“There is still so much you can do about storytelling…”: misunderstanding about the Brussels derby RWDM-Union on a Thursday at 6:30 PM

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Not only have the RWDM supporters strongly opposed the early start time of the derby against Union on Thursday, September 28 (6:30 PM), RWDM itself has also expressed its dissatisfaction several times. After the PhD candidate released a statement last week, CEO Gauthier Ganaye has now also commented on the matter. “The television rights holder was prepared to find a solution, but the Pro League does not want to create a precedent,” said the Frenchman.

“We have contacted the television rights holder (DAZN, red.) and with the Pro League to find a solution to this problem. Letting such a poster start at 6:30 PM is simply out of the question for us. How long has it been since this match was on the bill at the highest level…,” Ganaye tells his story.

“We have come up with sufficient valid arguments to support our wish. First and foremost, there is the fact that we have made the effort to move the match so that our Belgian clubs can do as well as possible in Europe,” the Frenchman refers to the fact that RWDM-Union was moved to enable Union intend to focus entirely on the Europa League qualifiers against FC Lugano. “We really enjoyed doing that, we won’t go back on that. But to then find that it’s now back in our faces… that’s not nice.”

“Also not unimportant: the economic picture. We are of course counting on a full house for a derby against Union, but if you start the match on Thursday at 6:30 PM, a lot of people will have to drop out. That means a loss of income of thirty to forty percent for us. And then I haven’t even mentioned the loss of image. If you want to make the Belgian competition attractive abroad, it is not optimal to rob an authentic derby like this of its charm. You can do storytelling and try to build up to this competition as best as possible, but in the end it will all be for nothing.”

No precedent

Ganaye wishes to emphasize that the television rights holder, unlike the Pro League, has done its best to find a solution together with RWDM.

“They were willing to listen and were of good will. However, the problem lies with the Pro League, and with the apparently independent calendar committee. The argument they put forward is that the clubs voted at the beginning of the season that only one match would take place per time slot. When we said that we wanted to start at 7:30 PM if necessary, the answer was that there would be overlap (with Club Brugge-KRC Genk, a match that kicks off at 8:45 PM, ed.). Taking the 8:45 PM time slot but playing on Wednesday or Friday was also not an option. In any case, the Pro League and the calendar committee apparently do not want to set a precedent.”

“We have done our utmost to change the situation. I hope there will be another unblocking, but it doesn’t really look like that for now. Fortunately, we still have about two weeks, we can keep hoping,” said Ganaye, who promises the supporters that in the event of a persistent negative answer, he will do everything he can to bring the entire legion of RWDM supporters as close as possible to the match. to take.

Rights and obligations

We listened to the calendar committee, but through calendar manager Nils Van Brantegem they had little to say about the matter.

“The clubs have their rights and obligations, and these are fulfilled to the best of our ability. That is not new, and that was the choice at the time. I cannot and do not want to say more about that,” said Van Brantegem.

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