Post by Webster on Oct 17, 2019 20:02:15 GMT
The Guardian: Liverpool fans fuming over Amazon's 8pm Boxing Day fixture change
The Liverpool supporters’ group Spirit of Shankly has criticised the rescheduling of the Boxing Day fixture at Leicester, calling it “disdainful” and having “zero-consideration” for fans.
The Premier League match has been moved to 8pm to accommodate screening by Amazon Prime but with no public transport to support people getting to and from the fixture, the switch has come under fire.
Under the new TV deal agreed last year, all nine of the Premier League’s Boxing Day fixtures are to be screened by the internet company as it makes its first foray into top-flight broadcasting. There will be four separate kick-off times that day – at 12.30pm, 3pm, 5.30pm and 8pm.
Manchester City’s fixture at Wolves will also be streamed by Amazon and has been rearranged for 27 December at 7.45pm.
Liverpool have offered free coach travel to their supporters, with fans asked to pay a reservation fee of £5 per seat. All proceeds will go to the North Liverpool Foodbank.
Spirit of Shankly said: “There is no national train service running on this day and local public transport is likely to be severely reduced – if operating at all by the time of the game finishing. Both sets of supporters will encounter difficulty getting to and from the stadium. “A consequence of such a disdainful, zero-consideration change means LFC’s following fixture, at home to Wolves, is also to be moved to Sunday 29 December, again with inconvenience and negative implications for fans and workers.
“The Premier League and TV companies repeatedly ignore the welfare of supporters. But they do have a chance to redeem themselves.
“Spirit of Shankly call on the authorities to do the right thing and revert all Boxing Day fixtures to a sensible kick-off time. We suggest 3pm.”
Before then Amazon Prime will cover its first live games on 3 December, when Crystal Palace host Bournemouth at 7.30pm and Burnley face Manchester City at 8.15pm.
BT Sport, meanwhile, will be showing nine live Premier League fixtures on New Year’s Day, starting with Brighton v Chelsea and Burnley v Aston Villa at 12.30pm, and concluding with Arsenal v Manchester United at 8pm.
The Football Supporters’ Association has said it will continue to raise the issue of short-notice fixture changes at its next meeting with the Premier League.
The Premier League match has been moved to 8pm to accommodate screening by Amazon Prime but with no public transport to support people getting to and from the fixture, the switch has come under fire.
Under the new TV deal agreed last year, all nine of the Premier League’s Boxing Day fixtures are to be screened by the internet company as it makes its first foray into top-flight broadcasting. There will be four separate kick-off times that day – at 12.30pm, 3pm, 5.30pm and 8pm.
Manchester City’s fixture at Wolves will also be streamed by Amazon and has been rearranged for 27 December at 7.45pm.
Liverpool have offered free coach travel to their supporters, with fans asked to pay a reservation fee of £5 per seat. All proceeds will go to the North Liverpool Foodbank.
Spirit of Shankly said: “There is no national train service running on this day and local public transport is likely to be severely reduced – if operating at all by the time of the game finishing. Both sets of supporters will encounter difficulty getting to and from the stadium. “A consequence of such a disdainful, zero-consideration change means LFC’s following fixture, at home to Wolves, is also to be moved to Sunday 29 December, again with inconvenience and negative implications for fans and workers.
“The Premier League and TV companies repeatedly ignore the welfare of supporters. But they do have a chance to redeem themselves.
“Spirit of Shankly call on the authorities to do the right thing and revert all Boxing Day fixtures to a sensible kick-off time. We suggest 3pm.”
Before then Amazon Prime will cover its first live games on 3 December, when Crystal Palace host Bournemouth at 7.30pm and Burnley face Manchester City at 8.15pm.
BT Sport, meanwhile, will be showing nine live Premier League fixtures on New Year’s Day, starting with Brighton v Chelsea and Burnley v Aston Villa at 12.30pm, and concluding with Arsenal v Manchester United at 8pm.
The Football Supporters’ Association has said it will continue to raise the issue of short-notice fixture changes at its next meeting with the Premier League.