"One season-ticket holder, who lives in the south of England, said on social media recently that they expect to miss seven or eight home games this season owing to the curse of the modern fixture schedule. The club are aware that this is not an isolated case."
"Burnley's visit on Tuesday evening will be the fifth Premier League home game in succession that has been staged on a weeknight. They last played at home in the league on a weekend on 4 January. Their last 3pm Saturday home game was against Nottingham Forest on 6 December."
"It is a schedule that deters children and elderly people from attending matches, as well as fans who live further away, making it harder for supporters to adapt to the new stadium during this crucial inaugural season."
Everton's inaugural season at their new stadium has been complicated by an unusual fixture schedule that heavily favors weeknight matches over traditional Saturday 3pm kickoffs. The team has won only five of 16 matches, and supporters struggle to attend games due to television scheduling demands. Season-ticket holders, particularly those living far from the stadium, report missing multiple home games because of weeknight fixtures. The club recognizes this is not an isolated problem but acknowledges that their schedule has been particularly detrimental during this critical first season. The pattern of weeknight matches deters families, elderly supporters, and distant fans from attending, making it harder for the fanbase to establish new matchday routines and connect with the new venue after 133 years at Goodison Park.
#everton-new-stadium #fixture-scheduling #fan-attendance #television-broadcasting #matchday-experience
Read at www.theguardian.com
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