What happened to Boxing Day derby's ?

[f321ffc]

Leaving aside the 5th consecutive Boxing Day away game argument, looking  at today's fixtures in the championship and not one local derby, at a guess the games with least travel Bristol city v Reading or Nottingham Forest v Sheffield Wednesday.
It used to be most games on Boxing Day were a derby or short distance but I guess the fans don't matter anymore.COYW
:Happy New Year:

[Woolly Mammoth]

Fans have stopped being considered since Sky and their masters took centre stage, and that sadly is a consequence of money flooding the wrong pockets, and having individuals with hidden agendas running the Premier League and the Football Pyrimid below.
Money can talk very loudly, especially when the money is in the wrong hands.

[hovewhite]

In the end fans dont count anymore,with the new EFL tv deal it will get worse.Fans not that important and even less so in the future.

[filham]

We have to go back quite a long way to get to the days of Boxing day derbies but they were so enjoyable for the fans.
Hard to think why they were stopped except for the reason given, TV wanted more nationwide interest to boost holiday viewing figures.
No doubt nowadays so ma

[Holders]

Money goes up, sh1t comes down.

[grandad]

Even on that crazy Boxing Day in 1963 there were hardly any local derbies.

[Holders]

We normally had Millwall - or on Jan 1st.

[bill taylors apprentice]

My memory of Boxing day games going back to the 60's is that we were just as likely to travel to the likes of Burnley as we were to Spurs and the "Derby" was never a regular thing regardless of how many "Local" teams in the same division.

A quick look through "Fulham the complete record" shows in more recent years it was the same story, Bristol Rovers or Torquay away and Gillingham or Exeter at home.

My unscientific check shows during the 50's and until the late 60's it was usual to play the same team home and away over the festive period but otherwise a regular pattern of home/away in successive seasons and local derbies has never been a regular thing.

Having said all that, there's no doubt the TV money has had a negative effect on the Boxing day games, as for our lack of home games I suspect its more the Met Police's priority in other areas and lack of availability over the Christmas period that restricts BD games in London.
Why its always us who lose out is another question?   

[alfie]

Fans have stopped being considered since Sky and their masters took centre stage, and that sadly is a consequence of money flooding the wrong pockets, and having individuals with hidden agendas running the Premier League and the Football Pyrimid below.
Money can talk very loudly, especially when the money is in the wrong hands.

That's the problem it's the fans that want sky sports me included, I still go to games but I like to see other games, I wonder how many foffers go to games and subscribe to sky sports.