This week’s announcement of the kick-off time for this years’ FA Cup final and the responses from the FA that followed, have only further emphasised the priority given to business and money, over the supporters of the game.
Two sets of supporters both based in the north must travel to Wembley for a 5.15pm kick-off. This is not the first time kick-off has been 5.15pm, with last year’s final between Chelsea and Liverpool commencing at the same time. But, this announcement has angered many because both teams reside in the north of the country, making travelling that bit more difficult for both.
The easiest form of public transport is the train, but the last train from London to Wigan leaves around 8.30pm, whilst the final Manchester-bound one is around half an hour later. Considering that the winning set of fans would probably want to stay in the ground for the trophy presentation, many could find it difficult to catch the last train home.
When you consider that the fans are the ones who actually pay to watch the game, unlike the officials of the FA , the corporate sponsors, or the journalists, the fact that many will be deprived from enjoying the day and experiencing the full team celebrations at the end of the game, does not sit well with supporter’s groups.
With the train not possible for a number of fans the coach would seem like the next best option. This is where further annoyances and cynicism comes in. National Express is the official travel provider to Wembley stadium. This means they pay Wembley to supply the coaches to transport people to and from the ground. To say they have a vested interest in the lack of trains could be seen as an understatement.
There are, of course other coach companies that regularly run services to the north. These are likely to be used as, despite the increased journey time, it will save fans from having to pay to stay overnight in the capital city.
The final point that has arisen from this situation is the statement from the FA’s Alex Horne, that supporters have ‘consumed’ their football in this time slot for a while now. This seemed to be the tipping point for many on social networking site Twitter. The idea that supporters ‘consume’ football, very much fits in with a standard business model that does not reflect the emotional attachment supporters have with their teams, without which football grounds would be a very different place.
Many supporters have voiced concern, some calling for boycotts of the FA Cup Final both in the ground and at home. The one thing that is clear from all of this, is that supporters can now finally be certain that they are nowhere near top priority when it comes to those in charge of organizing the game they are financially supporting.
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