Thursday 24 March 2005
Joanne gets around to my email.
So I have finally received a reply from the now famous Premier League's Customer Strategy Executive Joanne Revell. My email was short and to the point and quite franky I lied about already booking my plane ticket, although I am wrestling with the idea of the going home for the game and a Sunday kick off will be a royal pain in the arse for me. This is what I said:
"I have read with dismay that the final Premier League games have been moved to the Sunday at such short notice with no consideration again for the fans. I have already booked my flight from Chicago to London leading up to that weekend with the intent to see the Charlton v Palace game. I am a Charlton season ticket holder despite living in Chicago. My return flight leaves on Sunday afternoon. Great.
What rights of recourse do we and other fans have?
This just about sums up the attitude of the Premier League. You won't be happy until games are played out in front of TV cameras with no people in the stadiums!
I await your comments."
Joanne Revell replied with the standard response and even forgot to take out the prefix's to insert the dates in the email. Very personal indeed. Although most of you have seen this before, for the record here it is:
"Dear Chicago Addick
Thank you for your email regarding the change of date of the last game of the Premier League’s 2004/05 season. Unfortunately, it has been necessary to move the last day of this season from 3.00pm on Saturday, 14 May to 3.00pm on Sunday 15 May.
The reason for this change is that we have to seek dispensation from UEFA to play during the closed broadcast period which runs from 2.45pm to 5.15pm on Saturdays, in order to play simultaneously whilst also fulfilling our broadcasting contracts. In order to gain permission to do this, UEFA require that the leagues from the other home nations do not oppose our request. On this occasion UEFA did receive an objection and were therefore unable to facilitate our request.
When the Premier League fixture list is published at the start of the season it contains a clear statement informing people that they should be aware that fixtures are always subject to changes and that any changes will appear in the national press, or will be advertised through Club programmes and websites etc. In addition, the Premier League has a Public Information Line (020 7298 1647) providing up to date fixture details, including the likelihood of any movement. I am afraid therefore that neither the Premier League nor its Clubs is liable for reimbursement of costs incurred as a result of a fixture change.
The Premier League regrets that we have had to change the date for the last day of our season, but we have no alternative. We have acted to inform fans as soon as possible, as we do with all fixture changes, in order that they can plan accordingly.
Kind regards"
Premier League clubs met last week and this topic was due to be discussed but as nothing came out of it, we can only assume that Peter Varney was not supported by his fellow Club chiefs and Charlton and the fans are fighting a losing battle. ¶ 16:44
"I have read with dismay that the final Premier League games have been moved to the Sunday at such short notice with no consideration again for the fans. I have already booked my flight from Chicago to London leading up to that weekend with the intent to see the Charlton v Palace game. I am a Charlton season ticket holder despite living in Chicago. My return flight leaves on Sunday afternoon. Great.
What rights of recourse do we and other fans have?
This just about sums up the attitude of the Premier League. You won't be happy until games are played out in front of TV cameras with no people in the stadiums!
I await your comments."
Joanne Revell replied with the standard response and even forgot to take out the prefix's to insert the dates in the email. Very personal indeed. Although most of you have seen this before, for the record here it is:
"Dear Chicago Addick
Thank you for your email regarding the change of date of the last game of the Premier League’s 2004/05 season. Unfortunately, it has been necessary to move the last day of this season from 3.00pm on Saturday, 14 May to 3.00pm on Sunday 15 May.
The reason for this change is that we have to seek dispensation from UEFA to play during the closed broadcast period which runs from 2.45pm to 5.15pm on Saturdays, in order to play simultaneously whilst also fulfilling our broadcasting contracts. In order to gain permission to do this, UEFA require that the leagues from the other home nations do not oppose our request. On this occasion UEFA did receive an objection and were therefore unable to facilitate our request.
When the Premier League fixture list is published at the start of the season it contains a clear statement informing people that they should be aware that fixtures are always subject to changes and that any changes will appear in the national press, or will be advertised through Club programmes and websites etc. In addition, the Premier League has a Public Information Line (020 7298 1647) providing up to date fixture details, including the likelihood of any movement. I am afraid therefore that neither the Premier League nor its Clubs is liable for reimbursement of costs incurred as a result of a fixture change.
The Premier League regrets that we have had to change the date for the last day of our season, but we have no alternative. We have acted to inform fans as soon as possible, as we do with all fixture changes, in order that they can plan accordingly.
Kind regards"
Premier League clubs met last week and this topic was due to be discussed but as nothing came out of it, we can only assume that Peter Varney was not supported by his fellow Club chiefs and Charlton and the fans are fighting a losing battle. ¶ 16:44
