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Christmas Eve: Premier League urged to reconsider reported 24 December fixture plans

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments329

Football fans in festive wear
There has not been a top-flight game held on 24 December for 22 years

The Premier League has been urged to reconsider reported proposals to stage matches on Christmas Eve.

Tom Watson MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, has written to the league's chief executive Richard Scudamore.

Reports suggestexternal-link Leicester v Manchester United, Arsenal-Liverpool and West Ham-Newcastle could be moved for live TV.

Watson writes that he is concerned fans will be "forced to choose between their loved ones and their team".

The Labour MP's letter to Scudamore, obtained by BBC Sport, adds: "There's a real danger that some travelling fans would not be able to get home until the early hours of Christmas Day, whilst hundreds of stadium staff and workers would be expected to work rather than spending time with their families at this time of year.

"I accept that televised football on a Sunday, and over the Christmas period in guise of Boxing Day fixtures are a well-established part of the football calendar but I urge you to recognise the concerns of fans, staff and families."

The Premier League has declined to comment on the letter because it has not yet received it.

But the organisation did tell BBC Sport that the process for selecting fixtures for live broadcast over the Christmas period is not complete, and they will update supporters as soon as possible.

There has not been a top-flight game held on 24 December for 22 years.

The Premier League is set to announce the televised Christmas fixtures in the week beginning 16 October.

Letter from Tom Watson to Richard Scudamore

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329 comments

  • Comment posted by Carlo66, at 23:52 6 Oct 2017

    I am sick to death of the Premier League's obsession with money at any cost, which usually means the fans.
    Say no to scheduling at key holiday times when public transport is shutting down and family life is disrupted.
    Say no to playing games abroad and interfering with the integrity of the league.
    Every bubble bursts and the Premier League are in danger of popping theirs all by themselves!!

  • Comment posted by MFH07, at 23:36 6 Oct 2017

    To have scheduled matches a day before Christmas is a disgrace. They're damaging the sport. All they want is to make money.

  • Comment posted by Redgriffa, at 23:46 6 Oct 2017

    Let's be honest there is no need for games to be played on Christmas eve. Find a time later in the year and let everyone relax over the festive period with friends and family, not travelling miles to watch a football game.

  • Comment posted by GeeBee, at 00:35 7 Oct 2017

    If Scudamore says it's happening it's happening. He's got to keep Sky and BT sweet and sod the true fans of the game. Scudamore is turning into the Bernie Eccelstone of the prem anything for money.

  • Comment posted by bean43, at 23:47 6 Oct 2017

    If it goes ahead on 24th, this should be the game both sets of fans agree in advance to boycott.

  • Comment posted by Gunderful, at 00:05 7 Oct 2017

    Anyone who would fogoe time with their families to watch these prima donnas prance around needs to seriously consider their life choices.

  • Comment posted by David Hughes, at 00:29 7 Oct 2017

    Stupid day to play football. Probably won't be changed because Scudamore is a money grabbing scrote.

  • Comment posted by bilbo, at 23:50 6 Oct 2017

    Ridiculous amount of travel involved for some fans but it seems they don't count anymore.

  • Comment posted by SwSmith, at 23:42 6 Oct 2017

    Daft because I wouldn't watch them anyway on Xmas Eve. Hopefully for once they'll see sense.

  • Comment posted by ojnner, at 00:13 7 Oct 2017

    It's because of stupid ideas like this, that I have given up watching Premier League football.

    Maybe give the Christmas Eve games a miss and go watch your local non-league team on Boxing Day instead.
    They play good attacking football instead of passing the ball around in their own half for ages, and they know how to put in some strong tackles, great entertainment!

  • Comment posted by Markyp1965, at 06:42 7 Oct 2017

    The Premier League clubs reap the benefits of the huge revenue from the Sky TV deal and having sold their souls, they have no say in the matter.
    Anyone who thinks that Sky have any interest in how the scheduling of matches impacts on the fans that actually go to games is deluded. Sky are only interested in advertising revenue and attracting an armchair audience, half empty stadium or not.

  • Comment posted by road2ruin, at 06:56 7 Oct 2017

    Should this go ahead it would be the perfect opportunity for fans to vote with their feet. Having the teams play in virtually empty stadiums!

  • Comment posted by Holps, at 08:04 7 Oct 2017

    Why is this even a surprise? Show me one single example of the Premier League making a decision based purely on the impact it will have on the fans? They are as self serving as MP's and equally driven buy their own greed.

  • Comment posted by RicJ, at 08:35 7 Oct 2017

    I’m sure Sky can have a word with Santa and get Christmas moved to a more suitable date!

  • Comment posted by MacHawk, at 23:50 6 Oct 2017

    Total insanity, if you can't leave the footie behind in favour of your family for 2 days you need to seek medical help.

  • Comment posted by ojnner, at 23:58 6 Oct 2017

    The Premier League only care about how much money they can make.
    If it wasn't for criticism and protests, along with the bad publicity they cause, football would already be played on any day of the year and ticket prices would be even more expensive than they are now.

  • Comment posted by GunnerBear, at 08:28 7 Oct 2017

    Surely the best option is a full fixture list on Saturday 23rd, a traditional Saturday and very rare these days, followed by a full fixture list on Wednesday 27th. Makes most sense with families, Christmas travel arrangements and even for the players and their families. Then a full New Years Day programme.

  • Comment posted by saddletramp , at 08:28 7 Oct 2017

    "Whilst hundreds of stadium staff and workers would be expected to work rather than spending time with their families at this time of year"
    And ?
    I'm a power station worker,i'm working the 23/12, Xmas eve,Xmas day,Boxing day 12 hour days.
    New years eve,new years day,2/01,12 hours nights.
    I cant see any MPs campaigning for my "family time"

    Oh yeh,they need Electricity to do their expenses.

  • Comment posted by fatboyslick, at 00:01 7 Oct 2017

    @6

    Manchester Leicester in 2 hours? In the middle of a weekday maybe.
    Christmas Eve? Not a chance. You can’t drive from Stockport to Altrincham in 2 hours when it’s busy

  • Comment posted by dependabledennis-606_must_stay, at 00:00 7 Oct 2017

    It's ironic that folk worry about Christmas eve and "family time" the same folk who couldn't give a monkey's about shop workers on boxing day or news years day.

    The stench of hypocrisy is unbelievable