Summer football on the way?

***Hibbyradge*** · 10-06-2015 07:46 AM

Most Scottish clubs are in favour.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33028189

**Ozyhibby** · 10-06-2015 07:52 AM

Let's hope so but it seems so obviously a good idea as to rule Scottish football out from making it.

***CallumLaidlaw*** · 10-06-2015 08:15 AM

I personally would miss the festive period football matches.

***SQHib*** · 10-06-2015 08:17 AM

Originally Posted by Ozyhibby

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Let's hope so but it seems so obviously a good idea as to rule Scottish football out from making it.

Open to debate on how good an idea it is tbh ? I reckon clubs are pinning their hopes on getting a better tv deal out of this ? Which as we know does not always benefit the fans who attend the games re kick off times etc ?

Also not sure they will get crowds they think they are going to get - better weather leads people to do other stuff during summer too - sports ( golf) , music festivals , holidays etc etc ... I can see the logic in not playing in Dec / Jan / Feb but that means season starts in march and ends in November - I just don't know how you re-schedule to cope with that given European matches , Internationals , World Cups etc etc ... if there was a shift to say have Friday night football in summer months that might work ?

Plenty arguments for an against though ?

**~~calumhibee1~~** · 10-06-2015 08:18 AM

Hope not. I spend a fair amount of time out the country in the summer and I'd have to seriously consider whether it would be worth my while getting a season ticket if i was going to miss 3 or 4 games during that period as well as most likely a couple others throughout the year aswell.

***erin go bragh*** · 10-06-2015 08:18 AM

It would ensure we have the best Newyear Derby record.
I'm in 😄😄

GGTTH

**Andy74** · 10-06-2015 08:22 AM

Originally Posted by Hibbyradge

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Most Scottish clubs are in favour.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33028189

Not really what the article says - it says largely that most clubs are open to discussing it.

**SlickShoes** · 10-06-2015 08:25 AM

I'd be able to go to more games, would probably get a season ticket.

Wouldn't miss games over christmas, still have EPL to watch on TV and a million other things to do at that time of year.

There is almost nothing entertaining one sports wise over the close season for me so I am all for summer football, bet it never happens though.

***Mr White*** · 10-06-2015 08:27 AM

So pre season would be what, February? Thermal mid winter in scotland. We can shuffle the deck chairs all we like but there's no avoiding the fact we get unpredictable and often unseasonable weather through any part of the year. Summer football would create as many problems as we have now and won't necessarily improve those we currently encounter imo.

***Keith_M*** · 10-06-2015 08:28 AM

They asked the question, "Are you in favour of considering a move to summer football?"

I think that could well be considered misleading, because any Club that said yes would only be indicating that they were in favour of a discussion about Summer Football, but not necessarily in favour of actually making the change.

They should have asked something a bit clearer, like "are you in favour of a changing to summer football".

***Moulin Yarns*** · 10-06-2015 08:33 AM

They were talking about it on the radio this morning and the big stumbling block seems to be International football

"One of is the international calendar given to us by Uefa and Fifa, which means there is a whole range of dates that are simply not available."

The domestic season has to fit International and European fixtures. The game against Ireland is a case in point, why is it a full 3 weeks after the season has finished? Then the European club games start in July and go onto May, this makes it difficult if the season starts in say March or April and lasts 10 or 11 months, we still end up with games in winter.

Not saying I'm against it, but there is a lot to work out before it can be seriously considered. Yes other countries do it so there are examples to study.

**~~MoscowHibs~~** · 10-06-2015 08:38 AM

Originally Posted by CallumLaidlaw

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I personally would miss the festive period football matches.

Mmmmmm, freezing yer nuts aff, catching a cauld, driving hame in blizzards OR basking in the sun showing off yer new hibs top, scantily clad burds wi little more than a Hibs scarf tae cover their modesty and a pleasant drive hame stopping at a braw chippy by the seaside. Aye I wid miss the festive period tae CL.

**Haymaker** · 10-06-2015 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by Chopper

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Mmmmmm, freezing yer nuts aff, catching a cauld, driving hame in blizzards OR basking in the sun showing off yer new hibs top, scantily clad burds wi little more than a Hibs scarf tae cover their modesty and a pleasant drive hame stopping at a braw chippy by the seaside. Aye I wid miss the festive period tae CL.

We would still play in the freezing cold! The season would start in feb and end in November!

***Keith_M*** · 10-06-2015 08:44 AM

Originally Posted by Chopper

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Mmmmmm, freezing yer nuts aff, catching a cauld, driving hame in blizzards OR basking in the sun showing off yer new hibs top, scantily clad burds wi little more than a Hibs scarf tae cover their modesty and a pleasant drive hame stopping at a braw chippy by the seaside. Aye I wid miss the festive period tae CL.

When did you see this?

***Hibbyradge*** · 10-06-2015 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by keekaboo

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When did you see this?

***Keith_M*** · 10-06-2015 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by Hibbyradge

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!Ay Caramba!

**sahib** · 10-06-2015 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by Chopper

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Mmmmmm, freezing yer nuts aff, catching a cauld, driving hame in blizzards OR basking in the sun showing off yer new hibs top, scantily clad burds wi little more than a Hibs scarf tae cover their modesty and a pleasant drive hame stopping at a braw chippy by the seaside. Aye I wid miss the festive period tae CL.

Winter in Scotland is depressing enough (SAD?) with no football the suicide rate will probably increase exponentially.

**Alan62** · 10-06-2015 11:19 AM

Summer's for tennis and golf and riding your bike. I'm not sure being out of synch with the English game is a good thing - think transfer windows and player mobility. I'm not convinced that there would be an uplift in ticket sales (lots of people would be looking at the impact of their holidays on the season ticket purchase - a two week holiday could wipe out two home games and, more to the point, those unpredictable weekends away (ahem!) summer barbecues and stuff could cause domestic conflict for season ticketers).

Scotland's weather can be brutal in February, March and April. It rained every day in June a few years ago. We fairly recently played an Intertoto game in July which would have been stopped due to flooding if it hadn't been a one-off, must play match. October and November can be pretty rough for wind and rain.

Swapping December and January for June and July may sound attractive at a very surface level but when it comes to the fundamental recalibrating of Scottish football, I don't think it will be a winner.

Now get back to the tennis, golf and cycling.

**~~MoscowHibs~~** · 10-06-2015 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by keekaboo

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When did you see this?

In Stirling aboot 30 years ago. Will this dae She is after all wearing the right colours!!

***LaMotta*** · 10-06-2015 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by Alan62

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Swapping December and January for June and July may sound attractive at a very surface level but when it comes to the fundamental recalibrating of Scottish football, I don't think it will be a winner.

Myth Number one - Move football to Summer and the crowds will flock to the games!

Hibs Vs Falkirk Easter Road, 23 August 2014 - attendance - 9153

Hibs Vs Falkirk Easter Road, 10 January 2015 - attendance - 9498

Myth Number two - Move Football to Summer and more people will watch it on the TV, we'll get a far better TV deal!

Except when the World cup is on and the European Championships, so even if we might see more people tuning in every second year to games, you can be sure that when major tournaments are on, nobody would give a monkeys about watching the SPFL!

Myth Number three - The weather during the Festive period is awful, its blizzard like, freezing, wet, windy and dark.

Hibs vs Rangers on Boxing Day and the NY Derby at the Pink Bus Shelter last season were both absolutely perfect days for football, sunny, calm, dry with nothing more than a wee chill in the air!

Contrast those days with the visits to Cowdenbeath in late Autumn and Alloa in early Spring, which would continue to be part of this brave new world of "Summer Football"

***Brightside*** · 10-06-2015 11:46 AM

The weather is Scotland is pretty much the same as England. You couldn't just change Scotland. Daft idea.

***rubber mal*** · 10-06-2015 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by Alan62

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Summer's for tennis and golf and riding your bike. I'm not sure being out of synch with the English game is a good thing - think transfer windows and player mobility. I'm not convinced that there would be an uplift in ticket sales (lots of people would be looking at the impact of their holidays on the season ticket purchase - a two week holiday could wipe out two home games and, more to the point, those unpredictable weekends away (ahem!) summer barbecues and stuff could cause domestic conflict for season ticketers).

Scotland's weather can be brutal in February, March and April. It rained every day in June a few years ago. We fairly recently played an Intertoto game in July which would have been stopped due to flooding if it hadn't been a one-off, must play match. October and November can be pretty rough for wind and rain.

Swapping December and January for June and July may sound attractive at a very surface level but when it comes to the fundamental recalibrating of Scottish football, I don't think it will be a winner.

Now get back to the tennis, golf and cycling.

Totally agree.

**marinello59** · 10-06-2015 11:52 AM

Is there a group of people anywhere in the world who are more conservative than the 'traditional' Scottish Fitba fan.

Summer football in Scotland will come, the game up here needs revolutionary change. Thank goodness some of our clubs are willing to discuss the idea of radical change.

**ManBearPig** · 10-06-2015 11:55 AM

What you need is a great salesman in charge of this not Doncaster flogging same old horse. We need new league setup and calendar. We need a man to sell the new brand to the TV and advertising also keeping the history involved. The sales person will have to be brave and believe in the idea fully. But it could be great problem is too many people scared and of the auld school of we need as many old firm games we can get.

**Haymaker** · 10-06-2015 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by marinello59

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Is there a group of people anywhere in the world who are more conservative than the 'traditional' Scottish Fitba fan.

Summer football in Scotland will come, the game up here needs revolutionary change. Thank goodness some of our clubs are willing to discuss the idea of radical change.

I cannot see any benefit to switching to summer football.

Change is needed but what will ACTUALLY change other than the days we start football and end football?

***allezsauzee*** · 10-06-2015 12:00 PM

Originally Posted by Victor Park

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Myth Number one - Move football to Summer and the crowds will flock to the games!

Hibs Vs Falkirk Easter Road, 23 August 2014 - attendance - 9153

Hibs Vs Falkirk Easter Road, 10 January 2015 - attendance - 9498

Myth Number two - Move Football to Summer and more people will watch it on the TV, we'll get a far better TV deal!

Except when the World cup is on and the European Championships, so even if we might see more people tuning in every second year to games, you can be sure that when major tournaments are on, nobody would give a monkeys about watching the SPFL!

Myth Number three - The weather during the Festive period is awful, its blizzard like, freezing, wet, windy and dark.

Hibs vs Rangers on Boxing Day and the NY Derby at the Pink Bus Shelter last season were both absolutely perfect days for football, sunny, calm, dry with nothing more than a wee chill in the air!

Contrast those days with the visits to Cowdenbeath in late Autumn and Alloa in early Spring, which would continue to be part of this brave new world of "Summer Football"

1.Not sure the increased attendance at the Falkirk game is weather related, possibly more to do with people being sickened by the end of the previous season before realising we were actually going to play good football under Stubbsie?

2. The world cup/ euros are only on for a few weeks. Sky and BT resort to showing sterile friendly tournaments to feed an obvious demand. You would also have the climax of the season in October/November when there's nothing being decided anywhere else enabling the TV companies to drum up a bit excitement when not competing with English/Spanish/Champions League finales for attention.

3. I know our summers aren't that great but the weather is definitely better in June than it is in December!

***LaMotta*** · 10-06-2015 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by allezsauzee

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1.Not sure the increased attendance at the Falkirk game is weather related, possibly more to do with people being sickened by the end of the previous season before realising we were actually going to play good football under Stubbsie?

2. The world cup/ euros are only on for a few weeks. Sky and BT resort to showing sterile friendly tournaments to feed an obvious demand. You would also have the climax of the season in October/November when there's nothing being decided anywhere else enabling the TV companies to drum up a bit excitement when not competing with English/Spanish/Champions League finales for attention.

3. I know our summers aren't that great but the weather is definitely better in June than it is in December!

1. So therfore you are agreeing that a move to summer football would not necessarily bring about an increase in attendances, as people will choose to go to a game based on footballing reasons.

2. The world cup lasted nearly 5 weeks last year - more than a few weeks! I would also argue that there was more excitement in the English Premiership in October /November than there was in April/May - there was nothing of excitement at the tail end of the EPL to compete against this season.

3. Last Saturday was wet and very windy and not too warm either. The weather was certainly no better than the Boxing day or New Year day games last season

. Today is nice, but I bet its rubbish again on Saturday.

**Haymaker** · 10-06-2015 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by allezsauzee

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1.Not sure the increased attendance at the Falkirk game is weather related, possibly more to do with people being sickened by the end of the previous season before realising we were actually going to play good football under Stubbsie?

2. The world cup/ euros are only on for a few weeks. Sky and BT resort to showing sterile friendly tournaments to feed an obvious demand. You would also have the climax of the season in October/November when there's nothing being decided anywhere else enabling the TV companies to drum up a bit excitement when not competing with English/Spanish/Champions League finales for attention.

3. I know our summers aren't that great but the weather is definitely better in June than it is in December!

1: People will return if we are playing good football, regardless of time of year.

2: We would be competing with major tournaments that last June - July, end of EPL/La Liga/CL is end of May, restarts in August. Not much time to capture and improve ratings. If the TV contract was to engage more viewers from down south it would not work as most people down here A) don't watch the friendly tournaments unless their team is in it or wont watch the friendly tournaments because they have other interests (golf, cricket, RL) or B) think Scottish football is utter *****, mickey mouse and "worse than Conference level football" (and that is a direct quote from someone I work with IN football.) Drumming up excitement during the EPL season? Who would watch Celtc walk the league over an EPL game in full swing down south?!

3: The weather is better in June, we might still have to play in December.