Winter vs Summer football season?

[MikeSB]

OK, no report yet of our match yesterday and can't think why that is unless the ones that went are still suffering frostbite in their fingers lol..And so once again why on earth do we play in the winter and have most of the late spring and summer off? It never ever made sense to me when we could be sitting in shirt sleeves and playing evening matches too..

My season would start in April and go to New Years day and then 3 months off then instead of May, June and July..

I mean why would anyone want to sit in a cold wintery stand freezing their nuts off when there are alternatives and it is supposed to be a sport for the fans after all. There could be more midweek matches too if necessary and less likely matches would be postponed due to adverse weather.

I can't see our match on Tuesday night going ahead at the moment. I also think it would get higher gates too..

Thing is there seems no debate at the FA or club Chairmen level on this topic and the ONLY reason that I can think of is it was just tradition based on a football and cricket season. Pitches suffer more in winter too.

The Vale match in a couple of weeks seems like a crunch one but in reality think both of us are safe ONLY because the bottom two are worse and unlikely to survive.

So any good reasons why the football season should be kept as it is?

Oh..I forgot the most important thing why not....

The PL all have heated pitches and they always control the agenda...so they play as we do now and the rest play as I have suggested which may give us all more revenue from TV sponsorship...

[Timmy58]

OK, no report yet of our match yesterday and can't think why that is unless the ones that went are still suffering frostbite in their fingers lol..And so once again why on earth do we play in the winter and have most of the late spring and summer off? It never ever made sense to me when we could be sitting in shirt sleeves and playing evening matches too..

My season would start in April and go to New Years day and then 3 months off then instead of May, June and July..

I mean why would anyone want to sit in a cold wintery stand freezing their nuts off when there are alternatives and it is supposed to be a sport for the fans after all. There could be more midweek matches too if necessary and less likely matches would be postponed due to adverse weather.

I can't see our match on Tuesday night going ahead at the moment. I also think it would get higher gates too..

Thing is there seems no debate at the FA or club Chairmen level on this topic and the ONLY reason that I can think of is it was just tradition based on a football and cricket season. Pitches suffer more in winter too.

The Vale match in a couple of weeks seems like a crunch one but in reality think both of us are safe ONLY because the bottom two are worse and unlikely to survive.

So any good reasons why the football season should be kept as it is?

Oh..I forgot the most important thing why not....

The PL all have heated pitches and they always control the agenda...so they play as we do now and the rest play as I have suggested which may give us all more revenue from TV sponsorship...

The game on Tuesday will be on as the weather is warming up from tomorrow. I don't want summer football. This winter is the first time we have experienced a weather induce postponement for quite a while. The football season is too long as it is without dragging it on through the cricket season. One way of shortening the season would be to reduce the numbers in each division. Fewer matches, more divisions equals shorter season. Of course the Premier league clubs would not entertain the idea as it may mean rather less income from tv etc.

[MikeSB]

The game on Tuesday will be on as the weather is warming up from tomorrow. I don't want summer football. This winter is the first time we have experienced a weather induce postponement for quite a while. The football season is too long as it is without dragging it on through the cricket season. One way of shortening the season would be to reduce the numbers in each division. Fewer matches, more divisions equals shorter season. Of course the Premier league clubs would not entertain the idea as it may mean rather less income from tv etc.

Fine you don't want summer football and I do, all we need to do is ask the millions who go now and the millions who don't and ask them if it was changed, would they more likely attend matches? I tend to look at things practically and it makes not one ounce of sense to have fans sitting in the cold to watch matches when there are alternatives. Has there ever been a world cup held anywhere in mid winter is a good guide too.

I'm not a cricket fan but that is played all over the world now, just like Golf is and so no need for a 'season' as there used to be. I wonder how many would go and watch that in midwinter in the UK? And how many watch it compared with 50 years ago when there was a 'cricket' season here in the UK?

I don't think the season needs to be shortened or that fewer matches need to be played as what else are those pro footballers going to do all day? I think twice a week should be the norm and not the exception. Sat evenings would be preferable to Sat afternoons so as not to interfere with being with the wife shopping etc...

All good reasons imo of course where attendances could be improved but I don't think anything will change and me personally will refuse to attend most matches in winter time and just another point.... a lot of people probably don't buy season tickets because they don't want to attend in winter...

I suspect attendances will continue to fall and then someone will wake up at the FA and ask why? Our ground is 60% empty most of the time like many more are and so the status quo it's not that successful really is it...

So that one vote each and so all the 60 odd viewers have no opinion?

[alexmick]

Personally speaking, I prefer to watch football in winter. Too much to do in the summer months (gardening, sightseeing, holidays, DIY etc.). The weather this winter has made it impossible to get about and do anything around home anyway. Going to the Alex at least reduces the boredom (honest).

[Timmy58]

Personally speaking, I prefer to watch football in winter. Too much to do in the summer months (gardening, sightseeing, holidays, DIY etc.). The weather this winter has made it impossible to get about and do anything around home anyway. Going to the Alex at least reduces the boredom (honest).

Me too. I do like cricket and although I don't often go to matches, many people do. So if football carries on through the summer I can see attendances at cricket falling which is not good. Also, I think people get a bit fed up with football dominating the sporting headlines. I know I do!

[AstonAlex]

The players should be asked too. Whilst I suspect some of them joined Mike in freezing their nuts off yesterday, it is more dangerous to their health to play in sweltering temperatures. Whilst we might not quite get heatwaves, we must accept that English football is best served by playing during the same seasons as most of the rest of Europe (only Scandinavia plays in the summer months) and I wouldn’t fancy playing in the conditions of a Spanish or Italian summer - or, frankly, watching it.

Mike is right that we are all entitled to our opinion but, going by the opposition to a winter break when ever the idea is floated, I suspect he is in a significant minority.

[whosbrianwilson]

Winter footy for me as well. Far too many other things in the summer including cricket. World cup, Euros etc do we close down our summer season for another month every other year.
Tbh this gets raised every time we have one match postponed for snow, but there is obviously no appetite for a change. Why? Because it would have happened if there was.

[ruocul]

Summer soccer for me. Agree with Mike. As it is now there is nothing more enjoyable than watching a game in August & September.

Only one problem I can see. What about the FA Cup?

And think about it, wouldn`t it be nice to see Mike in his summer shorts. Get all the female supporters excited.

[MikeSB]

Summer soccer for me. Agree with Mike. As it is now there is nothing more enjoyable than watching a game in August & September.

Only one problem I can see. What about the FA Cup?

And think about it, wouldn`t it be nice to see Mike in his summer shorts. Get all the female supporters excited.

Haha...more likely to REDUCE attendances if I turned up with my ex army surplus...

Just to address some points raised..

Is it a spectator sport or not and nobody in their right mind would sit in the conditions we can get Dec to March..

Many grounds are 60% empty and so its not exactly working is it..

August is the normal holiday month nowadays and so why not delay the season until Sept IF that was important and even so how games are you likely to miss due to being away from home than in mid winter?

Temperatures in the UK are not an issue compared with many others and even so we could have games on Friday or Sat Evenings in the hottest months and may even be preferred to Sat afternoons..That would address the shopping and DIY if it clashed..

I did attend games no matter what the conditions and played golf in the snow but I am much older and have more sense now... If its a really cold day I will be getting a refund on my Vale match day ticket as my health is far more important. I know I went to a game last winter and said never again....

I do believe if football was starting now, we would not be playing Jan-March and it was wholly based on a national cricket season clash and nothing else....

Ever wondered why its not considered? Because most of the ones that run football are brain dead and it won't ever cross their tiny minds why most grounds are empty and the cost comes into that too...It not a case of postponed games at all actually. It's more what is good for fans, not what is good for the club or the players and that gets mighty confused sometimes...

So, that's two for summer football and one or two more for winter...I bet any money wives will be saying to their spouses, "You must be mad paying good money to have your brussel sprouts frozen up, just open the fridge door with and sit opposite"....

[out0lunch]

Mike I know you are having a laugh and not true attending a match last Winter. Didn't you turn up recently or so you said when we tried to get all the troops out to support?

So, that's two for summer football and one or two more for winter...I bet any money wives will be saying to their spouses, "You must be mad paying good money to have your brussel sprouts frozen up, just open the fridge door with and sit opposite"....

Glad you said that it has reminded me that tomorrow I must start to boil my sprouts for Xmas