Changing kickoff times to save on energy costs
Something we’ve touched on in the Gasroom in the past
Apparently the Isthmian league have given or are considering giving their member clubs the option of kicking off their games earlier on Saturdays in order to avoid the need for using lights
12.30 and 2pm Kickoff times are being considered by some clubs
Naturally ,with the rising energy prices hitting us all ,clubs especially at lower levels have got to do everything they can to save costs
is this something that should be considered higher up the football pyramid ?
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A very serious issue. Given the power bills that are going to hit homes, services and business in general while the government pretends it is doing everything it can...Kickoff times may be the least of the problems faced by clubs at our level.
With TV cameras in use at all league grounds, on dull winter days the lights will be on for the whole match regardless of kick off time.
Free or heavily discounted Wanderers fleeces given out to the poor and elderly, to help them get through the winter months. Maybe collection tins around the stadium, 'Wanderers winter fund'.
I assume the thumbs down for my previous (what I think is rather uncontentious and factually accurate post) means someone on here is actually Liz Truss. If my domestic energy bill is going to head up to an eye-watering (for me anyway) £400 a month, if anyone thinks any business, especially a very energy hungry football club at our level, is going to laugh in the face of ITS bills I would be very surprised.
Football clubs are not that energy hungry @Wendoverman and we don't know hiw long left we have on our contract or on what rates. I think I heard that it costs a non league club about £750 to have its floodlights on for a match for example. Big money for them, not that significant for our level even if our higher spec floodlights use a bit more.
The impact for the club is perhaps more likely to be from people struggling to pay their bills curtailing their discretionary spend including attending football matches and buying overpriced food while there.
I do fear many pubs and restaurants will really struggle to get through the winter.
I believe that the energy bills for businesses are not subject to the cap per unit that is in place for domestic users, so their bills are going up by an even more dramatic amount.
Think it's added up in a different way and often with long term fixed contracts and some hedging built in but not certain.
You are right Chris no cap. The club may well have agreed a three year contract for electricity but how long they have left will depend on luck as to when the last one expired and had to be renewed. A business the size of ours will not be hedged. If they got lucky and fixed at the very bottom of the market, they may have got rates of around 10p per unit If they went to the market now the rate would be around 60p.-70p
I Just assumed, whatever the contract, a football ground built in the 1990s with parts of the business in constant use, and the additional costs of matchdays and evenings might be slightly more energy hungry than my fully insulated, fairly modern terraced gaff @DevC but you've put my mind at rest.
No undesoil heating in your garden @Wendoverman ?
I forget to turn it on until it's too late
Football clubs are not that energy hungry
Having recently chatted to someone about the sustainability of one particular premier league club, I think you'd be very, very surprised.
Those electric advertising boards will be costing a small fortune
They all seem to use big lighting rigs to roast their pitches too, that must cost a few quid and some of them are like hotels with all their hospitality stuff
Whenever I go back to the terrace and its a midweek game , I find it quite hard to pick out players at the other end due to the brightness of those boards.
I wonder if this is just me (and mate who came along), or whether it's a theme for people?
I assume the players don't have any issues with it distracting them?
@Malone (a) It's not just you. (b) It's really irritating. I don't think it's such an issue for those who sit in the Tower of Silence. We need a ball that's easier to pick out.
I'll compare when I'm back up to the Frank Adams for a midweeker, as I think there was one game I felt a bit off sensory wise, but couldn't work out if it was me being knackered, or the lighting.
But it's definitely 100% fine up there for most games.
Tower of silence? Ouch !
I’m doing my best up there
Me as well. The glare from them really is bad for floodlit games and just another thing to make an old stick-in-the-mud like me bemoan modern bloody football™. Surely these new fangled electronic boards can have the brightness turned down when light levels change?
I can confirm from the back of the family stand the advertising boards were, at times, distractingly bright. I am really surprised the player's haven't said anything.
It's was particularly bad when going from a dark background to a very bright background. Like having someone shine a torch in your eyes just as you wake up!
I agree I find the advertising distracting during floodlit games
As you say there must be some way of toning them down ?
It will be interesting if Wembley stadium will operate the moveable roof for the foreseeable future. It currently costs them £30,000 every time it is used.
That's only 4 tickets, booking fee and 2 burgers
You forgot the chips.
JRM told me not to be extravagant.
Well one of his waiting staff did.
you managed to get chips!
Same here, especially the white background adverts, made it hard to pick out the ball. Really distracting.
Holy cow! How is that even possible?!
https://twitter.com/tomvictor/status/1563888640299831296