Boreham Wood chairman Danny Hunter says it is a “complete joke” that Carlisle United’s fans must travel to his club for another late kick-off.
He said the decision to show the National League game live on DAZN at 5.30pm effectively “punishes” and “abuses” Carlisle’s loyal travelling fans.
United, who make the 580-mile round trip to Hertfordshire for Saturday's game, faced a number of kick-off changes last season with away games at places such as Southend United, Forest Green Rovers and Boreham Wood moved to later slots.
Hunter criticised some of the broadcasting decisions last season and has hit out at the situation again in his online notes ahead of this weekend's visit of the Blues.
He said: “I ask one simple question: how many more times are they [DAZN] going to punish the Carlisle United travelling supporters with these late games?
“It’s a complete joke that amazingly loyal fans, especially at Carlisle, Southend and elsewhere, are made to struggle to get themselves to certain away games because of these ridiculous streaming company schedules.
“Only last Friday, Carlisle United were made to play at Wealdstone with a 7.45pm kick-off, meaning Carlisle fans who would normally travel by train could not get home.
“Those fans are again being abused [this weekend], and it’s now embarrassing that it’s left to club owners like myself, with no backing whatsoever from the league, to constantly highlight this complete and utter nonsense.”
Hunter said fans of the fifth tier’s biggest clubs are “being discriminated against” through being chosen for so many late kick-offs.
“They appear designed simply to drum up more stream purchases from away supporters, which in turn reduces home attendances – it’s a lose-lose situation,” he added.
Hunter said that if he was involved in supporter groups he would be advocating a “blanket ban” on buying DAZN streams.
He also called on the National League board to “find a way to end this deal” with their broadcast partner. Hunter also criticised what he said was “poor production value” in the streaming coverage, including “terrible camera work, often biased commentary and poor sound quality.”
Hunter levelled similar criticism last season amid the National League and DAZN’s “12 Games of Christmas” schedule, which included Carlisle visiting Boreham Wood for a 4pm kick-off on the last Sunday before Christmas. The league and DAZN did not comment in response, and are yet to offer any comment in light of his latest outburst.
He said he has so far been unable to gain any backing from the league and added: “I’ve also had very little or no support from other club owners who, in the main, seem completely disinterested in their supporters’ plight and the poor commercial value afforded by DAZN to our member clubs, who’ve had our greatest asset – live football – given away by our board for a pittance.
“I suppose that’s hardly surprising, with more and more new club owners being foreign and, on further inspection, many don’t even live in this country. In simple terms, they don’t understand that our historical football culture is that Saturday football at our level is played at 3pm.
“If anyone can tell me, our managers, players and supporters why the National League Board, without consultation, decided to put on a full league programme at 7:45pm last Friday, other than for DAZN, I’d like to hear it.”
On Saturday’s game against Rob Elliot’s team, meanwhile, Hunter said: “In truth, we can have no bigger game at Meadow Park than the visit of our Cumbrian friends.
“It will give us another barometer of just how far we’ve come over the last few years.”
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