Wednesday night football - RSPL game to be televised tonight after glitch on Monday

Local football fans who were anticipating the return of the popular Monday Night Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) live football game on Monday were left disappointed after the game between Cavalier and Humble Lions at the Stadium East was not televised as announced.

However, general manager of the Premier League Clubs Association (PLCA), Pat Garel, said fans can tune in tonight, for the Harbour View FC versus Vere United match, which will be aired as a substitute for the Monday night game's no show.

Garel explained that due to technical issues the game between Cavalier and Humble Lions was cancelled, however, she says the Wednesday night live game gives them an opportunity to test a few initiatives they have been examining to help improve the league.

"We (PLCA) apologised unreservedly for the absence of the broadcast last night (Monday). It was circumstances beyond our control. But you know what I am happy for, is that so many people miss it. Many people curse the league and say all kinds of things about it but this means something to people," she reasoned.

"However, the good thing is that we will be having Wednesday night live tomorrow (today). Harbour View versus Vere. Some technical problems prevented the game from being aired (Monday) but suffice to say those glitches are behind us and there should be no further interruption in broadcast."

She says there are also some new initiatives they are looking at. "We are trying to have over-the-season Sunday/Monday games. So we will have a Sunday game to be televised and then a Monday game, so we are hoping to have two matches for the week televised live. We are near to confirming that but the logistics are not fully ironed out. But that's what we are hoping to do (air Sunday/Monday live games) on the weekend of the 22nd and the 29th.

"The Wednesday game we are trying it out just as we did a trial with Waterhouse and the Friday game and that went very well. This is a scheduled Wednesday game but it wouldn't be a televised game, but because the Monday game wasn't played, we will use this (Wednesday game) as substitute. We are looking to see how this could work, so we could do more of that, probably next season," she added.

Although both Marcel Gayle of Waterhouse and Paul 'Tegat' Davis of Mount Pleasant were not fully comfortable with the Friday night concept, Garel says they should remain open and see how these things could benefit and improve the league.

"We have been examining it (Friday night football). It's a good initiative and I don't hear a good reason as to why we shouldn't try it. The English Premier League has games on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays and they are hugely successful. We should try to be open to new things, if it does not work for us, we can always say it didn't. But we shouldn't be afraid to try new things and the new things are not something we are doing new, it is something that happens around the world. But I want to take a good look at it, as it is part of marketing the league.

So I look forward to the day when we could have, even for those four days, a game a day televised live," she concluded.

Wednesday

Tivoli vs Molynes United 3 p.m.

Arnett vs Waterhouse 8 p.m.

H' View vs Vere United 8 p.m.

Thursday

Portmore vs Cavalier 3 p.m.

Humble Lions vs UWI FC 5 p.m.

Mt Pleasant vs Dunbeholden 7 p.m.