The Premier League has introduced there will probably be no Christmas Eve fixture subsequent season, after this yr’s experiment that has not gone down effectively with followers.
Chelsea supporters have launched a protest marketing campaign towards their Christmas Eve journey to Wolves – telling league bosses to ‘Get Stuffed’ – and it seems they’ve listened.
This season will mark the primary time within the twenty first Century that an English prime flight match will probably be performed on December 24, with the final one occurring 28 years in the past.
However reasonably than the festive feast Premier League chiefs may need anticipated, the concept went down like a lead balloon with Chelsea supporters incensed about being handed a visit north so near Christmas.
Blues followers face an approximate 260 mile spherical journey to Molineux on Sunday afternoon, all whereas having barely any public transport accessible as a consequence of strikes and the common suspension of providers over the festive interval.
The west London membership has accomplished away followers an enormous favour by providing a free coach providers for any who’ve purchased tickets for the sport, however there has nonetheless been an enormous outpouring of fury over the return of Christmas Eve soccer motion.
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The Premier League has now introduced the beginning and finish dates for the 2024/25 marketing campaign, and confirmed there will probably be no sport on December 24 subsequent season as golf equipment are given extra of a relaxation over Christmas time.
However that has not stopped the Chelsea Supporters’ Belief protesting their fixture, sending a message to soccer bosses that they’re ‘supporters, not clients’, with banners being held outdoors the workplaces of the Premier League and TV broadcasters Sky.
“Final season, 15.2 million supporters attended Premier League matches – a brand new competitors file,” learn a press release from the supporter group.
“Regardless of these distinctive attendance figures, the Premier League has as soon as once more demonstrated that it’s going to put the necessities of the broadcasters forward of matchgoing supporters.
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“Choices like this make a mockery of CEO Richard Grasp’s personal phrases when he launched the league’s ‘Fan Engagement Normal’, the place he mentioned: ‘It’s critical we make sure the voices of supporters are usually not solely heard within the stands but additionally in relation to having a say on key points referring to their golf equipment’.”
On the protest, a Chelsea Supporters’ Belief spokesperson added: “We’ve got held this demonstration to remind the Premier League and its broadcasters that with out matchgoing supporters, soccer is nothing – Christmas Eve Soccer Can Get Stuffed!
“The Premier League CEO, Richard Masters, should guarantee his phrases on supporter engagement are usually not hole and should assure that there’s significant dialogue and session with supporters on key points referring to our golf equipment.
“Our message is evident – cease treating matchgoing supporters with complete disrespect or threat stadiums turning into lifeless, soulless, and with out ardour.”
It seems followers haven’t misplaced their energy, although, with the backlash maybe one of many the reason why the highest flight have determined to not proceed the Christmas Eve experiment into subsequent season.
