Why did Tottenham and Nottingham change kickoff times for Premier League Round 32?
On July 7, the British media outlet The Independent asked the question: “Why is Tottenham’s match against Nottingham on a Sunday? Tottenham host Nottingham at home on Sunday evening, an unusual kick-off time,” sparking curiosity.
Premier League matches are usually played during the day on weekends, UK time, unless there are special circumstances. South Korea is eight hours ahead of the UK, so fans in South Korea can watch the Premier League in the late evening on weekends.
However, Tottenham’s round 32 home game against Nottingham kicks off at 2am on the 8th. That’s 6 p.m. UK time.
‘The game was originally scheduled to take place at 8 p.m. on Monday (Aug. 8),’ the Independent said. That would put it at 4 a.m. in South Korea on the 9th.
The timing of professional sports matches is usually closely tied to the broadcasters‘ schedules. The broadcasting rights holders have a lot of power, so it’s not uncommon to have to accommodate them.
However, the Tottenham case had nothing to do with the broadcasters. It was due to a train strike that was announced ten days in advance.
As the Independent put it, “The train strike continues across the country. Northern, South Eastern, Southern, and South Western rail services have all been affected,” the Independent pointed out.
‘This decision was made following a meeting of the Emergency Safety Advisory Group, which includes the club, emergency services, transport partners and supporters,’ Tottenham said. ‘We have decided to move the game forward as we believe that only one of the six stations near our stadium will be fully operational,’ the club explained.
Tottenham continued: ‘All tickets are valid for the new date. If you are unable to attend, we will 스포츠토토 contact you individually to advise you of other options,” and apologized for any inconvenience caused to fans by the rescheduling due to reasons beyond the club’s control.
The Premier League also apologized to fans, saying: “We sincerely apologize to the supporters of both clubs and all those affected for any inconvenience and confusion this change may have caused.
The match between Chelsea and Sheffield Wednesday on the same day will also take place at an unusual time. The Independent explained: “There is a half-marathon taking place in Sheffield. It has been pushed back by four hours to 5.30pm (1.30am on the 9th) to avoid clashing with it.
