And that despite a horrible run of fixtures, time-wise: from Eindhoven to the Bernabeu to a Tuesday night to Valencia at the weekend, where Madrid and Barcelona both dropped points.
England's full fixtures (times and coverage details subject to change).
The problem is compounded by the glut of fixtures, the time spent on the road and the lack of coaching time in between.
There will be just two derby fixtures this time but organisers have retained the blockbusting game between Leeds and Wigan, a repeat of the 2015 Grand Final, to bring down the curtain on day one.
Rugby Union: Bordeaux-Begles v Ulster 12.30pm, Sky Sports 3 More Champions Cup action from the opening round of fixtures, this time from Stade Chaban-Delmas (Kick-off 1pm).
Certainly the NFL's aim of becoming the UK's third biggest sport is not overly outlandish but the steady approach – more British fixtures over time, coupled with a first game somewhere like Berlin – may be the more sensible play before a full-blown London franchise gets the go-ahead.
Last season Wasps attracted 60,000 to this fixture; this time the attendance was less than 40,000.
Presumably, if such guidelines can be made a fixture over time, this would carry over to the next administration and other administrations thereafter.
Michael Laudrup's side have conceded the opening goal in their Premier League fixtures 14 times this season, only opponents Fulham have conceded more with 15.
But despite these good omens, it is far from clear that PET scanners will become a medical fixture any time soon.
FEATURING 67 animated elves, more than 50,000 lights and Burl Ives's recorded voice singing "Winter Wonderland," Helen Duffy's yard extravaganza is a neighborhood fixture this time of year.
