Fixtures 2015

[sufcessex]

Do we have a date when the fixtures are released for next year?

[JasonP]

Not an exact date but the end of November.

[bwildered]

ECB never learn, how it takes over six weeks to provide a provisional fixture list is mind - boggling.

[Slogger]

How quickly does 2 months compare to other major sports such as rugby and football? Is the delay driven by TV demands. In the 1990s the draft fixtures were out at Colchester. Impossible now because of promotion and relegation I know.

[jimmy]

ECB never learn, how it takes over six weeks to provide a provisional fixture list is mind - boggling.

and when they finally do get released they appear to have been jotted down on the back of an envelope such is the ludicrous scheduling.

[Blocky]

they release the premier league fixtures on June 6th ish...

[Mick]

they release the premier league fixtures on June 6th ish...

For this season they were released on 18th June. This was five and a half weeks into a fourteen week break (although they wouldn't have known the last participant for the first two weeks of that period).

The cricket break is almost exactly double that length, so if they're out by late November that's only eight or nine weeks into the close season. Proportionately better.

(Don't forget a good percentage of Premiership fixtures are subsequently changed due to the demands of television and second tier European football!)

[Starfish]

Good afternoon,

To clarify we expect fixtures late November.

Each county attended a workshop with the ECB a few weeks back to understand how the fixtures are devised. I can assure you scheduling 16 LV= games, 8 fifty over, 14 T20 games, internationals, warm up games, England Women, England Lions etc is a huge challenge and a time consuming one. Each county has just over a week to review fixtures and feedback, very rarely can a change be made as it has a knock on effect on other counties.

Thanks, Danny

[essexfan548]

Surely they use software these days? There's no way it should take that long ...

[Mick]

Surely they use software these days? There's no way it should take that long ...

Given all the complexities, it would probably take much longer to create fully functioning software !  Only worth the effort if it can be re-used year on year. Given the ever-changing landscape, high manual intervention is inevitable. I'm sure they are using software to an extent: spread sheets etc.

There is much the schedulers do wrong; I would suggest that "only" providing the fixtures four and a half months before the season starts is not high on the list of their faults !!

[Blocky]

they release the premier league fixtures on June 6th ish...

For this season they were released on 18th June. This was five and a half weeks into a fourteen week break (although they wouldn't have known the last participant for the first two weeks of that period).

The cricket break is almost exactly double that length, so if they're out by late November that's only eight or nine weeks into the close season. Proportionately better.

(Don't forget a good percentage of Premiership fixtures are subsequently changed due to the demands of television and second tier European football!)

fair point Mick...

[essexfan548]

Some of us have to book holiday leave that early ...

How can it take longer than scheduling the football/any other sport? There are far fewer teams and leagues.

[IlfordEagle]

Northants 2015 fixtures for 4 day cricket could almost have been issued in June this year!!

[Andy]

Northants 2015 fixtures for 4 day cricket could almost have been issued in June this year!!

..and so could the results!

[quincy]

There was talk of rejigging the format of the season ie moving the 50 overs to earlier in the season. Was any thing decided on this or will it be the same as last season?