It was recently announced that La Liga had come to an agreement to host one league match person season in the United States
The decision was in made as part of a long term strategy to expand the league’s fanbase in North America, but in doing so the league has angered its own fans and players.
The captains of all 20 LaLiga teams are set to meet at the Spanish Footballers’ Association (AFE) on Wednesday and will issue a statement, denouncing the decision to move a league game across the pond as well as inconvenient fixture scheduling.
The players will express their negative stance on the league’s idea to play regular season matches on foreign soil, as opposed to just the pre-season friendlies that take place in the States in the summer months.
The complaints of fixture scheduling come after matches in the opening weekend of the season were scheduled from Friday across to Monday, with some not kicking off until 10:15pm local time.
Toni Kroos expressed his disapproval towards such a late kick off time after Real Madrid’s win over Getafe on Sunday night by tweeting “Usually I am asleep at this time.”
I am happier then it seems, but usually I am asleep at this time. pic.twitter.com/MWy9W9URry
— Toni Kroos (@ToniKroos) August 19, 2018
It was no coincidence that Real Madrid had their worst attendance for almost a decade on Sunday, when only 48,000 fans turned up to the Santiago Bernabéu.
Such late kick off times will not endure the whole season; as the weather becomes more mild in the autumn, fixtures will be scheduled at a more convenient hour. But fans are still not content with the current situation, as attending a match so late – especially on a Sunday or Monday night – creates a plethora of logistical problems.
A unified stance against LaLiga’s actions from the captains may not lead to any de facto changes, but the expression of discontent should at least do something to show the league that there is serious opposition, from both fans and players, against decisions that don’t appear to consider their best interests.
