Salford officially request to play 2019 Super League home games on Sundays

[Gerrumonside ref]

Salford have announced that they have officially requested to play their 2019 season home league games on Sunday afternoon:

“After consultation at the recent Fan Focus Groups, the Club will be making a conscious effort to improve the matchday experience and encourage more families, children and the community – as a whole – to attend the AJ Bell Stadium.

The Club therefore felt requesting that our games be played on a Sunday afternoon offers the community a better chance to come together and experience a Salford Red Devils gameday to remember. Hopefully, requesting to play on Sunday afternoons is the first step in our movement to re-engage with the local community and nurture the next generation of Red Devils supporters.

It is important to remember that all fixtures are subject to change with games being broadcast by Sky Sports.”

https://www.salfordreddevils.net/fixtures-salford-sundays/

[Gerrumonside ref]

Seems like the right move to me.

[ricardo07]

Hope Wakefield request the same.

 

 

[TheLegendOfTexEvans]

17 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Salford have announced that they have officially requested to play their 2019 season home league games on Sunday afternoon:

“After consultation at the recent Fan Focus Groups, the Club will be making a conscious effort to improve the matchday experience and encourage more families, children and the community – as a whole – to attend the AJ Bell Stadium.

The Club therefore felt requesting that our games be played on a Sunday afternoon offers the community a better chance to come together and experience a Salford Red Devils gameday to remember. Hopefully, requesting to play on Sunday afternoons is the first step in our movement to re-engage with the local community and nurture the next generation of Red Devils supporters.

It is important to remember that all fixtures are subject to change with games being broadcast by Sky Sports.”

https://www.salfordreddevils.net/fixtures-salford-sundays/

When your ground is located on a  traffic black spot this has to be the way to go.

12 months of gridlock planned for greater manchester

 

[Dunbar]

Would love to see all non tv games back to Sunday afternoon. None tv games and tv games clashing is poor and as a sport than has a family focus afternoon games are the best option. Especially as a summer sport.

[jpmc]

So what/who is stopping Salford from playing on Sundays if they're not on tv

[RayCee]

4 minutes ago, jpmc said:

So what/who is stopping Salford from playing on Sundays if they're not on tv

Bureaucracy the only thing that readily springs to mind. 

[Oliver Clothesoff]

I’d say this is great news for me but Salford v Saints seems to get the Thursday night treatment. Hopefully it’s on a Sunday as that’s an extra game that doesn’t allow for taking at least a day’s annual leave from work. 

[Futtocks]

15 minutes ago, jpmc said:

So what/who is stopping Salford from playing on Sundays if they're not on tv

Their opponents may have their own preferences. But Salford they can get some Sunday afternoon games, and they show a difference in attendances, it'll have been worth trying.

[jpmc]

1 minute ago, Futtocks said:

Their opponents may have their own preferences. But if they can get some Sunday afternoon games, and they show a difference in attendances, it'll be worth trying.

Good point,i hadn't thought about the other clubs.

I guess they've asked themselves the question,will the extra gate receipts that come through the gates compensate for the probable loss of income from the corporate side

[Gerrumonside ref]

1 minute ago, jpmc said:

Good point,i hadn't thought about the other clubs.

I guess they've asked themselves the question,will the extra gate receipts that come through the gates compensate for the probable loss of income from the corporate side

Looking at Salford’s statement, I think they’re looking at the long term benefit of being able to attract the next generation of fans.

[Futtocks]

3 minutes ago, jpmc said:

Good point,i hadn't thought about the other clubs.

I guess they've asked themselves the question,will the extra gate receipts that come through the gates compensate for the probable loss of income from the corporate side

Visiting clubs will also consider maximising their recovery time from the previous week. There will be some push-back in some circumstances, but if clubs are amenable, there may be more Sunday afternoon games at Salford. If they can get some radio commentary for that timeslot, that could be good for those of us who live far away.

[Cumbrian Fanatic]

25 minutes ago, jpmc said:

So what/who is stopping Salford from playing on Sundays if they're not on tv

I believe there has to be 5 days between games, that is why the London Salford game was moved, so if they are scheduled to play a Thursday night game they won't be able to play the preceding game on a Sunday, at least that's how I think it works. Should be able to make quite a few of their home games a Sunday though I'd have thought

[TheLegendOfTexEvans]

2 minutes ago, Cumbrian Fanatic said:

I believe there has to be 5 days between games, that is why the London Salford game was moved, so if they are scheduled to play a Thursday night game they won't be able to play the preceding game on a Sunday, at least that's how I think it works. Should be able to make quite a few of their home games a Sunday though I'd have thought

Funny how rules only apply some of the time.

Easter weekend has a double fixture.

 

[Cumbrian Fanatic]

1 minute ago, TheLegendOfTexEvans said:

Funny how rules only apply some of the time.

Easter weekend has a double fixture.

 

Fair point, I believe there is a clause exempting that weekend

[TheLegendOfTexEvans]

12 minutes ago, Cumbrian Fanatic said:

Fair point, I believe there is a clause exempting that weekend

Be far more sensible to allow 4 days for thursday night games and scrap the double weekend.  Not have teams playing two Thursday in a row.

At the moment the game is not family friendly and i can undestand why people dont by season tickets.

Sundays fit better with local radio coverage and its typically a day a family has free.

Growing up i would always go to game with my family on a sunday it was an easy fit.

 

[johnh1]

28 minutes ago, Cumbrian Fanatic said:

I believe there has to be 5 days between games, that is why the London Salford game was moved, so if they are scheduled to play a Thursday night game they won't be able to play the preceding game on a Sunday, at least that's how I think it works. Should be able to make quite a few of their home games a Sunday though I'd have thought

Or if the opponents are due to play on a Thursday. That's why Thursday night games should be banned.

[Wolford6]

I always thought our regular 6pm Sunday kickoff time was great. It gives people time to have Sunday dinner, mow the lawn etc before game time.

The geography of  the Championship next season would make the switch back to 6pm advantageous for supporters of most teams.

[DoubleD]

1 hour ago, jpmc said:

So what/who is stopping Salford from playing on Sundays if they're not on tv

Sale

[jpmc]

2 minutes ago, DoubleD said:

Sale

Mmm yes i hadn't thought of them either.

So Thursday,Friday & Saturday it is then

[Cumbrian Fanatic]

42 minutes ago, johnh1 said:

Or if the opponents are due to play on a Thursday. That's why Thursday night games should be banned.

True, never thought about it that way, I agree with you about Thursday nights but as we know Sky as paymasters get to call the shots

[Rupert Prince]

3 minutes ago, jpmc said:

Mmm yes i hadn't thought of them either.

So Thursday,Friday & Saturday it is then

Who owns the ground?

The RFL via Sky (or is it vice versa?) move games to suit their schedule... not least Thursdays, but of course Fridays.

Personally if Salford do not want to appear on TV that's fine for me as long as they are happy to forego their share of the TV money.

[Gerrumonside ref]

12 minutes ago, Rupert Prince said:

Who owns the ground?

The RFL via Sky (or is it vice versa?) move games to suit their schedule... not least Thursdays, but of course Fridays.

Personally if Salford do not want to appear on TV that's fine for me as long as they are happy to forego their share of the TV money.

Have you read Salford’s statement?

They have made it clear that all fixtures are subject to change because of TV requirements.

[Rupert Prince]

31 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Have you read Salford’s statement?

They have made it clear that all fixtures are subject to change because of TV requirements.

Yes.  The big news is they are saying that all the remaining games subject to all the (short notice) requirements of SKY and the fixture regulations of the RFL, are to be determined on a date to suit them? And the owners of their stadium?

Is this request significant in any way?  Indeed games do get played on Sunday, but as a minimum half the games are played on Thur, Fri & Sat. The restrictions of Thur (as I see are being suggested) must restrict all the teams wishing to play on the Sun. before a Thurs. 

So what is Salfords special pleading about?  If they are wishing to reduce Thur Fri and Sat at expense of the other league teams however, they should receive less TV money.

[Gerrumonside ref]

33 minutes ago, Rupert Prince said:

Yes.  The big news is they are saying that all the remaining games subject to all the (short notice) requirements of SKY and the fixture regulations of the RFL, are to be determined on a date to suit them? And the owners of their stadium?

Is this request significant in any way?  Indeed games do get played on Sunday, but as a minimum half the games are played on Thur, Fri & Sat. The restrictions of Thur (as I see are being suggested) must restrict all the teams wishing to play on the Sun. before a Thurs. 

So what is Salfords special pleading about?  If they are wishing to reduce Thur Fri and Sat at expense of the other league teams however, they should receive less TV money.

My reading of that statement differs quite a bit from yours.

They say they are requesting to play on Sundays as a direct result of fan feedback.  

Salford played zero Super League Sunday home games at the AJ Bell last year.

The most likely outcome will be a compromise whereby Salford increase the amount of games they play on Sunday while keeping within league rules.