Televised games - FAO Dirk (or others ITK)

[loyalroyal4life]

Good, more drinking time on the train up.

how long is the train journey roughly? i was thinking of planing it!!

What's the cost of flying?

I ve got a mate who works for BA so hopefully will be cheap

[leww_rfc]

doubt i'll make this one, coming from South Wales, i'll definitely go to Swansea on the Tuesday though.

[Ian Royal]

Not sure why people seem so galled that we're not featuring too much in the live games. I'm glad, not just for the 3 o'clock kick offs but also means we'll have more inside watching it at the ground as opposed to watching the TV.

I suspect it's more a case of the blatant favouritism and bias in favour of Newcastle, than any lack of attention for us.

[zummerset]

Might be the fact that they have 50,000 fans at games v our 20,000ish - just a thought...

[Ian Royal]

Might be the fact that they have 50,000 fans at games v our 20,000ish - just a thought...

What's that got to do with televising games?

No one is expecting SKY and BBC to ignore them. It just takes the piss that they're on TV 5 times in the space of about 3 or 4 months.

I'd be interested to see the number of times United or Liverpool or Chelsea are on in the same time, with many more slots to choose from and being at the top of the entire league structure. And with many more interested viewers.

[zummerset]

Course its unfair but the media have been ignoring us for years - it could be worse imagine if you supported Blackpool or Coventry - I would think we get marginally more air time than them due to our proximity to London

[Dirk Gently]

Ask yourself, what are the objectives of TV companies? For commercial companies, it's to deliver as many people as possible to their advertisers. For public service broadcasters, it's still to get as many people as possible watching, to justify the money spent. So for both of them, its a ratings game, purely and simply.

They're not interested in showing the most interesting games - they want the matches which will attract the most viewers. And the simple fact is that the biggest clubs (the clubs that are "brands") attract the biggest audiences. Don't forget, the TV companies aren't aiming to get people like us to watch - we'll be at a game somewhere. They're after the people who have half an interest in football but don't go to games (or no more than once or twice a season, anyway).

For these people, Newcastle (or Man Utd or Liverpool or Arsenal in the Cup or PL) are the ones that get the biggest TV audiences.

It really is as simple as that - no TV scheduler ever got sacked for televising the biggest, most well-known teams, so why should they take a risk showing a match that might be more interesting for the football aficionados but won't appeal to the TV audiences they're after?

[zummerset]

I would rather watch Newcastle succeed or implode as piece of theatre than some meaningless mid table team clash - its the fall of the mighty that has the appeal.

[Hogmeister Royal]

Might be the fact that they have 50,000 fans at games v our 20,000ish - just a thought...

Well, yes... but it's a bit early in this thread to bring any objectivity into the argument. We usually have a good few pages of mindless ranting before we do that!

[Compo's Hat]

From Kings Cross, anything between 3 and 4 hours depending on what train you catch.

Cross Country direct from Reading I'm not sure, but believe it's something like 5-6 hours???

It's about half the price in advance to go direct rather than getting a train from King's Cross though.

Think it's about 4 and a half 5 hours but worth doing to save an extra £25 each way.

[Deathy]

I would rather watch Newcastle succeed or implode as piece of theatre than some meaningless mid table team clash - its the fall of the mighty that has the appeal.

Exactly.

[loyalroyal4life]

What time will this game finish? Anyone know roughly how far the ground is from the stadium?

BA are doing return flight for £110

Easy Jet are doing £62 for return on following day

[Readingfanman]

What time will this game finish? Anyone know roughly how far the ground is from the stadium?

BA are doing return flight for £110

Easy Jet are doing £62 for return on following day

I'm led to believe you can get to the airport in 25 minutes from the ground. But not sure if this will be enough time to get to the airport.

[old woman]

What time will this game finish? Anyone know roughly how far the ground is from the stadium?

BA are doing return flight for £110

Easy Jet are doing £62 for return on following day

Would like to help answer this -but not sure what you want to know?
Station is about 15 minute walk, airport about 30 minutes on the metro.
20 minute train journey for us

[Norfolk Royal]

Good, more drinking time on the train up.

how long is the train journey roughly? i was thinking of planing it!!

What's the cost of flying?

Not that bad, all you need is a load of peacock feathers, which you can probably get from Child Beale, a load of bostic and a length of elastic banding.

All told, around £8.50.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Can't see there being a lot of interest in this game being televised, may be a few RFC fans viewing, but to a neutrel, not that much interest, would ahve thought more interest inteh away game sthat Newcastle play.

If it is all about audiences, why was Reading v Wimbledon on Boxing days all those years ago??

[Mad Dog's Ghost]

Dirk,

Absolutely spot on. And Zummerset right too. It could be great fun watching them fall.

It's going to be an interesting season. WBA for me .. Boro and newcastle (with bells on) had no contingency plans.

[weybridgewanderer]

What time will this game finish? Anyone know roughly how far the ground is from the stadium?

its been all of about a month since i was last at a game but i usually reckon it will fnish just 2 hours shy of kick off. so a 5:20 kick off will finish about 7:15. you could be at the airport about 8ish

Its quite handy in Newcastle, you can see the ground from the stadium, they are right next to each other

[Rawlie19]

What time will this game finish? Anyone know roughly how far the ground is from the stadium?

its been all of about a month since i was last at a game but i usually reckon it will fnish just 2 hours shy of kick off. so a 5:20 kick off will finish about 7:15. you could be at the airport about 8ish

Its quite handy in Newcastle, you can see the ground from the stadium, they are right next to each other

[Negative_Jeff]

Join me on the late running National Express coach, arrives back in London Victoria Sunday morning at 06.00 only 7 quid. Full of brown ale swilling, farting Geordies. Get in!