BBC and ITV hit deadlock over FA Cup Final kick-off time in further blow to Manchester City fans | OneFootball

Manchester City fans face a further FA Cup final scheduling blow as the BBC and ITV hit an impasse over the kick-off timing for the Blues’ upcoming game against Crystal Palace.

Pep Guardiola’s side booked their place in the FA Cup final last weekend as goals from Rico Lewis and Josko Gvardiol sealed a 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the semi-final at Wembley to hand City the keys to finishing the campaign on a winning note.

The FA Cup final is scheduled for Saturday 17th May though an official kick-off time is yet to be revealed by English football’s governing body as fans of Manchester City and Crystal Palace await a final decision on that front.

There has been uproar amongst the two sets of supporters over the FA’s decision to increase ticket prices for this year’s cup final – the first time match ticket prices have seen a hike in the last six years and the FA have also since issued a statement to explain the move.

With two weeks remaining for the game, BBC and ITV have hit a deadlock over over the kick-off time, with the former preferring the traditional 3PM kick-off slot to ensure sufficient room in the broadcasting schedule for Doctor Who and Eurovision.

However, ITV are adamant on a 5:30PM kick-off to tap in on maximum viewership and advertising demand, as has been reported by TV UK Zone in the buildup to Manchester City’s Premier League meeting with Wolves at the Etihad Stadium on Friday evening.

Manchester City fans making the journey into London from the north will be keen on avoiding a 5:30PM owing to issues around trains back to Manchester – a recurring subject of debate amongst the fanbase owing to City’s regular trips to Wembley over the years.

Pep Guardiola sympathised with club supporters and their inability to fill out City’s allocation at Wembley in the semi-final against Forest as financial restraints and issues around travelling have tied down the hands of several die-hard fans who have loyally followed the club across Europe over the years.

A collection of Manchester City fan groups have come together to address ticketing issues at various points of the current campaign as regular match-going fans continue to be overlooked by the club board.

City have partnered with third-party resale platforms and have increased ticket prices over the years whilst not adding nearly enough new Season Tickets – as they crack down on supporters who are not using their Season Tickets and bring in foreign investment into the Etihad Stadium and surrounding facilities.

City Matters, an official Manchester City fan group, have held several meetings with the club’s ticketing department in recent months and will be keeping a close eye on developments ahead of the FA Cup final as travelling fans make plans for Wembley in the next fortnight.