2014/15 Premier League TV Fixtures Thread

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  • Steve WilliamsSteve Williams Posts: 11,816
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    Does that mean we could see a 5.30pm Saturday kickoff between Newcastle and Sunderland jn the future?

    If we can have Swansea vs Cardiff at 5.30 on a Saturday, surely we can have anything?
  • loyalsinceloyalsince Posts: 6,007
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    Have to disagree with a few things here.
    Firstly, in the opening eight fixtures of the PL season, the 'biggest' match United play is at home to Everton. That game isn't even really a "big" clash (though it is much better than a traditional 4th pick). Without doubt the opening fixture against Swansea is the most anticipated match of the opening week and will probably get more attention than any other game up until the general titan clash with Chelsea in round 9. Why would Sky leave that out if they were using a first pick? To mimimise quota issues? Well they could just drop a lesser game such as Utd-QPR in round 4 for example.

    Also with Bur-Utd in week 3, I think it's quite clear now that for whatever reason, Sky used up a first pick in that week. Tot-Liv could have been used and then BT would not have used New-Liv as a 4th pick in the later rounds. Alternatively, they could have picked Eve-Che as Chelsea was only used once in the entire set of opening round fixtures.

    I think you're reading a little too much into it.

    Probably, it was just a possible scenario.

    I didnt think Sky may have done what I suggest for quota reasons to do with Sky and their 21 game Man Utd limit.

    Im surprised Sky didnt pick Man U V Swansea, but if they want to pass weeks 32,33 (matchdays may not be right- but the weeks around this date when Man Utd is the biggest game by a clear margin) then they need BT to be out of quota. Sky therefore feel that give BT three Man Utd early, means that they can afford to pass weeks 32 and 33 if BT run out of quota, thus giving Sky bigger games earlier on.

    It is very plausible that Sky have passed week one, and put a first pick week three, as you suggest (and present a very convincing arguement)

    However I dont think BT would have known about Sky passing Everton and Swansea games if match selections are done in blocks, hence them picking it as a possible first pick. BT probably thought we have two Liverpool first picks, we need Man Utd on once, and Burnely V Man Utd and Newcastle V Liverpool better than Spurs V Liverpool and xx game.

    Once that was one Man Utd game selected by BT, Sky (with 5th picks up their sleeves) tempted BT with Swansea and Everton.

    BT have bitten, now Sky can apply squeeze on Man Utd and Liverpool, thus probably losing only one big fixture post Nov.

    Had BT picked Everton V Cheslea, they probably felt that they wouldnt get Man Utd again until week 8 (drop Man City V Spurs) or until week 13
  • mlt11mlt11 Posts: 21,065
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    I'm still of the view it went:

    R1:
    - BT 1st pick
    - If Sky had 1st pick and planned on passing Man Utd then no point in exercising 1st pick as BT highly likely to pick Man Utd anyway
    - Man City champions of minimal relevance - they don't rate well - if you have one game in R1 you take Man Utd.

    R3/R11:
    - R3: Sky 1st pick
    - R11: BT 1st pick
    - I know some see this as odd but I don't
    - Tot/Liv is a big game - it's one of the very biggest games outside big 5 head to heads, indeed there's not much difference ratings wise between Tot/Liv and say Man C/Ars
    - It doesn't actually rate much worse than Chel/Liv - last season Tot/Liv got 1.6m, Chel/Liv got 1.9m - both in Sun 4pm slot - though Chel/Liv arguably better slot as in Christmas holiday week
    - Key issue is timing - R3 is far, far more important to Sky than R11 as Sky always want strong start (and international week after R3 makes R1 to R3 the "opening impression" block)
    - Sky has the 3 biggest matches of the opening 13 rounds in R9, R10 and R12. So as well as R11 being in a lower priority part of the season (compared to R3) it is also surrounded by the highest possible quality Sky games making it less important to Sky.
  • TLG86TLG86 Posts: 11,491
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    Have we even worked out if BT get a pick on that weekend? No chance of a match in their usual slot which would presumably mean they could have one on Sunday at noon, but that in itself could have problems and it would involved asking teams to play twice in less than 48 hours.

    In 2008/09 - the last time Christmas fell on a Thursday - I believe these were the kick of times of the TV games (though I don't know who showed what):

    Sunday 28th December:

    12:00 - Newcastle v Liverpool
    16:15 - Blackburn v Man City

    Monday 29th December:

    20:00 - Man Utd v Middlesbrough

    Tuesday 30th December:

    20:00 - Hull v Aston Villa

    Given the three midweek games I think we can assume that week 19 counts as a regular weekend. In which case BT will definitely have a game if given first pick and can have a game should they want to use a fourth pick. My guess is it would be Sunday 12:45 (assuming the regular games start at 15:00 - in 08/09 it was 14:00 kick off).
    BT only need 5 passes altogether, and yet you are seriously saying they should have done 3 in the first 13!

    So maybe three passes would be a bit much - but they could definitely have taken Sunderland v Arsenal in week 9 and Sunderland v Chelsea in week 13 to make it just 2 passes.

    Maybe I'm just willing BT to play a slightly longer game. Of course, we're assuming that if BT had passed on fourth pick in weeks 3/7 that Sky would have snapped up the United games with a fourth pick of their own. I don't think it's totally impossible that one of the United games was actually a fifth pick in package G.
    loyalsince wrote: »
    Once that was one Man Utd game selected by BT, Sky (with 5th picks up their sleeves) tempted BT with Swansea and Everton.

    BT have bitten, now Sky can apply squeeze on Man Utd and Liverpool, thus probably losing only one big fixture post Nov.

    Had BT picked Everton V Cheslea, they probably felt that they wouldnt get Man Utd again until week 8 (drop Man City V Spurs) or until week 13

    I think it's clear that Sky's strategy was to push BT into picking three Man Utd games. But I think that strategy would have worked best by giving them first pick in week 1. If BT had picked Burnley v Man Utd as a first pick in week 3, I think they would have taken West Ham v Spurs as a fourth pick in week 1.

    The problem BT faced was week 3 where there really wasn't an alternative to Burnley v Man Utd. I've suggested that they might have been better passing that week (or even using a 5th pick in Package G were Sky not to take Burnley v Man Utd), but as has been pointed out by others it would mean three weeks without a PL game on BT.
  • wolvesdavidwolvesdavid Posts: 10,856
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    The only weeks a 5th pick has been used is weeks 1, 2 and 9!

    The only one with Manchester United on BT in all those weeks is week 1.

    I think it is safe to say that BT have not used a 5th pick yet.

    I don't think it is totally out of the question that BT could use an Arsenal match as a 5th pick, (we will find out when the December matches are announced what they plan to do,) I suspect they won't, but certainly not Manchester United.
  • ReadingfanReadingfan Posts: 10,211
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    loyalsince wrote: »
    However I dont think BT would have known about Sky passing Everton and Swansea games if match selections are done in blocks, hence them picking it as a possible first pick. BT probably thought we have two Liverpool first picks, we need Man Utd on once, and Burnely V Man Utd and Newcastle V Liverpool better than Spurs V Liverpool and xx game.

    Newcastle V Liverpool was a Sky 1st pick weekend wasn't it? Surely BT wouldn't have known that game would be left for them to show (as an explanation for them passing Spurs V Liverpool as a 1st pick.) And I do tend to think Spurs V Liverpool and xx game would be better than the first option. I think BT had first pick in week 1 and Sky had first pick in week 3.
  • ReadingfanReadingfan Posts: 10,211
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    The only weeks a 5th pick has been used is weeks 1, 2 and 9!

    The only one with Manchester United on BT in all those weeks is week 1.

    I think it is safe to say that BT have not used a 5th pick yet.

    I don't think it is totally out of the question that BT could use an Arsenal match as a 5th pick, (we will find out when the December matches are announced what they plan to do,) I suspect they won't, but certainly not Manchester United.

    I agree BT probably haven't used a 5th pick for Manchester United yet but presumably there don't actually have to be 5 games shown for a 5th pick to be used? (i.e. a fourth pick could be passed by one broadcaster or the other and then a 5th pick could still be used?)
  • TLG86TLG86 Posts: 11,491
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    The only weeks a 5th pick has been used is weeks 1, 2 and 9!

    The only one with Manchester United on BT in all those weeks is week 1.

    I think it is safe to say that BT have not used a 5th pick yet.

    I don't think it is totally out of the question that BT could use an Arsenal match as a 5th pick, (we will find out when the December matches are announced what they plan to do,) I suspect they won't, but certainly not Manchester United.

    Just because there were only four games picked in weeks 3 and 7 doesn't mean that a fifth pick in package G wasn't used by BT.

    Don't forget that Sky converted three fourth picks into sixth picks last season. So I think that it's technically possible for BT to pass on a fourth pick in Package A, for Sky to pass on using a fourth or fifth pick from any of their packages and for BT to then use their fifth pick in Package G.

    I know it's highly unlikely, but I don't think it's impossible. It's probably more likely to have happened in week 7. If Sky had had the chance to take Burnley v Man Utd with a fourth pick they'd have probably done it and not shown the United QPR game (which was also a fourth pick). But they would have had to just take Man Utd v Everton as an extra pick in week 7 and put United on to eight games.
  • wolvesdavidwolvesdavid Posts: 10,856
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    You may be right that it is not impossible, however as you said it is unlikely, and considering that BT have Newcastle home & away and Stoke away in the Manchester United fixtures in package G, I think they must have used 3 Manchester United games from package A.
  • TLG86TLG86 Posts: 11,491
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    But if BT could have taken United as a fifth pick in Package G, it would give them a bit more room for maneuver when it comes to the midweek games.

    I think it's fair to say that we'll get our answer with the midweek picks as BT will almost certainly show United twice in Package G.
  • loyalsinceloyalsince Posts: 6,007
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    Readingfan wrote: »
    Newcastle V Liverpool was a Sky 1st pick weekend wasn't it? Surely BT wouldn't have known that game would be left for them to show (as an explanation for them passing Spurs V Liverpool as a 1st pick.) And I do tend to think Spurs V Liverpool and xx game would be better than the first option. I think BT had first pick in week 1 and Sky had first pick in week 3.

    There is phrase, 'stop digigng,' that comes to mind (!)- but Newcastle V Liverpool is pre Champions League so has to be on a Sat.
  • TLG86TLG86 Posts: 11,491
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    loyalsince wrote: »
    There is phrase, 'stop digigng,' that comes to mind (!)- but Newcastle V Liverpool is pre Champions League so has to be on a Sat.

    In a way it's a shame Sky didn't take Newcastle v Liverpool as we're still a little in the dark about what the protocol is with this.

    I think there was a scenario last season that would have seen a BT game (I think it was Southampton v Everton) moved to the Sunday to accommodate two Sky games involving Man Utd and Chelsea were they to meet in the Champions League SF and the second leg to be on the Tuesday.

    It may be that the PL are willing to allow Sky to force BT out of it's slot later in the season. But in November they may have told Sky that they could not select both the Manchester Derby and Newcastle v Liverpool.

    This assumes that Sky can't use a second pick in Package E and insist it's shown Saturday 12:45 as I'm guessing that the holder of Package A has first refusal on showing a game in that slot - even though it would be a fourth pick.
  • ReadingfanReadingfan Posts: 10,211
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    loyalsince wrote: »
    There is phrase, 'stop digigng,' that comes to mind (!)- but Newcastle V Liverpool is pre Champions League so has to be on a Sat.

    Perhaps though of course Sky do have a Saturday slot! Not to mention the Manchester derby has been arranged for the Sunday, Sky have the flexibility (we believe) to take the Saturday 12.45 slot if necessary and Liverpool are away to Palace on a Sunday a couple of weeks after that before a Champions League midweek (with the prospect of swapping with Arsenal V Man Utd if necessary.)

    But yes, I suppose BT might have reasoned there was a reasonable chance Newcastle V Liverpool would fall their way!
  • Jules 1Jules 1 Posts: 2,543
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    If we can have Swansea vs Cardiff at 5.30 on a Saturday, surely we can have anything?

    That game was a bubble match, is the Newcastle Sunderland game one.

    A bubble match while being undeniably controversial, does tend to reduce the potential for trouble.
  • Ryan_Kerr1Ryan_Kerr1 Posts: 154
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    Readingfan wrote: »
    Perhaps though of course Sky do have a Saturday slot! Not to mention the Manchester derby has been arranged for the Sunday, Sky have the flexibility (we believe) to take the Saturday 12.45 slot if necessary and Liverpool are away to Palace on a Sunday a couple of weeks after that before a Champions League midweek (with the prospect of swapping with Arsenal V Man Utd if necessary.)

    But yes, I suppose BT might have reasoned there was a reasonable chance Newcastle V Liverpool would fall their way!

    Arsenal Utd won't be changed, thats the reason it was put at half 5 due to the Champions League
  • PhilH36PhilH36 Posts: 26,196
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    Jules 1 wrote: »
    That game was a bubble match, is the Newcastle Sunderland game one.

    A bubble match while being undeniably controversial, does tend to reduce the potential for trouble.

    No. As discussed earlier Northumbria police tried to declare last season's Newcastle-Sunderland game as a bubble but ended up backtracking.
  • Steve WilliamsSteve Williams Posts: 11,816
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    TLG86 wrote: »
    In 2008/09 - the last time Christmas fell on a Thursday - I believe these were the kick of times of the TV games (though I don't know who showed what):

    Sunday 28th December:

    12:00 - Newcastle v Liverpool
    16:15 - Blackburn v Man City

    Monday 29th December:

    20:00 - Man Utd v Middlesbrough

    Tuesday 30th December:

    20:00 - Hull v Aston Villa

    Given the three midweek games I think we can assume that week 19 counts as a regular weekend. In which case BT will definitely have a game if given first pick and can have a game should they want to use a fourth pick. My guess is it would be Sunday 12:45 (assuming the regular games start at 15:00 - in 08/09 it was 14:00 kick off).

    In that season, the two Sunday games and the Tuesday game were on Sky and Setanta showed the Monday match, back when that was a regular slot for them. Presumably the Tuesday game was a replacement for what in any other weekend would have been Saturday 12.45. We almost certainly won't have a Tuesday match this time round because there's games on Thursday so if they wanted to treat it as a regular weekend with four picks, presumably it would have to be 12, 2 and 4 on Sunday (with the former on BT?) and then also on Monday night.
  • TLG86TLG86 Posts: 11,491
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    In that season, the two Sunday games and the Tuesday game were on Sky and Setanta showed the Monday match, back when that was a regular slot for them. Presumably the Tuesday game was a replacement for what in any other weekend would have been Saturday 12.45. We almost certainly won't have a Tuesday match this time round because there's games on Thursday so if they wanted to treat it as a regular weekend with four picks, presumably it would have to be 12, 2 and 4 on Sunday (with the former on BT?) and then also on Monday night.

    I really think we should stop Christmas Day falling on a Thursday, it's quite annoying really! Maybe the Sunday will reflect the Boxing Day and New Year's Day's fixtures of 12:45, 15:00 and 17:30?

    I wouldn't totally rule out a Tuesday night game, though. Given that teams are being asked to play 2 games in 3 days for 26 and 28 December, it's wouldn't be out of the question that two teams are asked to play 30 December and 1 January, even if their opponents on New Year's Day get two days more rest. I seem to remember City being given something similar against Liverpool in 2011/12.
  • Steveaustin316Steveaustin316 Posts: 15,779
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    TLG86 wrote: »
    I really think we should stop Christmas Day falling on a Thursday, it's quite annoying really! Maybe the Sunday will reflect the Boxing Day and New Year's Day's fixtures of 12:45, 15:00 and 17:30?

    I wouldn't totally rule out a Tuesday night game, though. Given that teams are being asked to play 2 games in 3 days for 26 and 28 December, it's wouldn't be out of the question that two teams are asked to play 30 December and 1 January, even if their opponents on New Year's Day get two days more rest. I seem to remember City being given something similar against Liverpool in 2011/12.

    Maybe next time Christmas Day falls on a Thursday, they should play one set of games on Dec 26/27 and a further round of games on Dec 29/30. That would give clubs an extra day's break between games.

    TV games could be shown at 12.45 and 5.30 on both Boxing Day and Saturday 27th. The 29th & 30th would be a standard midweek round.

    The NYD round of games could be moved to the following midweek (Jan 6/7)
  • D.M.N.D.M.N. Posts: 34,167
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    Not sure where to put this, but think this would be the most logical place... Sky schedules out for first Premier League weekend on Sky Sports 1:

    Saturday 16th August
    09:00 - Fantasy Football Club (R)
    => premières the previous night
    10:00 - Soccer AM
    12:00 - Live FL72: Leeds vs Middlesborough
    14:30 - filler (Boxing / F1 Legends)
    16:45 - Live SNF: Arsenal vs Crystal Palace
    20:00 - SNF: Game of the Day

    Notes
    - Game Changers dropped although there are a lot of repeats in the schedule
    - SNF Preview show dropped, which might also indicate that the studio audience is disappearing too
    - SNF main show extended
    - Soccer Saturday moving (for week 1 at least) to Sky Sports 5... although of course with Sky Sports News on 401/501, this probably isn't a big deal now

    Sunday 17th August
    09:00 - The Sunday Supplement
    10:30 - Goals on Sunday
    12:30 - Ford Super Sunday: Liverpool vs Southampton
    15:30 to 19:00 - Ford Super Sunday: Newcastle vs Man City

    No changes there, as far as I can tell.
  • ReadingfanReadingfan Posts: 10,211
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    Are there any pre-season specials this season, like the preview show with Souness, Redknapp, Nicholas, Beagrie and Mendietta or the pre-season Monday Night Football (on a Thursday!) that we saw last season?
  • D.M.N.D.M.N. Posts: 34,167
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    Readingfan wrote: »
    Are there any pre-season specials this season, like the preview show with Souness, Redknapp, Nicholas, Beagrie and Mendietta or the pre-season Monday Night Football (on a Thursday!) that we saw last season?

    None as far as I can see, but to be fair there is a lot of live action in the preceding week.
  • stevvy1986stevvy1986 Posts: 7,061
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    D.M.N. wrote: »
    SNF Preview show dropped, which might also indicate that the studio audience is disappearing too
    - SNF main show extended.

    SNF preview was basically just going to be a copy of Soccer Saturday, ie looking at the teams and talking about the games coming up, so it's right that that's gone.

    As for SNF itself being extended..........4.45pm is as daft on Sky Sports as it was on ESPN. Nobody is going to tune in at that time, they'll all tune in to the results coming in on Soccer Saturday, see the tables etc, and then switch over at around 5-5.05pm. Silly decision in my opinion.
  • Steve WilliamsSteve Williams Posts: 11,816
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    stevvy1986 wrote: »
    As for SNF itself being extended..........4.45pm is as daft on Sky Sports as it was on ESPN. Nobody is going to tune in at that time, they'll all tune in to the results coming in on Soccer Saturday, see the tables etc, and then switch over at around 5-5.05pm. Silly decision in my opinion.

    Well, it depends, doesn't it, because if they devote the first fifteen minutes of the newly extended build-up to watching the results come in, go through the tables and get some post-match interviews, that would be well worth doing. Lots of people aren't going to sit through Soccer Saturday all afternoon, they'll be happy with just a results service at 4.45. That's what I assumed Saturday Night Football was going to be like when they launched it last season, hence why they were in the studio so they could monitor it all and reflect on it, only for it to totally ignore the 3pm games.

    If, however, it's just another fifteen minutes of top top banter from Jamie, it's a bloody awful idea. And to be honest, given Sky seem to think a channel called Sky Sports News HQ HD and putting Sky Sports 3 on 404 are good ideas, I'm not holding out too much hope.
  • Ryan_Kerr1Ryan_Kerr1 Posts: 154
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    From Islington Police Twitter

    MPS has made applied to @IslingtonBC to revoke or amend the Arsenal FC safety certificate for two local derby games at 5.30 pm on Saturday

    Will be livid if they manage to change the Spurs game
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