Rangers face new Saturday night reality as three November fixtures move

Rangers supporters are set to become accustomed to more unusual kickoff times this season after three of the club’s November fixtures were rearranged for television.

The Ibrox side have seen their schedule altered with St Mirren away, Motherwell away and Aberdeen at home all handed new start times.

Derek McInnes’ side have enjoyed a significant improvement in league form following their difficult beginning to the campaign.

Rangers have now won five consecutive Premiership matches, including a 1-0 victory away to Celtic, leaving them just two points behind their city rivals at the top of the table.

With the title race beginning to take shape, Rangers’ domestic fixtures are attracting greater television interest, particularly with the two Glasgow clubs currently separated by such a small margin.

Three Rangers fixtures moved in November

Rangers confirmed that three of their matches in November will now begin at 8pm.

The first change comes against St Mirren, with the trip to Paisley now scheduled for 8pm on Saturday, November 7.

Their away meeting with Motherwell has also been moved to 8pm on Saturday, November 21.

Four days later, Rangers will host Aberdeen at Ibrox, with that fixture now kicking off at 8pm on Tuesday, November 24.

All three matches are set to be shown live on Sky Sports.

The two Saturday evening kickoffs are particularly notable, given that Scottish Premiership matches are traditionally associated with earlier Saturday starts.

Why Rangers are getting more Saturday night fixtures

There is a straightforward reason behind the changes.

Rangers do not have European football to contend with this season, meaning they have far greater flexibility in their domestic schedule.

The club’s failure to secure European group-stage football followed their disappointing qualifying campaign and also means there will be no requirement to play Thursday night matches before returning to Premiership action at the weekend.

That gives broadcasters more opportunities to select Rangers fixtures for Saturday coverage.

The traditional 3pm Saturday slot cannot be televised in the UK, while the 5.30pm window is generally occupied by Premier League coverage.

That leaves the later Saturday evening slot as an obvious alternative for selected Scottish Premiership fixtures.

As a result, Rangers will now feature in two 8pm Saturday matches during November.

Rangers fans face a new matchday routine

The changes have received a mixed reaction among supporters.

For some fans, an 8pm Saturday kickoff offers the opportunity to enjoy a full day before heading to the game, while others would prefer Rangers’ matches to retain a more traditional afternoon start.

Either way, the lack of European football has altered the rhythm of Rangers’ season.

With no Thursday-Sunday schedule to accommodate, more of their Premiership fixtures can be moved into television-friendly slots.

And if the title race continues to remain close, Rangers supporters may have to get used to seeing more of their team’s matches moved around as the season progresses.