What do you check the fixture against?

[Mantis]

Reading through the fixture thread you notice that quite a few posters are either happy or sad about the clashes with other events the fixture causes.

I was a manager of a golf pennant team this year (and will probably do so again next year) so first thing I do when the fixture comes out is check for clashes between the 2.... Pennant golf is played on Sundays thru March - mid May so I have already noticed that there is a clash in rds 1 & 2 and perhaps a couple more which is disappointing.

So what do you check it against and where do your priorities lie? ie. do Bulldogs games take priority over family birthdays, etc...

[Topdog]

In the past I have checked it for interstate trips during my 4 day weekends (had every 2nd Mon and Tues off) but that is gone now so the only thing I check is the wifes birthday.

[bornadog]

My daughter competes in flat water kayaking events, which are normally on a Sunday and mostly morning, but can run into the afternoon to 2pm. 2010 there were no clashes, but in 2009 there were, so I had to rush to the game.

The first thing I do with the fixture is put into our family diary all the dates so my wife doesn't book us into anything like catchups with people etc.

[aker39]

1st thing I check is how many of our games are on at the same time as Geelong games. My wife goes to all Geelong games and we haven't taken our daughter to games in the past, so some one has to miss their game. My wifes family have had the same seats in the brownlow stand for over 20 years, so don't have a seat for my daughter.

We only clash twice in 2011, so it's not too big of a problem and anyhow I will probably take my daughter this year. May convince her follow her brother and become a dog.

[Desipura]

I dont really check it againt much other than say Mothers Day. One of my kids birthdays is August 29, we play Hawthorn on Saturday (will suggest we have the birthday on the Sunday, plus it is only a day before her birthday. ;)
My sons birthday is in Feb and my wifes is in January so thats cool.

[Daughter of the West]

I had a rather awkward situation a few years ago at my 21st. My dad's family are all mad Bulldogs, and my mum's family are mad Dees, and turned out that they were playing, each other, that Saturday night (which was my actual birthday). So half the party was standing around the only (small) TV in the venue watching AND WE LOST!!! Crap birthday present for me, and my two Demon uncles got to lord it over all my dad's family (of which there are substantially more people).

[Throughandthrough]

a: Games at AAMI (one, again)
b: Games at SUBI vs work roster (will get to the Weagles game

[Murphy'sLore]

Kids' birthdays -- one in June, one in July. Didn't plan that too well. Better half is in August and me in September - finals time. Sometimes a very happy birthday, sometimes not so much.

[Bulldog4life]

Birthdays aren't a worry as everyone in our household have seen the light and barrack for the Doggies. It is the last minute things that we are invited to that seem the most troublesome.

[Doc26]

Not much other than our inequity to Collingwood's fixture. The only events that tend to get in the way are the odd funeral or marriage that I can't find a decent excuse to get out of or my own state of mind. I'm now accepted by family and friends as a complete narcissist.

[DOG GOD]

First thing i do is to work out my weekends that i have to work. B'days, weddings etc etc mean nothing cause anyone that knows me, knows i wouldnt be going if the dogs were playing, so they dont ask :)

rds 3,18 and possibly 24 are the only ones i will be missing watching live.

[LostDoggy]

Usually just a perfunctory look, but a range of stuff -- when I bother to keep up with the competitive sports or punish myself with coaching I have to check it against our fixtures, missed more Dogs games for soccer and tennis than I care to count over the years.

The last few years have involved a lot of work-related travel, often to places with little to no internet coverage, so I pass an eye over my travel schedule.

My membership is more like a donation these days with the number of games I miss.

[FrediKanoute]

Me, I only really look at the fixture if I am coming to Melbourne for any reason. Like Lantern my membership is a donation and an insurance policy.....I think for at least the last five years there has been an empty reserved seat somewhere at Etihad with my name on it!

[The Coon Dog]

My son plays footy on Sunday's in the WRFL. Fortunately playing Under 14's he starts at 10.20am & is generally finished by 12.10pm.

[BulldogBelle]

Junior Footy for my kids. All Sundays in Gippsland.

[Twodogs]

Nothing. I'm a selfish bastard and it's all about me.

[LostDoggy]

Nothing. I'm a selfish bastard and it's all about me.

I like your thinking.

[hujsh]

My son plays footy on Sunday's in the WRFL. Fortunately playing Under 14's he starts at 10.20am & is generally finished by 12.10pm.

Under 16s will hurt with the late starting Sunday games. Lucky, if he keeps playing, under 18s is almost perfect for seeing every game and if he's still at Centrals he can get a lift in the car pool if need be. Then if he plays reserves or seniors he can drive himself around and it's all good.

[The Underdog]

Work. My work involves a lot of Friday night's and weekends so there's inevitably clashes, fortunately I roster my department so I can avoid some, but other times there isn't really a choice.
Probably time I got one of those Monday - Friday, 9-5 jobs I've heard about.

[Twodogs]

Probably time I got one of those Monday - Friday, 9-5 jobs I've heard about.

Nah. They are severely overrated

[strebla]

Same as the underdog I am a shiftworker so there are always clashes but there is always a swap in shifts for me when i get desperate

[The Underdog]

Nah. They are severely overrated

Work's severely overrated in my opinion.

[LostDoggy]

I check it against Melbourne Storms fixture, but as they only announce what day & time Storm games are 6 weeks in advance, I have to wait to see if there are any clashes. I usually cloose go to Bulldogs home games over Storm games as I pay more to go to the footy with my reserved seat. Will pick Storm home games over Bulldog away games though. I also check if any of our interstate games coincide with Storm interstate games & see if I can make a big footy/rugby league weekend out of it!! :)

[LostDoggy]

I check clashes with my footy matches.
Sadly, they are on Saturday arvos, so looks like i'll miss out on about a third of the matches we have :(