FA Cup - ITV 'want FA Cup final delay'

Eurosport - Fri, 12 Mar 11:29:00 2010

ITV's reported idea to delay the FA Cup final by two and a half hours may upset fans, according to a leading supporter group.

FOOTBALL Chelsea celebrate winning the 2009 FA Cup - 0

The May 15 showpiece match at Wembley Stadium has traditionally been a 3pm kick-off but several newspaper reports claim that ITV want a 5.30pm start time so more people get to see the game.

But Malcolm Clarke of the Football Supporters Federation thinks fans will be upset by the proposed move.

"The FA Cup has a great tradition and we see no reason to depart from that by moving it to an evening kick-off," Clarke told the Daily Mirror.

"It would be hugely unpopular with supporters and would damage the famous competition.

"There are already too many evening kick-offs and supporters are suffering just to keep TV companies happy."

Eurosport

Comment 206 - 225 of 225

Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

  1. What next stop play for advert breaks?

    From P, on Thu 25 Mar 1:20

  2. Money, Money, Money. The whole season is becoming­ fasical. Please lets not put up with anymore fluff from­ the pinstrips. Football is a working class mans game.­ Where are the generations of families on the terraces?­ whole families getting together for a sweep stake party­ for the FA cup and Grand Nationals. These events were­ traditions where granfather and grandson had a common­ interest, where families bonded, cousins uncles­ brothers and fathers.

    Yes im 45 and its not a red­ devils scarf of a chelsea shirt I wear because they­ have the best players (My nephews) They have not ever­ been to a live game in their lifes. Why because our­ traditions have been taken away from us. Football is­ the national game. Lets not make it about TV companies­ wanting to make money. LEts not allow them to take our­ football away from us. Modern times?? No no its not a­ case about moving with the times. Its about family­ values, loyalty and passion. Collective voices lets­ belt out our opions in the only way real fans can on­ the terraces and outside the board rooms. Lets sing our­ songs and let them know we want our game back

    From Mike, on Mon 22 Mar 14:03

  3. 3pm - Has always been the time for a BIG match - You­ always know that these are the biggies and they should­ never be touched

    From H C, on Sun 14 Mar 7:07

  4. ITV, if you want to show it later why not record it ?­ I'm sure people who really want to watch it will do­ their best to avoid news broadcasts with the final­ score in before you show the game.

    From Steve, on Sun 14 Mar 6:09
  5. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    who cares about the fa cup and the fa and that awful­ place wembley they dont care about the fans

    From P, on Sun 14 Mar 4:47

  6. wot a load of cr ap ITV dont get to decide what kick­ off is its up to the FA. TV is ruining the beautifull­ game

    From lucylou1988, on Sun 14 Mar 4:40

  7. Who the hell cares? I don't.

    From craig, on Sun 14 Mar 4:31
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Well done ITV,this we get more time for shopping,we­ dont have to rush to come home for a football.Thanks­ again.

    From Bekir, on Sun 14 Mar 4:27

  9. Well thank you ITV. my plans will go up the swannee. if­ its a 5.30 kick off, if chelsea get to the final. my­ plan was to watch the Game at Wembley. drive my Nephew­ back to Eltham,.go to my Home in Bermondsey and load my­ car up for work and drive ti Bognor where im­ Entertaining Holiday makers at 9pm that will be cutting­ it fine for me.3pm kick off would be better for me.if­ not there might be to spare tickets for the Final
    All­ the best of cockney luck ITV and thank you for Sweet­ Fanny Adams!!!!!

    From jimmy j, on Sun 14 Mar 4:09

  10. It's simple - ITV moves the time. Fans should­ boycott the event this year totally showing that the­ power is in our hands and not theres. It's us that­ watch there programmes and us that buy the tickets.­ They should never rise above themselves. It's the­ same as X-Factor getting Crimbo No.1 every year, We all­ got sick of it and stuck together and knocked it off.­ True Footy Fans should Stick fast to there tradition­ and Boycott if ITV get to big for there boots. Lets see­ how like F**kin' like it.

    From Riggz, on Sun 14 Mar 4:06

  11. MONY MONY YERAH YERAH

    From JONATHAN, on Sun 14 Mar 4:01
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Very good idea, Can get things done at day time, and­ watch football evening, forget traditions

    From inayat, on Sun 14 Mar 3:57

  13. Money, money, money !! All ITV wantto do is ram more­ adverts down more peoples throats. They will want­ quarters like the Americans next so they can satisfy­ even more advertisers

    From penfolddefogg, on Sun 14 Mar 3:47

  14. does tradition count for nothing these days,it`s all­ about money again and not sport,it`s another eroding of­ our customs to pander to the accountants.if you can`t­ set a time as side for the fa cup then you record it or­ your not that bothered anyway!let proper football­ supporters get on with it!and leave it alone!the games­ being killed off as it is.bring back hanging!

    From glennmorris, on Sun 14 Mar 3:32

  15. Is nothing sacred in this God Forsaken country???­ Isn't it enough that the government has changed the­ face of England into a third world nation without any­ Traditions, Pride, Self-Estimation or even Englishness­ itself????
    If the government doesn't give a toss­ about the English people why would the FA or ITV do­ do???

    From alfzamm, on Sun 14 Mar 3:26

  16. ITV are just seeking more viewers to become the most­ popular channel on british television. my thaughts are­ that ITV should have no say in the time of kick off in­ the game because thay have no part in the organising of­ the event. it will also mean that the supporters who­ travel to wembley to watch the game will be a lot later­ arriving home from the match and it ruins the FA Cup­ tradition of a 3.00pm kick off.

    From gouy, on Sun 14 Mar 3:17
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Not Surprising really, but lots of people who works sat­ mornings maybe a latter KO is better. Anyway i hope­
    Aston Villa takes it this year

    From Rita, on Sun 14 Mar 3:11
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Ha! Say it with me: It's. Just. A. GAME. It's­ somehow 'unpatriotic' to move the game so that­ more people can see it, an act of kindness is somehow­ 'unpatriotic'?

    From Ryan, on Sun 14 Mar 3:07

  19. Simply put a recording of the game on ITV 2 or ITV 3 at­ 5.30 for those that want to watch it at 5.30. Keep­ things as they were for those millions who have­ accepted that the traditional kick off time is 3.00pm. ­ On another topic I think the Queen should delay her­ speech on Christmas day until I get in at 5.30 is that­ a deal?

    From lesslack, on Sun 14 Mar 3:07

  20. ITV should stick to what they do best. Showing crap­ soap programmes, crap reality programmes and boring­ political programmes.
    Leave the 3pm kick-off alone.

    From Ark Royal R09, on Sun 14 Mar 3:03
Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account