Spanish football fans are overwhelmingly opposed to proposed changes in match times for next season, to judge by an online poll published on Friday.As part of its campaign to increase television revenue for clubs, the Liga de Futbol Profesional (LFP), the association of first and second division clubs
, has proposed a revolutionary new schedule in which no two first division matches would ever be played at the same time.
The LFP is determined to gain more revenue from pay-per-view matches. It is also desperate to end the Saturday late-night match which is transmitted free of charge on open television.
This free match - the only one of its kind in the major European leagues - is guaranteed by a controversial 1997 law. The LFP threatened a shutdown of matches for this weekend because of its opposition to the law until a court injunction on Wednesday, brought by six clubs opposed to the shutdown, prevented it from doing so.
The LFP's new plan, which was reported by Marca on Friday, would mean four matches on Saturdays, at 4 pm, 6 pm, 8 pm and 10 pm. There would be five games on Sundays: at midday, 3 pm, 5 pm, 7 pm and 9 pm.
The weekend's games would finish with a final match on Monday at 9 pm. Monday night matches have been re-introduced this season after 12 years without them, but have proved to be just as unpopular with the fans as they were in the period 1996 to 1998.
No other major football league has a schedule in which matches are not played at the same time as each other.
Another of the LFP's objectives is to schedule Liga matches at a time - at lunchtime or early afternoon - when they could be seen in Asia. The LFP is keen to compete with England, Germany and Italy for viewers in China and other Asian countries.
Marca's online poll showed that 66.8 per cent of readers are opposed to this proposed new schedule. Other online polls and fans' blog showed a similar level of disapproval.
In addition, practically all journalists and columnists are opposed to these changes, mainly because it would mean that their entire weekends would be taken up covering matches.
Traditionally, all 10 of Spain's first division games were played simultaneously at 5 pm on Sundays. In the 1990s, a late Sunday game was introduced. Then Saturday matches were started because of the need to prepare for Champions League clashes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
The Monday night experiment of 1996 to 1998 was a flop, just the same as was a 1999 to 2001 experiment with first division matches at lunchtime on Sundays. However, second division matches at Sunday lunchtime have proved to be relatively successful.
The LFP is determined to gain more revenue from pay-per-view matches. It is also desperate to end the Saturday late-night match which is transmitted free of charge on open television.
This free match - the only one of its kind in the major European leagues - is guaranteed by a controversial 1997 law. The LFP threatened a shutdown of matches for this weekend because of its opposition to the law until a court injunction on Wednesday, brought by six clubs opposed to the shutdown, prevented it from doing so.
The LFP's new plan, which was reported by Marca on Friday, would mean four matches on Saturdays, at 4 pm, 6 pm, 8 pm and 10 pm. There would be five games on Sundays: at midday, 3 pm, 5 pm, 7 pm and 9 pm.
The weekend's games would finish with a final match on Monday at 9 pm. Monday night matches have been re-introduced this season after 12 years without them, but have proved to be just as unpopular with the fans as they were in the period 1996 to 1998.
No other major football league has a schedule in which matches are not played at the same time as each other.
Another of the LFP's objectives is to schedule Liga matches at a time - at lunchtime or early afternoon - when they could be seen in Asia. The LFP is keen to compete with England, Germany and Italy for viewers in China and other Asian countries.
Marca's online poll showed that 66.8 per cent of readers are opposed to this proposed new schedule. Other online polls and fans' blog showed a similar level of disapproval.
In addition, practically all journalists and columnists are opposed to these changes, mainly because it would mean that their entire weekends would be taken up covering matches.
Traditionally, all 10 of Spain's first division games were played simultaneously at 5 pm on Sundays. In the 1990s, a late Sunday game was introduced. Then Saturday matches were started because of the need to prepare for Champions League clashes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
The Monday night experiment of 1996 to 1998 was a flop, just the same as was a 1999 to 2001 experiment with first division matches at lunchtime on Sundays. However, second division matches at Sunday lunchtime have proved to be relatively successful.
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