Why are most Six Nations Games on so early ?

SIX PACK

Simple question that's bugs me. I work most Saturday's & don't finish work until 2pm & then it takes me 1 hour to drive home.
Ideally I would prefer to watch the Ireland games in a pub with bit of atmosphere on a Saturday Evening.

I'm sure if the Matches were on after 5pm they would have 10 times the amount of viewers & no doubt the boozers would draw a big crowd too

The Lost Sheep

SIX PACK wrote: »

Simple question that's bugs me. I work most Saturday's & don't finish work until 2pm & then it takes me 1 hour to drive home.
Ideally I would prefer to watch the Ireland games in a pub with bit of atmosphere on a Saturday Evening.

I'm sure if the Matches were on after 5pm they would have 10 times the amount of viewers & no doubt the boozers would draw a big crowd too

TV dictate things but by and large IMO the unions prefer afternoon games. The 6 nations games already get very high numbers of television viewers as well as people watching in pubs so kick off times are not really being affected by earlier kick off times.

Sanjuro

SIX PACK wrote: »

Simple question that's bugs me. I work most Saturday's & don't finish work until 2pm & then it takes me 1 hour to drive home.
Ideally I would prefer to watch the Ireland games in a pub with bit of atmosphere on a Saturday Evening.

I'm sure if the Matches were on after 5pm they would have 10 times the amount of viewers & no doubt the boozers would draw a big crowd too

We were drawn with early matches this year, bar the French game which was at 4.45 Irish time. Just the luck of the draw. Next year, we have one game at 4.45, two Sunday at 3pm games, one at 2.15 and one at 2.45.

Dial Hard

SIX PACK wrote:

I'm sure if the Matches were on after 5pm they would have 10 times the amount of viewers & no doubt the boozers would draw a big crowd too

Having been in Searson's before both previous games I can tell you the boozers aren't having any trouble drawing crowds.

aloooof

Dial Hard wrote: »

Having been in Searson's before both previous games I can tell you the boozers aren't having any trouble drawing crowds.

Well, no. You can only tell us that one boozer in particular isn't having trouble drawing crowds.

Stheno

aloooof wrote: »

Well, no. You can only tell us that one boozer in particular isn't having trouble drawing crowds.

I watch the games in Malahide usually.

Guaranteed that everywhere is full before kick off usually

The Rape of Lucretia

Look, I think you only have yourself to blame. Did you inform the 6N of what time you finish work on Saturday's and how long it takes you to drive home. If not, then its a bit late to be giving out about it now.

Akrasia

Get the bus to work, go to the pub and watch the match. Get the bus home. Problem solved

Neil3030

Because the f**kers clearly know I'm 8 hours behind, and revel in the thought of hauling me out of bed at 6am :mad:

eeguy

I presume it's for spectators in stadiums too.

Matches start at 12.30 next weekend and end around 7.30pm

If they started at 5pm it could be midnight before people were leaving.

prawnsambo

Neil3030 wrote: »

Because the f**kers clearly know I'm 8 hours behind, and revel in the thought of hauling me out of bed at 6am :mad:

Maybe if you got up a bit earlier you wouldn't be eight hours behind. :pac:

SIX PACK

Look at UEFA Champions League those games don't start until 19:45

I'm sure if the IRFU seriously looked at this issue they would command much Larger audience.

Elvisjuice

Dial Hard wrote: »

Having been in Searson's before both previous games I can tell you the boozers aren't having any trouble drawing crowds.

yes they are thats bull

prawnsambo

SIX PACK wrote: »

Look at UEFA Champions League those games don't start until 19:45

I'm sure if the IRFU seriously looked at this issue they would command much Larger audience.

Those games are mainly midweek. I don't think they'd get much attendance if they were any earlier.

Hurrache

SIX PACK wrote: »

Look at UEFA Champions League those games don't start until 19:45

I'm sure if the IRFU seriously looked at this issue they would command much Larger audience.

Not very family friendly though, watching via TV or going to games. Those attending are chalk and cheese.

Water John

It is winter time and trying the play the game, during the day, that simple.

Elvisjuice

Water John wrote: »

It is winter time and trying the play the game, during the day, that simple.

ever hear of floodlights

Water John

So, The Premiership should play the majority of their matches, under floodlight too?

bucketybuck

Dial Hard wrote: »

Having been in Searson's before both previous games I can tell you the boozers aren't having any trouble drawing crowds.

I would suggest that boozers would make far more money from evening games.

With afternoon games people watch the game and go home. With evening games people will watch the game and then stay out drinking.

No stats here, but I would consider it common sense.

The Rape of Lucretia

bucketybuck wrote: »

I would suggest that boozers would make far more money from evening games.

With afternoon games people watch the game and go home. With evening games people will watch the game and then stay out drinking.

No stats here, but I would consider it common sense.

The boozers dont run the 6N.

Hurrache

bucketybuck wrote: »

.

With afternoon games people watch the game and go home. With evening games people will watch the game and then stay out drinking.

Afternoon games people usually eat too, not so much in the evenings, kitchens are usually closed anyway in most places. More profit in that too I think.

The Rape of Lucretia

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

The boozers dont run the 6N.

They bloody well ran the All-Ireland championship games involving Dublin in Croker until the GAA clamped down...........

its_phil

SIX PACK wrote: »

Look at UEFA Champions League those games don't start until 19:45

I'm sure if the IRFU seriously looked at this issue they would command much Larger audience.

It’s not up to the IRFU, there are 5 other parties involved. Also the biggest game of the weekend is rightfully in the prime time slot for Saturday evening.

Heres Johnny

Full stadia, full pubs and tv viewerships that are among the highest of the year, every year.

They are doing it right. And there are 3 matches every weekend, they can't all be evening.

And if they were, what about people that work Saturday evening?

Blut2

I thought it was ITV that pushed the schedule earlier when they got the broadcast rights? It used to historically be 3pm / 5:30pm / 8pm or thereabouts. And usually just the latter two if it was 2 games on a Saturday. But now its 2pm ish and 4:30pm ish and no late games on Saturdays.

The word I heard at the time was that this was so there was no clash with ITV's primetime Saturday night reality TV trash. Britains Got Talent / X-Factor / The Voice or whatever. Its a shame, the later starts were much better both for atmosphere at the games and for the convenience of heading out somewhere to watch them. And for drinking at a decent time.

The Lost Sheep

Blut2 wrote: »

I thought it was ITV that pushed the schedule earlier when they got the broadcast rights? It used to historically be 3pm / 5:30pm / 8pm or thereabouts. And usually just the latter two if it was 2 games on a Saturday. But now its 2pm ish and 4:30pm ish and no late games on Saturdays.

The word I heard at the time was that this was so there was no clash with ITV's primetime Saturday night reality TV trash. Britains Got Talent / X-Factor / The Voice or whatever. Its a shame, the later starts were much better both for atmosphere at the games and for the convenience of heading out somewhere to watch them. And for drinking at a decent time.

Games are starting earlier than they did before ITV got involved.
There hasnt been a 3pm kickoff on a saturday in a few years. Theyve all been 2.15-2.30 and 4.45-5pm
And i think its a shame we have people complaining that later starts are needed for atmosphere to be better and the early kick offs dont exactly stop people from drinking anyway.
....cant wait for tomorrow working in the stadium....

Patty O Furniture

Sanjuro wrote: »

We were drawn with early matches this year, bar the French game which was at 4.45 Irish time. Just the luck of the draw. Next year, we have one game at 4.45, two Sunday at 3pm games, one at 2.15 and one at 2.45.

I didn't realise that next year's games were already picked? have you a link!

Neil3030 wrote: »

Because the f**kers clearly know I'm 8 hours behind, and revel in the thought of hauling me out of bed at 6am :mad:

I would have thought it would appeal to a worldwide audience if later, but with 2-3 games & then to fit in the adds, it starts earlier, especially if it's TV3
I suppose it'll be teh same with tomorrows EPL game, but earlier @4.30/12.30pm

Water John wrote: »

So, The Premiership should play the majority of their matches, under floodlight too?

Late Saturday games start next year@7.45 in the premiership, as they had one recently on a Thurs, usually i seen only Lge cup games!
Inc FAC moved to a 5pm, instead of 3pm!

The Lost Sheep

Patty O Furniture wrote: »

I didn't realise that next year's games were already picked? have you a link!

6 nations always announce fixtures well in advance
https://www.sixnationsrugby.com/en/matchcentre/fixtures-2019.php

OldRio

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

The boozers dont run the 6N.

Indeed they don't.
They are far too busy running government legislation.

prawnsambo

I remember matches kicking off around noon Irish time. Perversely, in the very early days of the 6N, they used to all kick off at the same time. So you had to choose which one to watch because you couldn't watch them all.