Sky don't have any control over the fixture list.

Interesting thoughts Igloo_Man, a couple of things - Package F has second and fourth picks and Package E has only third and fourth picks - no fifth picks. On fifth picks, I think it's less a case of who has the right to use a pick, but rather, who has the right to a defer a fifth pick for later in the season?

I disagree about third picks. I think Package E has control of third picks, but they are unable to pass third pick to Package B when that is using a first pick. The same applies to Package C not being able to pass second pick to Package A when that package is using a first pick. Of course, there are few weeks when second and third picks can be passed to Packages F and G respectively. Furthermore, I don't think Package E can use both a third pick and a fourth pick in the same week (though I suspect they can convert a fourth pick to a fifth/sixth pick if they think it's worth it). And as Packages D and E have 23 fourth picks between them, Sky can use a first pick in D and a third pick in E on up to 10 occasions.

I don't think it's much of an issue for BT that they don't control any picks - they'll get a decent set of games whatever. I would be really surprised if it turns out that Sky does not have the control over using first, second and third picks to get a big match on a Friday or Monday night. So if a big head to head is scheduled in Package E I think we can conclude that E controls third picks.

Sorry I don't think control is the correct word

I meant to say that they have an INFLUENCE by suggesting

Big Games in certain weekends (or midweeks if BT)

Last season there were never 2 big games in the same weekend

Making sure there are no Big games on last day

There could be something unusual under new structure (such as pack a first picks being ranked higher than B to compensate for less picks) but I think that’s unlikely.

We will most likely be able to resolve the third pick issue with a big Mon or Fri game.

I agree with TLG86 on the whole, I think that the rules are probably clear. Bank holidays and midweeks are obvious, that removes all but 4 games from G, and leaves two lots of 4 in F.

Then simply number of games controls packages, but each package can only play once per match day, and in the 33 weekend rounds, a 1st,2nd, 3rd, 4th pick must be used.

The above solves everything apart from fifth picks.

There would be proviso that for the odd week games may switch slots. i.e. if Sky force BT to use a pack F but both Sat slots are full, it moves to 12 noon, or there may be something that an independent adjudicator will determine if something unusual occurs. ie. I think Sky may be able to move the odd Sat 12.30 to Sun 4pm if they don't use pack D or G and a Europa Team is involved.

As for fifth picks- I think there will either be an order and perhaps some rules but it could only really be an issue if D,A,E,F is order of picks. I think fifth picks will be simply slotted in when a pack/slot is free, and somebody independent will judge if there is a dispute- which I cannot realistically foresee. i.e. picks 1 to 4 are set and have to be placed- fifths are used as top ups when your slot is free.

I'd be surprised if Sky or BT had any influence at all on the fixture list. There have been 2 big games on the same day plenty of times over the years, and no big games on the final day of the season, would be as much to do with the police as the TV companies.

Going back to the FA Cup Quarter-Final replays being scrapped, I disagree with the decision.

I did ask at what point do we say "enough is enough" to UEFA, and just play games when we want, but I didn't get an answer. Having a 14 team league where there are only 26 domestic league games, and only one domestic cup with no replays at all, was an extreme example to use, but this is just the first step in getting rid of all replays altogether.

I did ask if getting rid of Quarter Final replays helps improve the domestic FA Cup competition, and I think nearly everyone who answered said yes. One person even said it did, but that they shouldn't get rid of any more replays.

I still think there is enough space in the calander to have all the matches fitted in, but it never gets done due to poor fixture planning.

I think the "no big games on the final day" thing does have at least one eye on the TV rights, to be fair. The last thing the PL wants is for a "big 6" head-to-head to not be shown live in the UK because neither team has anything meaningful to play for.

I think we will also see a full midweek fixture list in the one non UEFA/FIFA week which could have been used for sixth Round Replays

April 4th I think

If that happens then the Feb 28th week (Non UEFA) can be used for

5th Round Replays
OR
Rearranged games due to League Cup Final

Maybe not a two week break, but certainly in February/March in the seasons before major international tournaments, we have had friendly internationals, that have simply had no need to be played then, which could have had domestic matches played in that time, to ease fixture congestion in the domestic season, or help the season end earlier.

As I have said, I think poor fixture planning is the reason for fixture congestion, and not simply the amount of fixtures. I think its a shame that it has meant that FA Cup Quarter Final replays have been scrapped because of this.

2016 friendly matches against Germany and Holland.

2014 a friendly match against Denmark (5th March 2014.)

2012 a friendly match against Holland. (29th February 2012.)

2010 a friendly match against Egypt. (3rd March 2010.)

2008 a friendly match against Switzerland (6th February 2008,) and then a friendly match against France (26th March 2008.) (We did not even qualify for Euro 2008.)

2006 a friendly match against Uruguay (1st March 2006.)

2004 a friendly match against Portugal (18th February 2004) and then a friendly match against Sweden (31st March 2004.)

2002 a friendly match against Holland (13th February 2002) and then a friendly match against Italy (27th March 2002) and then another friendly match against Paraguay (17th April 2002.)

2000 a friendly against Argentina (23rd February 2000.)

There was no need for any of these friendlies at the times they were played.

2017 does have a proper International game in March

So it is a good year for the FA to introduce it.

England v Lithuania

(Yes all the players need two weeks off to play this mighty nation at home !!!)

But there is no major international tournament in the odd numbered years, so the season could still easily fit in the FA Cup Quarter Final replays without anything being disrupted.

Scrapping Quarter Final replays, doesn't really alter things much.

As most years there is only 1 replay at that round if anything.

Can't wait for tomorrow it is very much like Christmas,

Not quite Christmas

We still have to wait another week for the Football League Fixtures

Madness that they are not on the same day

I guess the Football League with its relaunch of the Sky Bet EFL, wanted to have there fixtures done on a separate day, so it's just about them

The SPFL are waiting until Friday for the same reason.

I won't be around tomorrow, so good luck to those who have first stab at what might happen.

I think sky will almost have to select their bank holiday games first, so they will know who can play in their circa 5 super Sunday 4pm spare slots. The latter important as I think they will follow on from a bt first pick.

It's a well known fact that there are no 'big' games on the last day of the season for exactly the same reason there are none on the first day of the season... it's got nothing to do with Sky, it's because they stipulate that no 'sensitive' fixtures as they refer to them are to be played on opening or closing weekends.

As for Sky (or BT) having say over how / when fixtures are compiled... It's a tough one! I found it strange that from BT's opening season, 'big' fixtures found themselves being played in midweek/BH rounds more often than they previously had been. Similarly, over the years there have been lots of examples of 'big' fixture double-headers that have 'Super Sunday' stamped all over them.

Having said that, I think the process is complicated enough as it is without taking into account the wishes of the broadcasters to stipulate x v x is played in x week and x v x is played in xx week etc.

But who knows!

I have a feeling Leicester may be up against either Man U, Man City or Chelsea though on opening weekend, so Sky haven't got to take up an entire pick on them, would be harsh not what I would want for Leicester but can see that happening.

West Ham v Leicester possibly, that way they can cover first League game at the Olympic Stadium, but also show Leicester.

not too much longer to find out.

On Sky influence on fixture list - I don't think Sky have any say, in fact I'm almost certain of it, but I do think the PL try to be fair to both BT and Sky when compiling the fixtures over the course of a rights deal.

Would Sky and BT know the fixtures now, especially Sky so they can have shiny fixture lists complied to show us at like 9.01 am tommorrow

Here was me with the wrong make-up of packages heading into tomorrow! All corrected now thankfully.

So TLG86, are you essentially hypothesising that each package can only be used once per round? I realise that this is something that's been discussed in the past, but I've always felt that it wasn't a rule in place. Of course that could well be different under this new structure, and given how each of the main packages focuses solely on one timeslot it's probably more manageable this time.

You're both definitely right about the status of Package E for third picks - the presence of any big games in the Mon or Fri slots would indicate it almost certainly has priority, although we do need to be wary of games being swapped around for all the usual reasons.

Yes, I believe the finalised fixture list is delivered to all relevant parties the night before, including the media and the clubs. Obviously the clubs will already have a fair idea of what's coming as they'll have been consulted during the process.

The release of the list is embargoed until 9am, although last season there was a genuine leak a little earlier in the morning. Very unusual though! I'd take any claims prior to 9am with a serious pinch of salt!

On Ryder Cup Weekend, we normally only have a single Super Sunday.

But with the Ryder cup being in America this time, surely they can do a double header, as the games would be over by 6.30.

And there would still be a large chunk of the Sunday Singles still free.

And with the olmypics being on, I guess we could find the opening MOTD of the new season being on BBC2