Celtic unhappy as title defense start pushed back due to concerts and Commonwealth Games

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — A combination of Calvin Harris concerts and Commonwealth Games events are forcing Celtic to play the opening game of its Scottish Premiership title defense on a Monday night, a situation the club has described as “disappointing.”

Instead of being played on the previous Saturday or Sunday, Celtic’s home meeting with Dundee has been pushed back to Monday Aug. 3.

“We have been told that there is no choice owing to Police Scotland being unable to support the fixture on a weekend which coincides with other events,” Celtic said.

That weekend there were gigs by DJ Calvin Harris elsewhere in Glasgow as well as track cycling at the Commonwealth Games in a velodrome across from Celtic’s stadium.

When Celtic is the league champion, the club calls its first match of the following season “Champions Flag Day” because a flag is raised in the middle of the field to cheers from fans.

“Clearly, our priority will always be our supporters and, against any measure, staging the Champions Flag Day on a Monday evening is disappointing,” Celtic said.

“We have made repeated representations to Police Scotland and to the SPFL to avoid this scheduling.”

The club added it felt “strongly that a weekend timing should have been facilitated in the interests of both teams, both sets of supporters and the status of the fixture.”

Celtic beat Hearts to the title in extraordinary circumstances at the end of last season.

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