TI
The BBC did this 50 years ago for the Mexico Summer Olympics.
Has any channel done that before? Either for sport, or a news event happening overseas?
I recall BBC News displaying the American time on-screen during a big running news story – after the 9/11 attacks maybe?
I recall BBC News displaying the American time on-screen during a big running news story – after the 9/11 attacks maybe?
The BBC did this 50 years ago for the Mexico Summer Olympics.
S7
Well of course, but other things also affected the Olympic attendances, it seems:
- https://web.archive.org/web/20180301024637/http://www.latimes.com/sports/olympics/la-sp-olympics-attendance-20180219-story.html
This screenshot from February 23rd on BBC Two showed a staggeringly small crowd. (IIRC it's prior to this figure skating final, from 10am local time; time on-screen is when they repeated it on TV.)
RUSSIA'S WORLD CUP
2018 opening match: 16.00 BST
Group stage matches for the days with three matches: 13.00, 16.00, 19.00 BST
Day 3 (Sat 16 June) has four matches: 11.00, 14.00, 17.00, 20.00 BST
Last round of group matches with simultaneous kick-offs: 15.00, 19.00 BST
Round of 16: 15.00, 19.00
Quarter-finals: 15.00, 19.00
Semi-finals: 19.00 • 3rd-place playoff: 15.00 • Final: 16.00
The first main curiosity is a World Cup Final at 4pm BST, the first 4pm final since 1974. Every single final has been in UK primetime since then, except 2002 in Japan AFAIK. It was probably about time for a change, but it'd be fascinating to find out why Fifa chose an earlier time for this final, and broke a long-standing habit. (Semi-finals are still at 19:00 BST.) Previously Fifa's head of TV has talked about audiences in many different parts of the world, so perhaps Western European countries are less paramount than they used to be?
The only other match that's out-of-the-ordinary is an 11:00 BST morning kickoff, Australia v France. Luck of the draw, for viewers in Australia that'll be an evening game, whereas most of the tournament is taking place overnight. The World Cup is no longer a listed full free-to-air event in Australia.
Also Karl Hyde had an interesting post on DigitalSpy, about why a 4pm final is ideal for Fifa:
You can thank NBC for a lot of the strange scheduling, as the largest (i.e. highest paying) broadcast rights holder they have a lot of influence over the schedule of events.
Well of course, but other things also affected the Olympic attendances, it seems:
- https://web.archive.org/web/20180301024637/http://www.latimes.com/sports/olympics/la-sp-olympics-attendance-20180219-story.html
This screenshot from February 23rd on BBC Two showed a staggeringly small crowd. (IIRC it's prior to this figure skating final, from 10am local time; time on-screen is when they repeated it on TV.)
RUSSIA'S WORLD CUP
2018 opening match: 16.00 BST
Group stage matches for the days with three matches: 13.00, 16.00, 19.00 BST
Day 3 (Sat 16 June) has four matches: 11.00, 14.00, 17.00, 20.00 BST
Last round of group matches with simultaneous kick-offs: 15.00, 19.00 BST
Round of 16: 15.00, 19.00
Quarter-finals: 15.00, 19.00
Semi-finals: 19.00 • 3rd-place playoff: 15.00 • Final: 16.00
The first main curiosity is a World Cup Final at 4pm BST, the first 4pm final since 1974. Every single final has been in UK primetime since then, except 2002 in Japan AFAIK. It was probably about time for a change, but it'd be fascinating to find out why Fifa chose an earlier time for this final, and broke a long-standing habit. (Semi-finals are still at 19:00 BST.) Previously Fifa's head of TV has talked about audiences in many different parts of the world, so perhaps Western European countries are less paramount than they used to be?
The only other match that's out-of-the-ordinary is an 11:00 BST morning kickoff, Australia v France. Luck of the draw, for viewers in Australia that'll be an evening game, whereas most of the tournament is taking place overnight. The World Cup is no longer a listed full free-to-air event in Australia.
Also Karl Hyde had an interesting post on DigitalSpy, about why a 4pm final is ideal for Fifa:
Quote:
08:00 Los Angeles
11:00 New York City
12:00 Rio & Buenos Aires
16:00 London & Lisbon
17:00 Berlin & Johannesburg
18:00 Moscow &Riyadh
20:30 Delhi
23:00 Beijing
00:00 Tokyo & Seoul
01:00 Sydney
11:00 New York City
12:00 Rio & Buenos Aires
16:00 London & Lisbon
17:00 Berlin & Johannesburg
18:00 Moscow &Riyadh
20:30 Delhi
23:00 Beijing
00:00 Tokyo & Seoul
01:00 Sydney
S7
Good idea, but unreadable fonts 
(Also, "my" timezone isn't on there, and neither is yours.)
Fifa hasn't done a similar timezone tweet for other games, maybe to avoid unhelpful info like "Tokyo: 04:00" or "USA did not qualify". Nevertheless, in Seattle and in Canada "They’re imbibing for a different time zone".
In Morocco's failed bid for the 2026 World Cup, they actually bragged about their awesome timezone
but may have just ended up confusing the judges... "#DIDYOUKNOW At least 60% of the nations that will compete at the 2026 @FIFAWorldCup are located within a -3/+3 timezone of Morocco, meaning all fans from around the globe can watch their nation play at an ideal time that suits them..."
Paris: 12:00
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 16, 2018
Canberra: 20:00
Your timezone guide to #FRAAUS 👇 pic.twitter.com/s1KB7KNU8N
(Also, "my" timezone isn't on there, and neither is yours.)
Fifa hasn't done a similar timezone tweet for other games, maybe to avoid unhelpful info like "Tokyo: 04:00" or "USA did not qualify". Nevertheless, in Seattle and in Canada "They’re imbibing for a different time zone".
In Morocco's failed bid for the 2026 World Cup, they actually bragged about their awesome timezone
but may have just ended up confusing the judges... "#DIDYOUKNOW At least 60% of the nations that will compete at the 2026 @FIFAWorldCup are located within a -3/+3 timezone of Morocco, meaning all fans from around the globe can watch their nation play at an ideal time that suits them..."
BR
So Qatar is in the same time zone as Russia so probably a similar schedule from them. Will be interesting to see if the US tournament schedules for primetime US or primetime Europe. Still can't fathom how they plan to get 80 games in 32 days, including an extra round of 32. Only works really by going to 4 games a day.
MA
Will climate not play a bit of a part in the scheduling?
It certainly didn't with the host country selection process !
So Qatar is in the same time zone as Russia so probably a similar schedule from them.
Will climate not play a bit of a part in the scheduling?
It certainly didn't with the host country selection process !
LL
London Lite
Founding member
With Qatar being held in Nov/Dec, temperatures in the Middle East are a lot more tolerable.
ET
Over on Digital Spy...
BOYCOTT BBC AND ITV
SINCE WHEN IS THE WORLD CUP IN THE WINTER I CANT BELEIVE IM MSSING MY SOAPS AND RELITY SHOWS OH MY GOD WE NEED TO PROTEST IMMEDEATLY!!!!!
Will mess up I'm a Celeb scheduling though - and they'll be a revolt among Strictly fans everytime "STRICTLY IS AXED".
Over on Digital Spy...
BOYCOTT BBC AND ITV
SINCE WHEN IS THE WORLD CUP IN THE WINTER I CANT BELEIVE IM MSSING MY SOAPS AND RELITY SHOWS OH MY GOD WE NEED TO PROTEST IMMEDEATLY!!!!!
LL
London Lite
Founding member
I'm not a football fan, but I'd rather see the World Cup than the usual reality/talent dirge in Nov/Dec hogging the schedules.
IS
The same as Moscow, but not the whole of Russia
So Qatar is in the same time zone as Russia
The same as Moscow, but not the whole of Russia