‘Six of the seven Villa games between March 10th and April 13, will be televised on Sky TV.’
Two More
Following the double switch-a-roo farce of April’s clash with Norwich having three kick-off times this week, with it ending up at 12.30 (more of that later), two further Villa fixtures have been confirmed for Sky TV.
The first is straight-forward with Villa’s midweek home match at 19.45 on April 10th against Cardiff City, remaining at the same scheduled time.
The second though, sees Villa’s home clash with Leeds United switched from Saturday to 19.45 on Friday 13 April.
With the match now on the third evening after the Cardiff match, it will mean Villa players will have a night’s less sleep and rest before the Leeds game.
With the April fixtures coming thick and fast, and with automatic promotion potentially at stake, it’s not ideal. It would be interesting to hear how complicit the club were accepting the fixture change.
Luckily, they are both home games, so we can be thankful for that small mercy, both for the travel demands on the players and also for lessening any inconvenience for supporters (Leeds fans, not so lucky).
Norwich Change
As discussed earlier in the week, the double kick-off change to the Norwich game raised a few alarm bells amongst supporters. MOMS spoke to both the EFL and Sky Sports TV today to get an explanation to why such a double switch in 24 hours took place.
It’s a complicated matter involving the schedules of both BT Sport and Sky TV, with the bigger than usual number of English teams left in the Champions League also complicating matters.
Apparently, at the last minute, BT Sport gave up the 5.30pm slot they were expected to take, so Sky Sports elected to screen the Manchester derby then. The Norwich vs Villa game was then switched to make sure the viewership didn’t suffer going up against the City vs United clash.
MOMS was told this is the first time this has happened.
Make of it, what you will.
TV Run
Six of the seven Villa games between March 10th and April 13, will be televised on Sky TV.
Our thoughts to those International Villa fans who subscribed to the AVTV streaming service!
Remaining Aston Villa Fixtures
MARCH
3: Queens Park Rangers (h) – 15:00
6: Sunderland (a) – 19:45
10: Wolverhampton (h) – 17:30 TV
17: Bolton Wanderers (a) – 17.30 TV
30: Hull City (a) – 17:30 TV
APRIL
3: Reading (h) – 19:45
7: Norwich City (a) – 12:30 TV
10: Cardiff City (h) – 19:45 TV
13: Leeds United (h) – 19:45 TV
21: Ipswich Town (a) – 15:00
28: Derby County (h) – 15:00
MAY
6: Millwall (a)
TV SELECTION DATES 2017/18 (subject to a five-week minimum notice commitment)
• From 23rd February, a minimum five-week rolling selection commences for matches up to and including the penultimate weekend;
• Clubs notified of selections for the final day made following the completion of the penultimate round of matches.
