6:15 Stinks - Your Views.

Here's a selection of your emails. Please keep them coming.
Updated 27 August 2001

Dont mention it , it is driving me insane , I have to wait untill midnight on Monday to see edited (2 mins ) highlights. As I live in the Channel Islands I cant get ITV2 and have no prospect of ever being able to. Rumour has it that ITV are in talks with Sky !!!. Any confirmation ???
From Ian ( pissed of Clarets fan )

Well done with your petition and keep up the good work. There is no way I will be getting ITV Digital, but how do we get the message over to a wider audience. We must somehow make people realise that we who go to matches are the supporters who count. I'm very frustrated that I can't do enough to get football back to a Saturday afternoon where it belongs.
From Lyn Aldous - Blades fan

My views are that its the supporters who actually go to games who are the ones that should decide when the kick off times will be. I bet that they will say Sat 3pm. That's the best time. Sunday 6:15 is a time where everyone has had a good dinner, and just wants to relax in the company of their family and friends. It's the day when nearly everyone relaxes at home. My team was the first to play at this ridiculous time, against Burnley, and when it was time to get ready and set off to match, I was nearly asleep. Football maters to people - you can't just sweep it under a carpet and forget about the true fans. Their feelings matter, and we have got to let these be known. The next time we play at this time (I believe its Barnsley away) I will do my upmost to get a ticket to it and I will carry a banner. ITV does not give a shit about Nationwide, that's why we have got the slot that the Premership doesn't want. At least with Sky they provided excellant coverage. They showed Division 2 and 3 games, and did Conference coverage. They showed Nationwide highlights. I can't see ITV showing any, only at midnight. That's when they showed it last season, just sweeping it under the carpet. Stuff ITV. Give football back to the fans who created it in the first place. SKY or ITV didn't make football what it is today.
From Andy - Sheffield Wednesday season ticket holder for 12 years

The driving force behind the 6:15 pm Sunday kick-off time is so ITV do not go head-to-head with other TV companies.
Div 3 live games are on Thursday night, THURSDAY NIGHT, jeeeeeeez, what next?, 2am games to catch the 24 hour supermarket workers when they get home ?.
Remember this though, everything that ITV do is ratified by the League bosses, and they are ALL Nationwide League Chairmen, and we all know how highly they respect the needs of supporters.
From David Caddy

The thing that really annoys me about the whole ITV Digital times debacle is the attitude of the League. They assume they have to bend over backwards to accomodate TV, when surely they have the upper hand in the deal. Assuming that each club has a gate of 10,000 each week (some a lot more, some a lot less) that's 720,000 people attending Nationwide matches, and that's just those that go every week, let alone those who can't make it for whatever reason. Surely that number of fans can demand some rights?
ITV's attitude stinks, but they are a commercial organisation, and you can see why they aren't too fussed about the whole thing. What really riles me is that the League are supposed to look after the interests of the clubs and the fans, they are supposed to understand football. Instead, they have sold us all down the river. Football fans are not consumers, but rather members of a religion or in the grip of an addiction, however you'd like to think of it. After all, we can't ask for our money back if our team are rubbish! This attitude that football is just a business has been around long enough. It's time the people who made the clubs what they are, ie the fans, spoke back.
From Jenny Hampton, Wolves fan

Sadly it is not simply the case that "the views of the football fan have been ignored". There are many categories of football fan as far as the marketing gurus are concerned and I would suggest that the only type that counts in the eyes of the TV companies is the armchair "fan". We the travelling supporter do not generate one bean for them, so we count for nothing. The football clubs directors see only £ signs when it comes to TV. Regardless of what their limted PR might say, the travelling supporter does not even register on their income generation scale. Therefore, the only way of stopping this ludicrous scheduling is to make it unprofitable for the TV companies. Unfortunately the only people who can do that are the armchair "supporters" - by not subscribing.
However, given that anything that means that the armchair "fan" can sit on thier arses for even longer and not have to watch Songs of Praise is unlikely to get anything other than a big thumbs up from them.
From Pamela Hayday

I would just like to add the comment that having switched to Digital cable television I now find myself paying some ?72:00 per month yet am unable to watch any Nationwide games this season because my provider is 'Telewest' who do not supply the ITV Sports channel !!.
It was very noticeable on Saturday mornings 'Soccer AM' with Helen Chamberlain and Tim Lovejoy, that although there were no Premiership games scheduled for last weekend, the Nationwide leagues big kick day off hardly got a mention which was probably a conscious effort on behalf of Sky.
I think Sky Sports have provided a great service to lower league football over the past few seasons and have done their best to promote the 1st, 2nd and 3rd divisions and their teams.
From Tony, Bristol City FC season ticket holder

The fixture lists came out at the end of the first week of my summer holiday, but by the time I got home, 10 days later, 6 of my teams' (Sheffield Wednesday) fixtures had been changed. I booked our apartment for a week in October while on that summer holiday, came home, and had to then try to re-arrange the booking, a ridiculous situation before the season has even started.
I did write to Wednesday voicing my concerns about the fixtures (6.15 on a Sunday night is plain bloody stupid), and was told by the Club Secretary, Alan Sykes, that if I sent my season ticket back before the season starts they'll happily give me a full refund. What a bloody attitude! I've even heard the same cretin on Radio Sheffield saying that he thinks the kick off times will suit the supporters, and he thinks we'll all be happy with the new times. He also said that the clubs had very little say, if any say at all, in the timing of the games, that was down to the T.V. company. If he says that, and the T.V. company says it's decided by the F.A. somebody must be telling porkies.
Lets get back to 3.00 on a Saturday and 7.30/7.45 on Wednesday.
If the T.V. companies suddenly find a major audience in America or the Far East, for live football are we all going to have to go to games at 2.00 in the morning? Don't laugh, it could easily happen.
From Jez, a really pissed off Owl

As a Preston N.E. supporter I am disgusted at what the TV companies have done. We already have 7 fixture changes including 1 Thursday night and 2 away games at Birmingham and Watford scheduled for Sunday evening. The Watford game in particular will see us getting home about midnight. It is a bloody joke. On top of that those who also like to watch premiership football highlights will now miss out if they are away from home as it has been announced they will be shown at 7pm - once more it is stick 2 fingers up at the genuine supporter who has put football where it is.
From Alan Shires

I recently wrote to ITV Digital regarding their kick-off times and they replied back that 'So far we have not had any complaints about the kick-off times of matches. The match times are set by the Football Association who awarded us the rights to show the games.'
So my suggestion is that everyone can now also send an e-mail to ITV Digital in regard to the kick-off times and let's see if we then get any reaction from them! I also live in an area that cannot receive the channel anyway but my concern is for those of us that actually attend matches.
From Steve Ashley

Always knew you Burnley fans were a sensible lot!
I've written about this topic in the Wolves fanzine on numerous occassions (I've not been the only one) and have advocated some sort of campaign co-ordinated by the various fanzines/independent supporters clubs.
Good luck with the campaign. You have the support of all fans everywhere, I'm sure. Apart from, that is, the scrotes that can't be arsed to get out of their armchairs.
From David Kersey

Comment: bloody rubbish
From Mr. Somebody

I find it hard to believe that ITV Digital say they have received no compaints from fans regarding the decision to move Nationwide games to Thursday evenings and Sunday at 6.15 in particular. The Thursday scheudle is ridiculous with the consequence that teams who play on the thursday then reschedule their game for Saturday to be played twenty four hours later. Eg., Wolves.
The Sunday night idea has no consideration for the travelling fans. Equally following on from Sky's similarly poor timing for their Scottish Premiership fixtures last season, the blind desire of the scheduler overrules all common sense thinking as to when the Sunday fixture must be shown. Given the double header of ITV football on a Saturday evening adn the Sky football on Sunday, there a going to be a lot of living room arguments this season, with the wall to wall football coverage, which surely does not bode well for viewing figures come the Sunday evening game.
I for one hope that ITV will eventually see sense with this and rethink their Nationwide TV schedules.
From Dave Clark

I agree with everything you've said and support your campaign. As a Watford fan, i will not be travelling to Manchester City for our first match next Saturday in protest of the kick-off time. I would usually go, especially for our first match, but i'm not travelling home in the early hours of Sunday morning for armchair supporters. Look out for my flag at Watford vs Wimbledon on sep 9th and good luck with your campaign.
From Dean Fitzgerald

My view is a common one. My parents are not going to be able to join us for any home games which kick off this late. It is a simple fact that they are not going to drive 150 miles home after such a game in order to go to work the next day.
As for us, we will not be able to take our 2 youngsters because of the late finish, and we will struggle to go as a couple because of having to sort the children out after we have arrived back.
What about the Scots who have fought hard to remove the Sunday night 6:05 kick offs ?
From Heidi Jones

I live in Accrington which is a stronghold for alot of Burnley fans. Ok you may think but what's the point in starting this digy crap if the vast majority of fans cant even receive the damn program due to transmitter upgrades not taking place yet!
From Gary Wood

You could not be more right.
I'm a Brentford season ticket holder and I travel all over the country for our second divsion games.
I think it is terrible that just because three quarters of the country are amchair fans us other quarter should have to suffer.
From Andrew Congdon

On behalf of PISA and our fanzine Pisces we support your campaign.
Pompey supporters are more allied to traditional football with 3pm Saturday afternoon the time when the working-class fan should get his dose of football.
The genuine fans save their hard earned cash to support their team as it is representative of their community but nowadays it has been turned into a rich man's hobby.
Club chairman and directors are happy to fill player's pockets with the tv money and this in turn fuels director's, players and tv executives ego's and it is the supporters who suffer but if us fans stick together by not getting involved in pay per view we can help burst the bubble and return the game to a more level playing field.
Look forward to the game at Turf Moor as Pompey and Burnley are representative of genuine fans who support the community they live in rather than the parasites who have latched onto the national game.
From Barry Dewing (Pompey Independent Supporters Association)

Sunday football in general is a pain. It used to be for kids' teams to play, now the adults are more interested in getting home/to the pub in time for various ridiculous kick off times. 6.15 is just stupid, have you ever tried to get anywhere by train on Sunday? Don't, it's not worth it. Ask our friends north of the border what they think of Sunday evening football - you will be told!
The question is do the clubs care where and when they play and in front of how many while they are coining it in from TV. And how much does grass root football or the real supporter benefit? Sweet FootballA ssociation!
From Trimite

Spot on.
I regularly travel over 200 miles to support my club (Man City) on Satudays. Leave mid-morning, return mid-evening. Now I'll get home way after midnight.
Televised games are great if you can't make it to the game, but if you can't make it or are just an armchair fan then I'm afraid you'll have to arrange your life around 3.00!
Dont let the people who contribute nothing to the wealth of the clubs dictate when they watch the game.
From Steve Webster

With you all the way with this one guys, even if the actual fact that live matches are being forced to kick off at this ridiculous hour of the day does not affect me very much. Why? Because I am a supporter of Stockport County Football Club. That plucky little club which is ignored for the most part by TV companies because it's not terribly fashionable, it doesn't have a huge following and doesn't have a lot of money.
Yes we could sit back here at Stockport and spend the £2m that ITV Digital Sport have given us and gloat that thay have not asked us to re-arrange matches to some awful time on a Sunday or (even worse) a Thursday because we aren't being featured in their schedules up to late October. Oh sure, we're used to being ignored on the telly because Wolves or Man City have yet another big game at home to... well... anyone really. (A few seasons ago, City were on more times than we were and they were in the 2nd Division!!) It may be that TV companies don't like their commentators having to climb ladders into rickity scaffold plarforms like we have at Edgeley Park. But we do appreciate that 6.15 is an awful time of day to be playing football, and fans of all the clubs, even us hick teams who no-one knows exist, should unite with the other teams in the Nationwide League and tell the TV companies that just because they have done a deal with the footballing authorities, and the boardrooms, it does not mean they can treat us, the supporters, like we don't matter!
Please keep us informed with your progress with this matter and good luck to you all in the coming season. (Except when you play us of course.)
From Rob of Reddish

You have said it all....even though I am a Premiership club season ticket holder, I am fed up to the back teeth of being dictated to by TV.......they are destroying the game for the REAL supporters like us who have been attending matches way before football was fashionable.
Good luck!
From Steve Roe

This really takes the P**S OUT OF THE GENUINE SUPPORTER
As usual the real supporter is not to be considered.
Another WIN for the arm chair supporter who do nothing to support the game.
From Barry Clements

Its not often I agree with a Burnley fan, but yes it does stink
From Huw Smith

Sunday night is a most difficult night with work and school the next day, at the end of a weekend, particularily for supporters who have to travel.
Also the traffic is so heavy on motorways as people try to get home after a weekend away.
Not happy.
From Kathy Campbell-Cave

Yes 6:15 stinks, £250 for a season ticket and no guarantee of seeing games on a Friday night after work. I finish at 6:00pm and could be anywhere in the place we call the U.K. Saturday is football day, and kick off is at 3:00pm. Thats the way it should stay. Keep up the good work mate, I hope we all can make a difference.
From Mick Hurst

I too would like to register my disagreement with the planned Sunday Kick Offs of 6.15pm!
I have a season tickets for Birmingham City and live in Taunton, Somerset - This would mean that I would not get home until 10.30 on a SUNDAY NIGHT!
From Jerry Long

What annoys me is the fact that after shelling out a load of money on Sky last season to watch Man City games I'm now told I need OnDigital, but if City get promoted I need to go back to Sky again at the end of the season. Fine, but I can't get OnDigital because I have a shared aerial. And, because I live so far away I could never get to Maine Road on Sunday or Thursday evenings.....the whole things is a shambles and a disgrace.
From Shaun Tiddy

This is all about creating a captive market. If the clubs are 200 miles apart ( a lot of Palace's (my team) opponents will be in Lancs and Yorks). The prospect of coming home in the small hours before going into work on a Monday appalls me. I also have to ask whether clubs will lose on the swings what they gain on the roundabouts. Good luck.
From Richard Down

Football does not belong to the television companies it belongs to the fans. It is estimated that we Portsmouth fans usually travel in excess of SEVEN THOUSAND MILES per SEASON - and that's only Nationwide games. Now I'm expected to take Friday afternoons off work twice within a fortnight just for the sake of those couch potatoes who can't get off their arses to go to a live match.
Well sirs, I hope ITV are doomed to failure and I for one will not part with a single penny to have their matches beamed into my living room - in any case I much prefer watching MY team LIVE!!!!
From Price

"Live away" fans like my friends and myself, who are also season ticket holders, can find it impossible to make some of the rearranged fixtures. We travel from Southwest Somerset to follow Manchester City. In short it means we are not getting full value from our season tickets. What is more important is missing vital games - watching City is one of the most important things in our (sad) lives. I blame my father (Bless him).
From Clive Knott