EPL Winter break - For or against

[Northstandboy]

So the BBC are reporting that Premier League are considering a January winter break when the next TV rights deal is agreed.

The break would be in January, so wouldn't affect the Christmas period.

My worry is that if it is proved a good decision, that the Football League might also decide to have a break which would be boring as! But on the other hand, if there is no EPL on, the EFL might get more matches shown on TV, therefore more TV money?

What would happen the the FA Cup matches that are played in Jan?

What are your thoughts?

 

[MJB]

Couldn’t give a hoot what the Premier League does as I have no real interest in their show ponies and circuses.

As you say, the bigger concern would be that the FL follows suit. However I think that unlikely as they are likely to see this as an opportunity to get more exposure (and money!) by filling in for the empty TV schedules.

I wouldn’t be particularly happy about us specifically having fixtures moved about if chosen for TV but, being a pragmatist by nature, the extra money from a new deal would of course be good and if it meant we didn’t lose a month mid-season I’d be happier still.

Also, I’m not sure how relevant it would be to FL as presumably part of the rationale for this is that it would lessen the impact on those playing in European matches and those playing in international tournaments. Not exactly going concerns for us at the moment!

 

[Marked Ox]

I wouldn't want a winter break. It would make the season even more compressed unless the season is extended again, which I'm not in favour of either.

This isn't such a problem for the PL who play less games in the league. Fixture lists can get busy already towards the end of the season such as when we had our cup runs in previous seasons or due to a bad weather spell. A winter break could easily exacerbate this.

 

[Andy Stroud]

Strongly against this.
When is ‘winter’ anyway? Take time off in January (how many games were lost to weather last month?) then what happens if we have bad weather in February?
The EPL teams won’t have a break, they will go on global tours to bolster their offseas following.
As for the FA Cup they will probably enter in the 4th Round which will further dilute the chance of cup upsets.

 

[Gary Baldi]

They can maintain a TV schedule and still give players a break.

Regardless, teams should be stopped from playing lucrative friendlies abroad or travelling away for training while the break is happening. Players say they need rest, so rest is what they should have.

Which won't happen

 

[unification]

Under what pretence is this happening? To stop burnout of the PL players or another FA inspired attempt to improve the England team? Considering the PL sends more players than any other to the World Cup and Euros every two years, the latter option is redundant.

It makes no difference to me. Personally, I like the prospect of Boxing Day fixtures and chilly away days in the winter so it would be a shame to lose them. Sky must be fretting though unless they get the rights to ‘Manchester United vs Real Madrid LIVE FROM ABU DHABI!!!!’ ahead of BT Sport …

 

[Sarge]

Whatafucking bunch of prima Dona snowflakes in the PL ! ..... football was both a working class sport and a winter sport .....the proper hard men of pre gentrification would eat today's' squeal if theyre looked at weeds masquerading as top flight players for a mere snack...... chopper harris, bite yer legs hunter and others, including our own Rambo , must be laughing at this latest proposal and follow through with a blind side headbutt

 

[Concretebob]

Couldn't care less about the greedy premier league. Just as long as we don't have a winter break.

 

[Matt W]

Don't they get Christmas day off?

 

[holdsteady]

Most premier league players are wealthy enough to retire and never work again, yet they find football such a chore just give it up. They want more and more for doing less and less, its a non contact sport now and they won't play with the slightest strain, have squad rotation etc.

About the only thing that makes the winter manageable is football, I have a season ticket for Oxford and a sky sports subscription, I don't want a break at the most miserable time of the year, it helps me get through it. For a branch of the entertainment industry football doesn't half dislike it's paying public.

I wonder what sky and BT think about this, they pay a fortune and bankroll the premier league only to have them take a break at a time when they have a willing audience and swan off to the middle east, China and the us to play lucrative friendlies.

 

[MalaysiaYellow]

I have a different view. I don't care about Prem or even Championship, but L1 and below players don't get paid that much. So why not have a winter break say from just before Christmas to just after New Year so they can celebrate just like the rest of us. And extend the league to finish mid to end of June. Most of us get 4 weeks holiday each year so why not players get the same?

 

[holdsteady]

They get 4 weeks holiday in the summer, plus plenty of time off during the season, it’s a part time job.

You would do away with xmas football? A time that’s a money spinner for most clubs.

 

[stokeu]

I'd play soccer in the summer, would help my facepaint stick. imagine turning up on 20th July to see Watford vs Stoke in a balmy 23 degrees to see all those players with no gloves and still not being able to buy a decent beer at a reasonable price - immense.

 

[holdsteady]

With the british summer it would just be slightly less cold, a balmy 14 degrees

 

[Craig]

Couldn't care less about the greedy premier league. Just as long as we don't have a winter break.

It seems like the EFL are already involved and will be part of the decision.

Quote from Sky Sports: "The Premier League has been in discussions with the FA and EFL for several months regarding the challenges of the increasingly congested English football calendar, and ways in which we can work together to ease fixture congestion while also giving players a mid-season break."

But no, I would rather not have a winter break.

 

[Marked Ox]

With the british summer it would just be slightly less cold, a balmy 14 degrees

That's a heatwave.

 

[Essexyellows]

Load of #modernfootball b*****s. Another step down the road of boredom & sterility......... who wouldn`t want a trip up the M6 in the snow mid-week..

 

[Northstandboy]

Looks like it will go ahead for the EPL. Meaning FA Cup 5th round will be midweek with no replays:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/sport/winter-break-agreed-after-fa-cup-move-pjb7jlkjb

 

[Oldham]

Be just our luck that we’d be on a 15 game unbeaten run leading up to the winter break, then the momentum is lost, And we end up where we are now!

 

[Northstandboy]

Be just our luck that we’d be on a 15 game unbeaten run leading up to the winter break, then the momentum is lost, And we end up where we are now!

No whilst we are in the EFL. Only EPL are having the winter break.

 

[Oldham]

No whilst we are in the EFL. Only EPL are having the winter break.

I realise this old chap, I meant if the EFL were to follow suit ?

 

[Notaswindonfan]

So if the PL have a winter break beginning of February ,how will they fit in their fixtures if the country gets heavy snow and freezing weather December January , pitches maybe ok but surrounding area may not , just creating a fixture problem for themselves and us win we get there.

 

[Sarge]

It's almost inevitable ELF will follow suit...especially with the prem league fellating Shaun Harvey involved at EFL

 

[mooro]

It's almost inevitable ELF will follow suit...especially with the prem league fellating Shaun Harvey involved at EFL

I'm not sure it is inevitable - is not part of the argument that the ELF continues and achieves greater exposure for a couple of weeks while the PL sides are playing exhibition games in the Far East, er sorry "Resting"?
I dont see a problem if it just the PL sides, other leagues have done it for a long time, so no reason to plough on ourselves just because players used to play 10 games a week over Christmas 50 years ago, or whatever (as long as they are limited in their activities during the break).
I dont think it is necessary for the EFL sides though and I cannot see any benefit (financial or otehrwise) to anyone within the 72 to do so.

 

[Northstandboy]

It's almost inevitable ELF will follow suit...especially with the prem league fellating Shaun Harvey involved at EFL

I'm not sure it is inevitable - is not part of the argument that the ELF continues and achieves greater exposure for a couple of weeks while the PL sides are playing exhibition games in the Far East, er sorry "Resting"?
I dont see a problem if it just the PL sides, other leagues have done it for a long time, so no reason to plough on ourselves just because players used to play 10 games a week over Christmas 50 years ago, or whatever (as long as they are limited in their activities during the break).
I dont think it is necessary for the EFL sides though and I cannot see any benefit (financial or otehrwise) to anyone within the 72 to do so.

In the article, the EFL said:

The EFL has also been taking part in the negotiations but the winter break will not apply in the Sky Bet Championship, League One and League Two. The 46-game schedule for each division means that there is less flexibility.

 

[horseman]

This stuff does my head in, if the poor prima donnas need a break due to too many games then STOP the group stage champions league / Europa format and return to League winners only in straight knockout but of course they wont do that as their only interested in money money and more money.
I would also love to know who can state without contradiction well in advance when pitches are not going to playable or access areas to stadiums not safe?....Everyone knows the more elite teams will just foxtrot oscar to warmer climes for exhibition games for financial gain so where is the break?
As for the likes of Sky Bt etc they wont care as they still have customers money and those who choose to keep feeding them and the clubs/players bank balances will accept it regardless.

 

[Sarge]

Two weeks in Feb from 2021 onwards certain monied prem big hitters will be very likely jetting off to warmer climes to take part in lucrative showcase friendlies and tournaments....screened by sky sports.. . Then come April prem managers & coaches will bleat on about a fixture congestion!

 

[ZeroTheHero]

Isn't the current weather exactly why we should NOT have a winter break? If Saturday's match is cancelled then that will be in March. And it's possible the bad weather will last for a week or two (or at least that's what they were saying originally). Possibly three matches postponed. But let's say we have already taken January (when it was very mild and all matches were played) off for the 'winter break'. We played 6 matches in January. Add in the three that we can't (in this example) play in March and we are now nine matches behind by the time we get to April! Even at two matches a week, week after week, that is another month onto the season, which would then have to finish in early June.

And I agree with Sarge - the prem clubs will just treat the whole thing as an excuse to go and make money elsewhere anyway!

 

[horseman]

one idea muted was that they (the players) only get 2/3 days off before back to training again to prepare fo a game 10 days or so later.

 

[Gary Baldi]

What will be the excuse when England don't win the 2022 WC?