love of it, they give it so they have control of which games are shown, and what times those games kick off.
We Carnt have it both ways, if we want the cash, we have to take everything that comes with it.

This is nothing to do with Burnley. This is to do with the FA talking about the magic of the cup, pledging not to cause disruption with difficult tv fixtures and then allowing these games. The tv money received is peanuts.

Fan groups have made some progress with Sky. The situation is far from perfect but there have been improvements. BT won’t even meet with fan groups and almost seem to go out of their way to select problematic games.

I’m fully aware that clubs have sold their souls to tv companies but the one thing tv companies desperately want for their product is full stadia. They don’t always help with that. If fan groups give in and don’t fight then it will only get worse.

Grumps · Post by **Grumps** » Sat Oct 26, 2019 10:41 am

ClaretTony wrote:This is nothing to do with Burnley. This is to do with the FA talking about the magic of the cup, pledging not to cause disruption with difficult tv fixtures and then allowing these games. The tv money received is peanuts.

Fan groups have made some progress with Sky. The situation is far from perfect but there have been improvements. BT won’t even meet with fan groups and almost seem to go out of their way to select problematic games.

I’m fully aware that clubs have sold their souls to tv companies but the one thing tv companies desperately want for their product is full stadia. They don’t always help with that. If fan groups give in and don’t fight then it will only get worse.

I doubt the lower league clubs regard it as peanuts
I was using Burnley as an example, it applies to all clubs.

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Sat Oct 26, 2019 11:31 am

Grumps wrote:I doubt the lower league clubs regard it as peanuts
I was using Burnley as an example, it applies to all clubs.

Carlisle & Portsmouth will receive £75,000

Grumps · Post by **Grumps** » Sat Oct 26, 2019 11:56 am

ClaretTony wrote:Carlisle & Portsmouth will receive £75,000

That's a lot of money to those clubs, especially Carlisle. It's money they wouldn't have got if the game wasn't on the TV. I recall one club chairman saying a televised cup game paid the wage bill for a while, I think Accrington last year put TV money towards the training facilities, not peanuts for these clubs by any means

Leisure · Post by **Leisure** » Tue Oct 29, 2019 10:00 pm

Some local derbies tonight in the National League!

Bromley v Stockport
Chorley v Ebbsfleet
Dag & Redbridge v Barrow
Harrogate v Barnet
Maidenhead v AFC Fylde
Sutton v Halifax
Torquay v Wrexham

tim_noone · Post by **tim_noone** » Tue Oct 29, 2019 11:15 pm

Leisure wrote:Some local derbies tonight in the National League!

Bromley v Stockport
Chorley v Ebbsfleet
Dag & Redbridge v Barrow
Harrogate v Barnet
Maidenhead v AFC Fylde
Sutton v Halifax
Torquay v Wrexham

Shocking Fixtures.... Someone trying to kill the game at The lower Levels while a big push Promoting the women's Game... Would be interesting to see their fixtures mid week.

Grumps · Post by **Grumps** » Wed Oct 30, 2019 6:19 am

Leisure wrote:Some local derbies tonight in the National League!

Bromley v Stockport
Chorley v Ebbsfleet
Dag & Redbridge v Barrow
Harrogate v Barnet
Maidenhead v AFC Fylde
Sutton v Halifax
Torquay v Wrexham

Clubs were travelling long distances Midweek long before sky or any other TV company, if you have a national league, by its very nature clubs will have to travel. I remember some horrendous night matches watching Burnley.

Leisure · Post by **Leisure** » Wed Oct 30, 2019 9:05 am

Grumps wrote:Clubs were travelling long distances Midweek long before sky or any other TV company, if you have a national league, by its very nature clubs will have to travel. I remember some horrendous night matches watching Burnley.

I never mentioned Sky or TV companies but whoever is responsible for NL fuxtures obviously has no regard for the clubs or fans (who I appreciate aren't many).

Grumps · Post by **Grumps** » Wed Oct 30, 2019 9:11 am

Leisure wrote:I never mentioned Sky or TV companies but whoever is responsible for NL fuxtures obviously has no regard for the clubs or fans (who I appreciate aren't many).

I know, but it's been mentioned many times on this thread.
My point is it's been going on forever
When we were in the lower leagues
Annual Tuesday night to Ipswich
Lincoln
Maidstone
Numerous London games
Swansea
Plus many more, its not a new problem

Leisure · Post by **Leisure** » Wed Oct 30, 2019 9:20 am

Grumps wrote:I know, but it's been mentioned many times on this thread.
My point is it's been going on forever
When we were in the lower leagues
Annual Tuesday night to Ipswich
Lincoln
Maidstone
Numerous London games
Swansea
Plus many more, its not a new problem

Whilst I appreciate all the above, it only makes it worse that after all these years the powers that be continue to do it!

Grumps · Post by **Grumps** » Wed Oct 30, 2019 9:34 am

Leisure wrote:Whilst I appreciate all the above, it only makes it worse that after all these years the powers that be continue to do it!

What's an alternative that would work?

Leisure · Post by **Leisure** » Wed Oct 30, 2019 10:04 am

Grumps wrote:What's an alternative that would work?

Wherever possible, long distance games at weekends (when fans don't need to take the match day and following day off work) and more local/medium distance games mid-week.

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Wed Oct 30, 2019 10:08 am

On the subject of long distance midweeek games, as seen by those National League fixtures, the Football League a couple of years ago said they intentionally placed games like that in midweek. Seems the clubs prefer them that way.

Grumps · Post by **Grumps** » Wed Oct 30, 2019 10:16 am

ClaretTony wrote:On the subject of long distance midweeek games, as seen by those National League fixtures, the Football League a couple of years ago said they intentionally placed games like that in midweek. Seems the clubs prefer them that way.

Perhaps it stops having to stay overnight, travel down in the morning and straight back after the game.

Grumps · Post by **Grumps** » Wed Oct 30, 2019 10:17 am

Leisure wrote:Wherever possible, long distance games at weekends (when fans don't need to take the match day and following day off work) and more local/medium distance games mid-week.

I think even doing that there would still be long distance midweeek games, just in order to get all the games in

Leisure · Post by **Leisure** » Wed Oct 30, 2019 10:34 am

ClaretTony wrote:On the subject of long distance midweeek games, as seen by those National League fixtures, the Football League a couple of years ago said they intentionally placed games like that in midweek. Seems the clubs prefer them that way.

If so then it seems that even the clubs don't have much consideration for the traveling fans!

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Wed Oct 30, 2019 10:50 am

Grumps wrote:Perhaps it stops having to stay overnight, travel down in the morning and straight back after the game.

I think that's exactly what it is - keeping the costs down.

BOYSIE31 · Post by **BOYSIE31** » Wed Oct 30, 2019 12:30 pm

They dont need to travel - stay at home and watch on tv

Spike · Post by **Spike** » Wed Oct 30, 2019 12:55 pm

Grumps wrote:Is it not a random draw?

CT is on about the change of dates for TV not the draw

IanMcL · Post by **IanMcL** » Wed Oct 30, 2019 1:21 pm

Not sure there is an ideal outcome.