27.1 The Home Club shall fix the time of kick-off between 12.00 noon and 3.15 pm for Saturday matches and not later than 8.05 pm for midweek and Bank Holiday matches. Once the kick-off time has been fixed, any amendment or variation thereto can be made only by agreement with the Away Club and with the approval of The League.
@DevC. I appreciate that anybody travelling long distances will have an early start/late finish, but my point was that the perceived importance of the outcome of the matches would have a greater impact on the size of the crowd than the kickoff time.
My point is that assuming that the size of the crowd was positively influenced by the 5.30pm kickoff may be wrong. It is possible that a 3pm kickoff would have attracted more people. If the only thing at stake was who finished 12th or 13th I doubt the crowd would be as big regardless of kickoff time.
@bluenotes My reading of 27.1 is that the club can make any amendment or variation within the hours of 12.30 and 3.15, hence the inclusion of the word "thereto".
If you go to Exeter from Carlisle, or Grimsby from Plymouth, you've written off the whole day anyway, regardless of kick-off time. You could actually argue a later kick off time helps those long distance journeys, as it gives away fans more time to get there.
Later kick offs are actually far more likely to affect journeys like Cambridge to Wycombe, where a 3pm kick off gives you time to get back to Cambridge for something of a Saturday night, but a 530 doesn't.
Dare I suggest that the EFL have broken their own rules and therefore that all off Saturdays matches are null and void and have to be replayed at the proper time! I jest, of course.
@Floyd you could also argue that by kicking off at 17:30 then by the time you've got home afterwards, travelling those distances, then you've written off a fair bit of sunday as well.
Oh, and pretty much said that kids can't really go either
This is an academic debate as no pressure I can see to change times and I think this would have to be a league wide decision.
Nobody knows whether attendances overall would be higher or lower with a say 1730 kickoff or a 1500 kickoff. Naturally there would be some winners and some losers of each. Perhaps interesting that both Crewe and Luton, both f whom had dead matches , got between 11 and 22% higher games on Saturday than the previous 3pm home game against similar opposition. Would that repeat every week, who knows.
Really not convinced that home fan children would be deterred by match not finishing until the early hours of the night - well twenty past seven! - on a Saturday.
Very small numbers anyway then Eric. And frankly not sure it makes a lot of difference. For games less than 100 miles, home by 10pm instead of 8pm - and plenty of time to sleep in the car if they are very young. Megatrips - cant remember seeing many at all in Devon for example - probably will not go regardless. So maybe effect if any is on a handful of midrange trips. But then for other kids , maybe they can get to go with a later kickoff where with a 3pm kickoff they have to choose between playing their morning match or going to the footie whereas with 1730 they can do both. Winners and losers whatever time you start.
Anyway classic out of season debate. No drive for any change at present.
I think they should ring round all the season ticket holders and see what time everyone can make it and adjust kick-off times accordingly. (see also my thread 'The EFL is demanding all League games are played at 8.30pm on Wednesdays from 2018/2019!!')
Early evening Saturday feels a decent time to watch a tv game but is certainly my least favourite time slot to attend a game.
It doesn't give a lot of time for your evening afterwards versus your standard 3pm kick off. And if the game is a fair distance away you end up getting home at silly o clock.
It didn't especially feel any better as an atmosphere either, and that was with a chance of the playoffs for a fair chunk of the game. Imagine just a standard league game early doors.
Comments
If football was invented today then there wouldn't be thousands of people prepared to travel to watch it every weekend
There doesn't appear to be any major restriction on when a Saturday match is played as long as it is agreed between the clubs and approved by the EFL.
http://www.efl.com/global/section5.aspx
27.1 The Home Club shall fix the time of kick-off between 12.00 noon and 3.15 pm for Saturday matches and not later than 8.05 pm for midweek and Bank Holiday matches. Once the kick-off time has been fixed, any amendment or variation thereto can be made only by agreement with the Away Club and with the approval of The League.
@DevC. I appreciate that anybody travelling long distances will have an early start/late finish, but my point was that the perceived importance of the outcome of the matches would have a greater impact on the size of the crowd than the kickoff time.
My point is that assuming that the size of the crowd was positively influenced by the 5.30pm kickoff may be wrong. It is possible that a 3pm kickoff would have attracted more people. If the only thing at stake was who finished 12th or 13th I doubt the crowd would be as big regardless of kickoff time.
@bluenotes My reading of 27.1 is that the club can make any amendment or variation within the hours of 12.30 and 3.15, hence the inclusion of the word "thereto".
If you go to Exeter from Carlisle, or Grimsby from Plymouth, you've written off the whole day anyway, regardless of kick-off time. You could actually argue a later kick off time helps those long distance journeys, as it gives away fans more time to get there.
Later kick offs are actually far more likely to affect journeys like Cambridge to Wycombe, where a 3pm kick off gives you time to get back to Cambridge for something of a Saturday night, but a 530 doesn't.
@bill_stickers. Yes, I see your point.
Dare I suggest that the EFL have broken their own rules and therefore that all off Saturdays matches are null and void and have to be replayed at the proper time! I jest, of course.
@Floyd you could also argue that by kicking off at 17:30 then by the time you've got home afterwards, travelling those distances, then you've written off a fair bit of sunday as well.
Oh, and pretty much said that kids can't really go either
This is an academic debate as no pressure I can see to change times and I think this would have to be a league wide decision.
Nobody knows whether attendances overall would be higher or lower with a say 1730 kickoff or a 1500 kickoff. Naturally there would be some winners and some losers of each. Perhaps interesting that both Crewe and Luton, both f whom had dead matches , got between 11 and 22% higher games on Saturday than the previous 3pm home game against similar opposition. Would that repeat every week, who knows.
Really not convinced that home fan children would be deterred by match not finishing until the early hours of the night - well twenty past seven! - on a Saturday.
I was fairly obviously referring to kids who support the away team but happy to clarify
Very small numbers anyway then Eric. And frankly not sure it makes a lot of difference. For games less than 100 miles, home by 10pm instead of 8pm - and plenty of time to sleep in the car if they are very young. Megatrips - cant remember seeing many at all in Devon for example - probably will not go regardless. So maybe effect if any is on a handful of midrange trips. But then for other kids , maybe they can get to go with a later kickoff where with a 3pm kickoff they have to choose between playing their morning match or going to the footie whereas with 1730 they can do both. Winners and losers whatever time you start.
Anyway classic out of season debate. No drive for any change at present.
I didn't say there was, just responding to Floyd's comments
I'm glad there's no call for any change to 3pm kick offs in Saturdays . Long may we continue to play at that time
would also be impossible to get home using public transport from a lot of away games, for what it's worth
I think they should ring round all the season ticket holders and see what time everyone can make it and adjust kick-off times accordingly. (see also my thread 'The EFL is demanding all League games are played at 8.30pm on Wednesdays from 2018/2019!!')
Early evening Saturday feels a decent time to watch a tv game but is certainly my least favourite time slot to attend a game.
It doesn't give a lot of time for your evening afterwards versus your standard 3pm kick off. And if the game is a fair distance away you end up getting home at silly o clock.
It didn't especially feel any better as an atmosphere either, and that was with a chance of the playoffs for a fair chunk of the game. Imagine just a standard league game early doors.
Maybe worth it when they decide to make football a summer game