The Sport Thread - For stuff not worthy of a thread of its own - Printable Version

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RE: The Sport Thread - For stuff not worthy of a thread of its own - RhysJR - 17-04-2024

(17-04-2024, 01:56 PM)Rdd Wrote:  Going back to European rugby, the current two year deal for the EPCR tournaments (with TNT Sport, RTE, ITV, and S4C) expires at the end of this season and according to this Guardian article, as of now there’s no deal for a replacement. Some (uncollabrated) suggestions online that TNT may be out or at least looking for better terms.

https://amp.theguardian.com/sport/2024/apr/15/champions-cup-bulls-european-rugby 

Also good to see that EPCR are lobbying for the Round of 16 and quarter-finals not to take place in back-to-back weeks in future. Doubt that the leagues will believe in that common sense suggestion mind you...

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RE: The Sport Thread - For stuff not worthy of a thread of its own - Brekkie - 18-04-2024

FA Cup replays scrapped from next season, which not only devalues the competition but surely creates scheduling headaches with every game possibly going to extra time to factor into scheduling.

https://www.thefa.com/news/2024/apr/18/emirates-fa-cup-format-calendar-update-increased-premier-league-grassroots-funding-20241804 

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RE: The Sport Thread - For stuff not worthy of a thread of its own - Rdd - 18-04-2024

Isn’t it basically just a knock-on consequence of UEFA needing two extra matchdays for the league phase of the Champions League, which will be two January midweeks around the time (if not necessarily the same weeks) when FA Cup third and and fourth round replays would have been played?

Something had to give, and this has the least impact on the overall football calendar?

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RE: The Sport Thread - For stuff not worthy of a thread of its own - Newshound47 - 18-04-2024

(18-04-2024, 12:22 PM)Brekkie Wrote:  FA Cup replays scrapped from next season, which not only devalues the competition but surely creates scheduling headaches with every game possibly going to extra time to factor into scheduling.

https://www.thefa.com/news/2024/apr/18/emirates-fa-cup-format-calendar-update-increased-premier-league-grassroots-funding-20241804 

Particularly on round 3 and 5 which is only going to be Saturday and Sunday. (around 4 gets Friday to Wednesday)

Through more extra times and penalties is actually good for ratings so broadcasters won’t mind too much.

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RE: The Sport Thread - For stuff not worthy of a thread of its own - RhysJR - 18-04-2024

(18-04-2024, 12:22 PM)Brekkie Wrote:  FA Cup replays scrapped from next season, which not only devalues the competition but surely creates scheduling headaches with every game possibly going to extra time to factor into scheduling.

https://www.thefa.com/news/2024/apr/18/emirates-fa-cup-format-calendar-update-increased-premier-league-grassroots-funding-20241804 

A sad but inevitable decision.

I wouldn't go as far as saying it devalues the competition. Replays were often awkward to schedule for TV and for teams (the first or second round often clashing with FTA international football an example). This will guarantee a result on the day, which will be good for viewers. Penalty shootouts aee always exciting and provide a likely rating uplift, and this means there could/should be more of them. There only being one game per tie theoretically makes it more likely for the potential for upsets; the lesser team will only have to survive 30 minutes rather than the game resets for 90 minutes. I'm sure there's countless examples like the below where the lesser team got smashed in the replay, when now they could eek a win on penalties.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43136621 



Other changes from the announcement...

The fifth round moves back to a weekend, and, along with the quarter-finals, will have no Premier League fixtures scheduled alongside them. The fourth round will have matches on the Tuesday and Wednesday following, which I'm sure no-one will moan about.

The FA Cup Final will no longer be the last day of the domestic season. There will be no PL fixtures on the same Saturday, or the previous Friday, so PL Matchweek 37 will likely be Sunday-Thursday.

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RE: The Sport Thread - For stuff not worthy of a thread of its own - Brekkie - 18-04-2024

(18-04-2024, 12:49 PM)Rdd Wrote:  Isn’t it basically just a knock-on consequence of UEFA needing two extra matchdays for the league phase of the Champions League, which will be two January midweeks around the time (if not necessarily the same weeks) when FA Cup third and and fourth round replays would have been played?

Something had to give, and this has the least impact on the overall football calendar?

20 odd years ago though the Champions League had a second group stage which this new format is no longer than, so if they could have replays then no reason not to now.

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(18-04-2024, 12:51 PM)RhysJR Wrote:  A sad but inevitable decision.

I wouldn't go as far as saying it devalues the competition. Replays were often awkward to schedule for TV and for teams (the first or second round often clashing with FTA international football an example). This will guarantee a result on the day, which will be good for viewers. Penalty shootouts aee always exciting and provide a likely rating uplift, and this means there could/should be more of them.

Putting TV viewers above fans in the grounds though. There are pros and cons and the debate moving forward will vary depending on results. I'd say the PL teams being able to hold on an extra 30 minutes with stronger strength in depth and higher fitness levels the chance of upsets. It's extra games they see as a disadvantage.

Shame the Cup Final moves again from the final match of the eason, devaluing it further. Seems though it's position changes every few years but surely better for players to have the majority of players get an extra weeks break before international tournaments.

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RE: The Sport Thread - For stuff not worthy of a thread of its own - Newshound47 - 18-04-2024

Two group stage CL never played in January through. . The new CL has matches throughout January and February and also has the EL and Cl so more teams. It was very cramped fitting it all in when they were clashes.

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RE: The Sport Thread - For stuff not worthy of a thread of its own - Newshound47 - 18-04-2024

Arsenal for example played 23rd March and then the 25th March in 2003. That wouldn’t be allowed now.

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RE: The Sport Thread - For stuff not worthy of a thread of its own - RhysJR - 18-04-2024

(18-04-2024, 12:54 PM)Brekkie Wrote:  20 odd years ago though the Champions League had a second group stage which this new format is no longer than, so if they could have replays then no reason not to now.

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Putting TV viewers above fans in the grounds though. There are pros and cons and the debate moving forward will vary depending on results. I'd say the PL teams being able to hold on an extra 30 minutes with stronger strength in depth and higher fitness levels the chance of upsets. It's extra games they see as a disadvantage.

Shame the Cup Final moves again from the final match of the eason, devaluing it further. Seems though it's position changes every few years but surely better for players to have the majority of players get an extra weeks break before international tournaments.

It will benefit match going fans, with the no replays scheduled with eight days notice and the next round's schedule will be finalised a week earlier. That is presuming the rounds are spaced out as they were before. And less PL fixtures will be displaced.

Scheduling of the matches will be more difficult though, I agree. The late Saturday match will likely not be taking place before 17:30 to allow 3pm shootouts to be not clash, and that is the slot where travel appears to be the most prone to difficulties.

I guess it will be a case of wait and see. It will be a bit like the scrapping of away goals in Europe, where there hasn't been a dramatic increase in extra times and penalties (just three shootouts this season, the first since the 2016 final), but many online this week were making a point it is more entertaining.


The Premier League press release is framing the move of the final as it guarantees the EFL Play-Off finals will be on the May bank holiday weekend with Wembley more likely to be free.

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RE: The Sport Thread - For stuff not worthy of a thread of its own - RhysJR - 18-04-2024

(16-04-2024, 11:13 PM)RhysJR Wrote:  The domestic rights for the Bundesliga have gone to auction this week. It doesn't seem likely that there will be anyone wading in on the current holders of Sky and DAZN. Though the packages have been shuffled, so the status quo of Friday and Sundays on DAZN and Saturday and midweeks on Sky will not continue. A single winner will be allowed for the first time in a while, and their is scope for more FTA games (currently nine games a season on Sat.1 from the top tier, but there will be potential to sublet one per matchday).

I've seen DAZN get a bit of rightful critiscm recently for covering a lot of matches offtube - with often two of their three live games coming from Munich rather than the stadium. They have the majority of UCL games in the next cycle, but it's not a great reflection on their finances and aptitude.

The German domestic TV rights bidding process has been suspended after only three days following a complaint by DAZN. DAZN accuse the DFL of "abusing its dominant position in the football broadcast rights market" and "contravening German and European competition law." They claim that they put the most lucrative bid for the the biggest pacakge (including the Saturday 14:30 kick-offs and the playoffs), but would not have won it.

The DFL are not the first to be wary of DAZN's financial position.

https://www.dw.com/en/bundesliga-tv-rights-auction-suspended-after-dazn-complaint/a-68853761?platform=android&mobileApp=true 

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