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Champions Cup 2024

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Comments

  • #1382
    Cookiemunster
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 13,430 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cookiemunster


    At least three of Arsenal/Spurs/Crystal Palace/Chelsea/West Ham/Fulham/Brentford will play at home every weekend in the Premier League. London won't even notice these games.



  • #1383
    Podge_irl
    Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 32,919 Mod ✭✭✭✭Podge_irl


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122053735#Comment_122053735

    Indeed, it's why London is in general such a poor venue for these things. It just gets lost.



  • #1384
    Blut2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,521 ✭✭✭Blut2


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122053623#Comment_122053623

    Well we do have an idea actually. The stadium has a capacity of 62k, a large majority of which will either be local fans, fans traveling for the weekend, or other options. Its a very safe bet only a minority of fans, a few thousand at most, will be leaving London before 9pm that night with unchangeable plans.

    The FA cup final is one of the biggest sporting events in the UK & Ireland, with millions of viewers. And its globally popular. If the Champions Cup final is competing with it on TV and gets moved to ITV Ocho, or isn't broadcast at all in some territories, the the rugby is going to lose hundreds of thousands of viewers in the UK & Ireland alone, nevermind other regions. Thats bad for the game, bad for the sponsors, bad for the tournament, and bad for the broadcasters.

    Its completely logical, and far better for European rugby as a whole, to move the game to a timeslot when its actually going to get broadcast and watched.

    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122053704#Comment_122053704

    The French cup final kicks off at 8pm Irish time that night. The rugby could easily have a 5pm/5:30pm start and not conflict with that, and also not conflict with the 3pm FA cup final. That would seem the most obvious time slot for it now.



  • #1385
    hold my beer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 3,227 ✭✭✭hold my beer


    They better not move it, I've bought tickets for a gig for later that evening in London.



  • #1386
    Sheep Shagger
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 7,336 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sheep Shagger


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122054192#Comment_122054192

    Oh that's that then lol

    Like many (but not a substantial number in the grand scheme of things), have a flight home on Saturday night which is unlikely to be moved if the game KO.does change.

    London is a big city which has its pros and cons, it's not like they don't know how to deal with large crowds.



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  • #1387
    eagle eye
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 42,724 ✭✭✭✭eagle eye


    ..



  • #1388
    eagle eye
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 42,724 ✭✭✭✭eagle eye


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122052523#Comment_122052523

    Well I happen to know that there were 2k FA cup final packages sold in Australia by one firm, they might be the only ones selling them, I don't know if that's the case. Based on that you'd have to imagine that at least 10k people will be travelling from abroad for the game.



  • #1389
    bennyl10
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,607 ✭✭✭bennyl10


    I really can’t see a scenario where they don’t move it

    Tv viewership will plummet if it clashes with the FA Cup and that’s the main money maker

    Yes it will inconvenience some fans but that’s the minority and not what EPCR will care about in the grant scheme of things



  • #1390
    bennyl10
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,607 ✭✭✭bennyl10


    They only confirmed kick off time 3/4 weeks ago?

    Most of those plans would have been made with a 4/5 KO in mind



  • #1391
    bennyl10
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,607 ✭✭✭bennyl10


    They only confirmed kick off time 3/4 weeks ago?

    Most of those plans would have been made with a 4/5 KO in mind



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  • #1392
    OldRio
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,392 ✭✭✭OldRio


    Feck the fans who buy tickets eh? Inconvenient? Well tough.

    Unbelievable.

    I'll leave ye to it.



  • #1393
    The Iron Giant
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 14,054 ✭✭✭✭The Iron Giant


    Do we know how many people viewed the Champions Cup Final last year?

    There's talk as if there are millions of viewers being lost if the games clash on TV…. Will there be? Sure, it might lose a number of casual fans or new viewers whose interest is piqued who might be channel-hopping, but are there that many out there that its worth making potentially costly logistical changes? How many of those millions and millions of FA Cup Final viewers would even bother stop flicking through the stations if the FA Cup Final was on later in the day.

    Leaving aside the 'feck the fans' aspect of the discussion, there could be a huge cost in moving the KO time. Breaking broadcasting contracts, service providers, advertising, reputational damage etc. etc.

    And listen, I agree that it's better for the sport to have the game on FTA at 3pm. But its pure speculation how many new fans that an unopposed broadcast slot could bring in - particularly if there are no English teams in it. EPCR could end up taking a huge hit on sheer hope that enough people will tune in to justify the move. And reputationally, its not a good luck to put a lot of people out relatively last minute.



  • #1394
    skimpydoo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,716 ✭✭✭skimpydoo


    Does anyone know if you can buy a ref radio at Croke Park for the semi?



  • #1395
    The Iron Giant
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 14,054 ✭✭✭✭The Iron Giant


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122055305#Comment_122055305

    There generally isn't ref radios for Leinster games so it's highly unlikely.



  • #1396
    degsie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,812 ✭✭✭degsie


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122055305#Comment_122055305

    Bring a small FM radio if they are as it's broadcast and can be picked up. A mobile with FM radio will also work.



  • #1397
    hold my beer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 3,227 ✭✭✭hold my beer


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122055330#Comment_122055330

    At what frequency do you know?



  • #1398
    Podge_irl
    Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 32,919 Mod ✭✭✭✭Podge_irl


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122055463#Comment_122055463

    Used to be 96



  • #1399
    The Iron Giant
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 14,054 ✭✭✭✭The Iron Giant


    EPCR confirm they're not moving it.

    https://www.planetrugby.com/news/epcr-issues-response-after-champions-cup-final-jeopardised-by-fa-cup-kick-off-clash



  • #1400
    Podge_irl
    Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 32,919 Mod ✭✭✭✭Podge_irl


    Shame, cause it's a poxy time.



  • #1401
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 56,278 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    Can't imagine the TV broadcasters are delighted as the Champions Cup viewer numbers are going to take a massive hit.



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  • #1402
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 95 ✭✭ [Deleted User]


    remind me why it is scheduled for the same day at the FA Cip final? Long time ago it was the same day as champions league final



  • #1403
    Podge_irl
    Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 32,919 Mod ✭✭✭✭Podge_irl


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122057369#Comment_122057369

    Because that is when it fit in the calendar. You can't be looking at where other sports are putting their events all the time. There is always something else.



  • #1404
    Tommy Ugly Sax
    Posts: 1,345 ✭✭✭ Tommy Ugly Sax


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122057369#Comment_122057369

    Both have moved around a bit in the calendars.

    Last four Champions Cup finals have been held on 25th May (2024), 20th May (2023), 28th May (2022) and 22nd May (2021).

    FA Cup Finals have been on 25th May (2024), 3rd June (2023), 14th May (2022) and 15th May (2021).

    Timing of both can be influenced by external factors, be it Lions tours or RWC (rugby) or international tournaments (football).



  • #1405
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 36,383 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    It was the same day as the champions league final 2 years ago.



  • #1406
    Lost Ormond
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 5,302 Mod ✭✭✭✭Lost Ormond


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122057369#Comment_122057369

    There will always be clashes in may/June with other big sports events particularly soccer. Not much you can do



  • #1407
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 56,278 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    the clash with FA cup wouldn’t be an issue only for the fact that it’s a big premier league derby



  • #1408
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers, Paid Member Posts: 44,870 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122058361#Comment_122058361

    Yeah exactly, if it had have been Coventry and citeh it would have been a 5:30 game



  • #1409
    icdg
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,856 Mod ✭✭✭✭icdg


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122057900#Comment_122057900

    It happened several times in the late 00s/early 10s, roughly every two years (when the Champions League final was early due to Euros/WC). Heineken sponsored both and dubbed it “Heineken Star Saturday” and generally made a bit of a deal out of it.

    It happened less after 2014 when EPCR took over from ERC, because the Champions Cup final was initially brought forward to the start of May, apparently at the behest of the French who wanted Europe over and done with before the LNR playoffs. Since then the Champions Cup has slowly moved back towards its original place in the calendar but I think it’s only happened once since that they’ve been played on the same date. The two have never directly clashed though, because the Champions League final is always 8pm whereas up till now the Champions Cup final was pretty much always 4:45pm.



  • #1410
    lawrencesummers
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,271 ✭✭✭lawrencesummers


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122056749#Comment_122056749

    EPCR have never cared about travelling fans, they might have their reasons for keeping the time as is, but you can be sure its not for the fans.



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  • #1411
    eagle eye
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 42,724 ✭✭✭✭eagle eye


    I don't it'll affect viewership figures that much. Outside of United and City fans I don't think there'll be too many interested in watching the FA Cup. City win nearly everything every year so I can't imagine there'll be an expectation they'll lose.

    You'll likely have the two most exciting teams to watch play in the Champions cup final. I think it's a far more attractive event to watch.

    For the future I think they should have a deal with UEFA to have the two European cup finals on the same day. It makes it a very special day.



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