The FA Cup - Subject To Change?

[Beefymcfc]

Only got to listen to a few minutes of the Sunday Supplement and they said they would be talking about the changes after the break. I missed the outcome, anyone know what was said?

[HeyMark]

Could it be something to do with the 2013 fa cup final being at 5.30?

[Green & Blue]

Final to be played at 5.30 pm
Evening games only.
No replays.
Top teams seeded.

[Beefymcfc]

Final to be played at 5.30 pm
Evening games only.
No replays.
Top teams seeded.

So, basically killing the FA Cup in preference to the bigger teams being in the final. Sounds like the Prem and Sky are also pulling some strings and stopping the lucrative replays for the smaller clubs, instead preventing a fixture backlog for themselves.

Why evening games only though, do they just mean midweek games?

[Moonchesteri]

Final to be played at 5.30 pm
Evening games only.
No replays.
Top teams seeded.

So, basically killing the FA Cup in preference to the bigger teams being in the final. Sounds like the Prem and Sky are also pulling some strings and stopping the lucrative replays for the smaller clubs, instead preventing a fixture backlog for themselves.

Why evening games only though, do they just mean midweek games?

That (seeding) is sad news indeed.

[craigmcfc]

Final to be played at 5.30 pm
Evening games only.
No replays.
Top teams seeded.

So, basically killing the FA Cup in preference to the bigger teams being in the final. Sounds like the Prem and Sky are also pulling some strings and stopping the lucrative replays for the smaller clubs, instead preventing a fixture backlog for themselves.

Why evening games only though, do they just mean midweek games?

That (seeding) is sad news indeed.

Sad and ridiculous and to be honest I can't see it happening. The 3rd round IS the FA Cup because of the ties that take a Premier League team to a League 2/Conference ground AND the odd blockbuster like Utd v Liverpool this time round

If they ARE going to bring in the above changes, then they may as well pull the plug on it

[craigmcfc]

Oh and the other thing I thought I heard was that the winners will qualify for the Champions League

[Beefymcfc]

Oh and the other thing I thought I heard was that the winners will qualify for the Champions League

I suppose that's the only way they could do it if they wanted a CL place. I'm sure it wouldn't happen though, probably a carrot for those lesser clubs to get it voted through. Can't believe that one of the Top clubs would allow their place to be up for grabs, unless it's Liverpool of course.

[Arjan Van Schotte]

the seeding thing really annoyed me at first but i got talking to one of the directors of Bradford City and he said he was all for it.

his argument was that he'd rather his team got to play one of the big clubs than go out at, say, scunthorpe. I said that is was unfair as it'd end up with the same clubs winning/getting through to the final and would prevent lesser clubs getting through and he just pointed out that barring 2008 the same few clubs (i think it was 6) had won it since 1988.

i can see his point - i don't necessarily agree but i'd assumed the smaller clubs would be dead against.

[Green & Blue]

It will really ruin the fairytale image the fa cup has, it's always fantastic to see a small club pull off a massive upset

[Andy, lincs]

Forgive me, I think its a piss poor idea, but won't the seeding system create more chances for an upset as you won't get the amount of all premiership matches in the earlier rounds? What it will kill off is the chances of a non-league, league 1 or league 2 team going through several rounds to make the latter stages due to the increasing chances of being drawn up against a premier league team rather than a team of their own or lesser ability. Stupidity really.

[Arjan Van Schotte]

It will really ruin the fairytale image the fa cup has, it's always fantastic to see a small club pull off a massive upset

but surely there'll be more chance of that?

just playing devil's advocate here.

anyway - something had to be done. the "magic" of the fa cup disappeared long ago - just look at the attendances compared to 20 or 30 years ago. unless i'm remembering wrong crowds didn't used to take a huge dip for fa cup games?

[Beefymcfc]

I love the FA Cup becayse you never know what you're gonna get. If the lower clubs are happy like you sa Arjan, then it justs demeans the cup even more, opting to one off pay-day rather than a run to the final.

There are arguments for and against but for me, this would kill the whole essence of the comp.

[Blue Since 76]

why don't the turn say the 3rd and 4th round into a league, with a team from each division. That should guarantee the premier league teams get through and make it about as interesting as the start of the Europa league.

There's nothing wrong with the cup as it is. All for them giving it a CL spot though, rather than 4th place. That would spice it up a bit too and even the league out even more, as there would be an increased risk of another of the usual top 3 dropping out and losing the revenue, hence making them spend less compared to the rest of the league.

Not bothered if the move the final to 5:30 for better TV (although I might be if we ever got there), but not sure about all the other matches being mid-week. How about we get rid of some of the meaningless international friendlies to create a bit of breathing room instead?

[the_georgian_genius]

So they want to change it or kill it because with these ideas it would be the latter.

I thought David Berstein was a knowledgable fella?

[Arjan Van Schotte]

So they want to change it or kill it because with these ideas it would be the latter.

I thought David Berstein was a knowledgable fella?

i guess the point is it is dying. had a look at some articles and apparently attendances have dropped 30% in the last 2 years alone and bear no resemblance to not so very long ago.

Don't get me wrong - i remember Cup final day being a massive event - with coverage on both the bbc and itv starting at 9am - and i'd watch the whole lot regardless of who was playing.

it's like the league cup - i couldn't even tell you who's won that for the last few years.

as for bernstein - his problem is that no-one wants to sponsor something that no-ones watching anymore. he needs to do something to get the public interested again.

[feedthegreek]

the only reason the fa cup is losing its attraction is because of
overkill of football. too much on tv.
the old 1st division played 42 games only 1 team in the european cup.
so giving the winners a chumps league place wont make any difference.
i mean cardiff maybe could have qualified the year they played pompey in the final.
no , overkill and they have priced themselves out of the market.
how many fans now watch it down the pub instead of going to games.
in the 60,s and seventies ypu had to go to see a live game.
but then you just turned up 1st come first served.
no im afraid they are killing the goose that layed the golden egg, imo.
my first fa cup game i went to was city v spurs 69 quarter final
60, 000 were there we won 1-0.
this all seater staium nonsense was designed to screw the football fan,
supply and demand once supply exceeds demand there knackered.
so reducing capacity of grounds plays into their hands charge whay they want whren they want
and at the end of the day if we get to wembley which i hope we do
how many of the 47,000 fans who go every week will get a ticket?
city would probably get 25,000 if that; that leaves 22,000 pissed off
so whats the point.

[Beefymcfc]

I think you're probably right Arjan, the FA Cup has changed. Final dates are now moved around for Prem games, pricing is just to expensive for some when you factor in the Prem games we are going to and the top teams only take it serious once they're a game away from a cup final.

The Premier League has pushed all others aside and is now the be-all and end-all with little regard for anything other than the coin. Shame really, I was thinking the FA Cup was the last bastion of a proper competition.

[john68]

Though ultimately seeding teams will undobtedly benefit the big teams, of which City will be one. It is the last bastion of the "Spirit of Football".
Every other football competition has sold out to the money men who have taken control of the game.
A very sad day indeed.

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

I read that it was at a discussion level only so far and that seeding was one of the suggestions that would be resisted.
Evening games only is the bit I don't like, also no replays. I'd actually like to go back to playing to the death, with three and four replays if necessary. It was one of the delightful quirks of the cup.