More Money Than Sense
So hands up if you think the Premier League is a greedy, money grabbing organisation merely concerned with making as much cash as possible for its clubs with little or no regard for the vitality of the national sport and, in particular, its national team.
I have absolutely no idea how many of you raised your hand, simply nodded in agreement or completely ignored my opening statement, but I bet the majority of you share my belief that the Premier League is motivated by money and, well, that’s about it.
Why on earth else would the 20 top flight clubs have agreed this week to the ridiculous idea of playing one game a season abroad to widen the appeal of the Premier League?�
When they say abroad, I should point out that they don’t mean a little jaunt across the North Sea mid-season. No, what they mean is a long haul flight to Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand, Shanghai, New York or any other country which pays money to have Premier League games shown on television.
Hell, why we’re at it, why not pop over to Sydney or Auckland, they like their soccer Down Under as well you know and what harm can a 23-hour flight possibly do? God, these footballers are always moaning, they’ll fly First Class and they’re only be sitting down, it’ll be easier than a training session.
You know those cartoon characters who see an open bank safe and get pound signs flashing in their eyes before they end up being squashed by a falling piano as they dash to collect their cash? (Look I’m sure I saw that happen in a Daffy Duck cartoon once!)
Well that is how I imagine the head honchos at the Premier League, returning from an expensive, expenses paid lunch to work out new and ingenious ways to make even more money for themselves and their fellow football suits.
No wonder so many foreign businessmen have been so keen to buy into a football club (and let’s not forget Newcastle’s new owner Mike Ashley either). This idea has probably been festering for ages, a little note on the agenda for months under the title. “Exporting Premier League Football To All Four Corners of the Globe To Make Lots Of Money Even If It Makes No Football Sense.�
Alright, I admit, it could have done with a snappier title, but you could always use EPLFTAFCOTGTMLOMEIIMNFS as an abbreviation.
So, in theory, every Premier League club will play one game a season abroad, with the fixtures decided like a cup draw. Interesting idea I admit, but not exactly one for the travelling fan is it. I mean, a trip to Portsmouth the weekend between Christmas and New Year (as Middlesbrough recently suffered) will be nothing compared to a game in Melbourne on Boxing Day.
You may scoff and say I’m just being silly to suggest such a date for a game, but no bigger crowd is guaranteed in Australia than a sporting event on Boxing Day. Just think of the cash, after all, that’s what the Premier League will be doing!
The television companies don’t care about the fans who actually go to games, they are only really interested in those who stay at home and watch them on television because they pay the subscription fees and bring in the advertisers.
By taking Premier League games abroad, they will get lots of viewers for each game from England and they will make the brand - that’s marketing speech - more recognised in the countries they visit, which means more people are interested and more people watch foreign television coverage which means they can charge foreign television companies more for the rights. Then there are the add on benefits to the price of sponsorship deals etc etc.
You can see their little minds working. If the New York Giants can take on the Miami Dolphins in American Football at Wembley, why can’t Bolton Wanderers take on Everton in Kuala Lumpur in October?
There is no reason they can’t when the idea is put down on paper, but I’d like to raise a few issues if I may. Each team will play one team abroad every season, taking the number of games in a season to 39. That means, while the league has always been built on the fair principle of playing each team home and away, you will now have to play one team three times and the rest twice.
Fine, in theory, but what does it do to promotion and relegation matters? What if Manchester United are drawn to play Liverpool in China (a good money spinner after all!) and Arsenal get far easier opponents like Wigan?
And then there are the logistics. The games will have to be scattered across the season, but can you imagine, as I mentioned earlier, having to fly to Australia over the already busy Christmas period?
As for the drain on the players, physically and mentally, of an extra game and two long haul flights and the obvious effect this will have on the national team if we qualify for a major tournament..... that is given about as much consideration as the interests of the fans who support their local club!
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Luke Edwards - is Chief Sports Writer of The Journal and uses his blog to give a unique and entertaining insight into events at Newcastle United and Sunderland.
I really hope this doesn't come true, it will ruin the PL, heres a scenario you didn't mention Luke was say look at this seasons relegation battle and the foreign game is at the end of the season with lets say sunderland, wigan and fulham in 17th, 18th and 19th respectively, with 3 points between them and wigan gets derby, fulham gets boro and sunderland gets arsenal, not exactly fair compared to playing each team home and away, the games broken enough with dodgy refereeing and irregular kick off times without adding needless games. Heres an idea though, how about staging the League Cup final abroad? We already have the FA cup final at wembley, and the playing teams fans barely get a ticket allocation anyway but is still a big enough deal to attract more of a crowd than a friendly. The clever-dumb balance seems to have been restored with the PL with the 7-sub idea coming in next season, what do you think of that?
Note From Luke
I have no problem at all with the seven sub idea, it's just the other stupid ones the suits come up with to pocket more money for themselves!
Hi Luke
Excellent article in the Journal this morning.
As someone who attends ALL NUFC games, it is gratifying to hear someone speak on behalf of the travelling fan.
For once I agree with every word you say !
Joe Trotter.
Note From Luke
For once, surely you must have agreed with everything I say more than once! Glad you liked the article Joe, I enjoyed writing it, maybe because I was so annoyed when I had to listen to that idiot Richard Scudamore trying to justify the idea on television
Luke – I’d like to hope that Richard Scudamore has just had his Ratners moment insofar as he’s made a public statement so ill advised that in time we’ll all look back and laugh at how he got it so wrong. For years when kids mess thing ups the way kids do parents will look and say to each other….ahh look little Johnny’s just done a Scudamore…..bless.
Despite this hope in reality I’m resigned to the sickening fact that it will surely happen. The signs are there. Salivating Chairmen are already lining up to welcome the cash cow with open arms. I note with surprise that Niall Quinn, man of the people, is helping lead the charge. I can’t help but think that Mike Ashley has a golden opportunity to score a massive PR win here by going against the crowd but quite frankly I doubt it will happen.
I do wonder how these Chairmen can be so out of touch with their customer but of course we’re not the customers that matter. In an age where all Premier League clubs can make a profit without even opening the doors, the fans are marginalised.
So I fear that doing a Scudamore won’t mean an innocent ill advised mistake. Unfortunately Little Johnny will have done a Scudamore when he smacks the smaller kid in the face, takes all his pocket money and stamps on his lunchbox.
Note From Luke
Very true David, very true. Although, having had the night to think about it, I could do with a trip to Tokyo in January. I mean, we journos would have to travel as well to cover the games wouldn't we?! I am joking of course! We'd probably have to stay at home and watch it on television like everyone else!
Well Luke, my hand is up.
The amount of faults and issue’s this raises is phenomenal, the whole idea, whilst not unworkable, still stinks!
Whilst we will shell out £45 to see Newcastle United play Arsenal at St James’ Park, how much will those ‘long standing Newcastle fanatics’ going to pay in Kuwait? ‘I’ll give you three beans and a sow for a ticket mate?’
Over in the middle-east, the yearly wage for mere mortals like us is probably what we get in a week (And what Mr Owen gets in ten minutes)
What we SHOULD be doing is SLASHING Tv coverage and thus slashing revenue into the game, that’s what will make the game better for us plebs watching it.
Alright it’s fantasy time- Picture a time, when the wage for a top-flight footballer is £5.000 a week, Sky subscriptions are £10 a month, to get into St James’ Park on a Saturday afternoon costs a whopping £15, replica shirts cost £10, Ian Wright isn’t an annoying little prat etc, etc, etc.
Right now lets snap back to present day- Wages for top-flight footballers are £100k a week, Sky subscriptions are £45 a month, it costs £25-£60 to watch a match, Toon tops cost £35, and oh yes, Ian Wright IS a prat.
Like ripples on a pond, footballers are brought into the real world (Of sorts) the public don’t feel fleeced, more money is in our wallets, grounds up and down the land are full up with singing jolly nutcases roaring their team on to success- And Ian Wright is finally hoyyed off the Beeb for being a prat.
You could say, sort out football and we sort out society, the economy, families wouldn’t be under such strains as to whether to watch a match at the weekend or pay the electric bill.
Fine, I know I’ve drifted from the subject matter, but it’s all relevant, but really will there be a clamour for tickets in the Arab countries to see Sunderland take on Wigan? Even Sunderland and Wigan fans think twice about it.
My point being that the ‘Brand’ needs to be diluted for the game to actually survive, this wonderful game we love so much is dying on it’s proverbial arse and it needs resuscitating -and quick. Too much is going out of the game and not much of what we want (Entertainment) is staying in it. Yes the ‘brand’ is thriving, but were still seeing half-empty Ewood park’s and JJB stadiums every week, so it can’t be in that great a shape.
The game needs to evolve, the only way is to slash the revenue, it seems an easy and well-trotted out comment from us fans, every week we stand against a bar, pint in hand shouting ‘Bloody overpaid tosspots, sack the lot, reduce the wages, then we will see the men from the boys’ yet every week we go back for more of the same.
Ok, what I’m suggesting is completely utopian and idealistic, but it WILL happen, maybe not to a degree where wages for the Owens and Ronaldos are as low as £1.000 a week, but things have to snap back at some point, because the game can’t go on forever the way it is, after all it’s more likely than players banking 1 million pound a week in future, surely we the supporters can’t allow that to happen. It’s completely unsustainable.
So that’s it, everybody chuck Sky in, stop going to matches, stop buying the replica shirts and we will all benefit in future.
I’ve always thought the British public are a spineless bunch, always complaining and bitching on about what’s wrong about things, but not willing to do something about it.
Now’s your chance British public, it’s revolution time.
Time for change I think, and maybe we can finally get rid of Ian Wright once and for all.
Paul.
Note From Luke
My brother knows Ian Wright quite well, but yes, I also think think he's a bit of a prat! As for the strength of the PL, it is a myth, I don't think it's is healthy to have four teams winning every competition each year. It has become boring and predictable and fans will start voting with their feets sooner rather than later. I'm not talking about Newcastle or Sunderland as such, rather the likes of Bolton, Wigan, Birmingham, Derby, Blackburn and Fulham. Even teams like Villa and Man City haven't sold out their stadiums every week and they're having, by recent standards, a successful season. The suits just ignore it all though because they are too busy congratulating themselves on the size of the last television deal, which has helped lead to the empty seats in the first place!
Far be it for me to spring to the defence of our over paid players but I’m concerned that the impact on them has not been fully considered.
Quite rightly the Premier League made caring sharing noises after the terrible loss of Phil O’Donnell only a few short weeks ago. I can’t quite reconcile how this view sits with a proposal to drag them half way around the world for two games in 48 hours over the Christmas period.
In short I’m disgusted by the prospect. As money is clearly the driver here I have a suggestion for Mr Scudamore. To save first class travel costs he could invest in some drums. Club Chairmen could then beat out a rhythm whilst the players row across the seas. A sponsorship deal with drum manufacturer surely beckons.
My reaction on seeing this on the TV was the same...but it's been done fairly successfully in Rugby League. Ok, it's more of a development sport, but playing in the South of France has been a great weekend away for a lot of fans. New York is only a couple of more hours away.
It all depends how it's done, whether we hear more whingeing about how a hard life it is.....playing football and earning silly money for a living....
On a slightly related theme, I really think football has to think about the quality of the product - not just the revenue from it. KK is bringing that back to Newcastle, but how many dreary defensive displays are there every week in the Premiership? Long term, football has to think of the quality, trying some things, and thinking of the fans - or a long term decline like the hushed up falling attendences will continue.
Note From Luke
Hushed up is the right word for it as well Barry. It's on the increased attendances from clubs like Man Utd and Arsenal which are keeping the picture rosy. Even Sunderland's return has helped because they are getting more than 40,000 compared to say Watford, who got 20,000
First Down and twenty easy payments required to follow your team! Hut, Hut!
Second and Five, Yes you can just see it, Rangers vs. Celtic live from some bloody war zone sponsored by the American Arms Inc. but somehow it’s not going to be Wigan vs. Reading on a rainy winter’s night in Vladivostok sponsored by odour eaters! If it happens it will be the existing global names which are pitched around, creating an even more insurmountable financial gap, and then it’ll be a world club league made for TV from the biggest clubs with the most prominent global appeal!
Third and two on the twenty-five, and another brilliantly daft idea snaffled from the USA! Just because their (made for TV) gridiron game wants to become globalises and their governing bodies think that they have hit upon a winner by moving it abroad, then it stands to reason that the concept will work in reverse with ‘soccer!’ What next ‘four quarters’ in order to stick even more advertising in the breaks?
He’s gone for a field goal...missed!
Note From Luke
It seems to me nobody is even looking at the long term impact of such a concept, it's just, oh yes, that will mean more money, great! Who on earth, in whatever country, is going to be pay a fortune to watch Fulham vs Wigan?
The worst part of a terrible idea is the suggestion of seeding the draw for the 39th game so the top five can't be drawn against each other to play in Winnipeg/Seattle/Bang Kok/Atlantis/Planet Mongo. It utterly defies the point of the league in the first place.
The riches of the premier league has done nothing but make everyone bar the top 4 petrified of relegation and the therefore the loss of money. So they stick 10 men behind the ball to contain the opposition and hope to nick a goal, thus ruining the spectacle anyway. Who would want to see Newcastle in a scrappy nil all draw with Bolton in California? Of course, the concept of a draw is unusual in the US, so why not penalty shoot outs? Would US TV networks show the game live if there was no ad breaks in each 45 minute half? Lets split the game into quarters. This idea gets worse and worse the more I think about it. Why not just go the whole hog and fix the results and patterns of play to get more paying customers a la The Harlem Globetrotters or Pro Wrestling? The whole thing is utterly disgusting and yet probably inevitable.
Note From Luke
One thing is for certain, you can bet the fans won't be asked what they think about it. Not in this country anyway!
Am I being too cynical to suggest that the majority of overseas fans appear to support Man Utd when it comes to English football. Any team playing Man Utd will therefore be playing in a stadium full of Man Utd fans - equal to home advantage for them!
Games between less popular clubs won't be so attractive to the neutral fan and could be played in less than full stadiums and with little atmosphere. If the points gained are to be of value in the Premier league and potentially very critical to final placings, surely the teams will want as many of their own supporters behind them as they can possibly get.
Note From Luke
Did you see the suggestion that clubs would pay for loyal fans to fly out and attend the games? Yeah right, as if that's ever going to happen. that would eat into their profits. Charging loyal fans to fly on official club trips, that will be the way forward.
Very valid points but I have to say I would like to see a live EPL game come to Toronto, it would be a dream come true and would definetly widen the appeal of football it should happen with other top European leagues such as Serie A too. Give it a chance if it does not work you cancel the program, I believe if done right it could benefit the teams that have low attendance and are not making money remember agian if done right the money is not comming from ticket sales but mainly agreements/contracts with the counties that have the money to shell out to have an EPL played in thier soil.
Note From Luke
I would be interesting to hear from me foreign fans of Premier League clubs to see what they think about his new proposal.
I know this plan seems mad, but is it really that foolish and will it really cause all that much disruption? If the extra game is played in January in the middle of a two week break (or three weekends) then I don't really see that it is too much of a problem. If we introduced a winter break, most clubs would take the squad on a warm weather training camp anyway. Why not just play a game out there as well and make £5m in the process.
It is taking the game even further away from its traditional roots and I can't imagine many fans will travel to Beijing or Tokyo to watch the match, but it's just one game. I think the whole thing has beenb blown out of all proportion because it was announced in such an ad-hoc way allowing people, including you Luke, to speculate about what it will mean.
Never mind this subject, Luke. Reading your article on Newcastle's problems this morning, the inference is already there that you, the northern press, are trying to cause problems for the new manager and the club. Anyone who knows anything about football understands the pressure of the situation we find ourselves in. What is not required are troublesome articles from journalists like yourself that will start to influence the inherently impatient and negative fans among us.
Note From Luke
I don't think my article (match report) is overly negative,. I think it sums up the situation at Newcastle at this time. Three points from 27 is relegation form and players like Steven Taylor saying they are not even thinking about relegation is buying your head in the sand. There are too many under-performing players in the squad and they were the target for my criticism, rather than the manager.
Ill let others judge what they think, however. Just follow this link and it should take you to the match report
http://www.journallive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2008/02/11/magpies-plight-is-plain-for-all-to-see-61634-20460109/
Scumdamore's pathetic excuse for this is to keep the Premier League together! He claims that if all clubs don't go along with it, 4 or 5 will do it anyway. Well, good, off you go! Let them go and have an end of season play off for the Champions League places, lets see how Man U's Salford fans react to them being put second to their Hong Kong branch. So some clubs might lose some revenue - but when will enough ever be enough? Funny isn't it that the Premier League is actually jointly owned & controlled by these 4 or 5 clubs, but would they really kill the goose laying golden eggs? Of course not. Scumdamore is on a huge bonus for increasing PL revenues by whatever means possible - but he won't be around to suffer the decline in revenue once they have driven the true fan away from the game. Mike Ashley and Chris Mort - just say No!
re the argument that NFL played a game at Wembley means that we have to do likewise to compete - the NFL game was ONE game involving two teams in a game which was part of the fixture list. The thought of moving all of the NFL games for one week - or adding an additional game to distort the outcome of the league - was never on the cards. There is no relegation in the USA! If two clubs want to go and play a normal Premier League game in Kowloon let them do it, and suffer their own abuse/riches for doing so. But don't try to drag the rest of us into your murky plans. I suppose for the purpose clubs will change their names for the weekend - Liverpool Scallies, Arsenal Bandits, Chelsea Clintons.
Yawn!..Typical journo/fan doom mongering in relation to ANYTHING new!..Get a Grip guys, it's not the end of the world...Things change & if they don't, certain teams will wander off on their own...DER!..Try & see the full picture!..& why the obsession with footballers wages, no-one says anything about pop stars, film stars etc. Footballers are working class guys with a limited shelf-life, etc, etc...The word jealousy springs to mind!..GROW UP!..
Note From Luke
Alright Clint, put your handbag away! I'm not against change, I'm just against change which, in my opinion, is detrimental to the long term health of the game. Do you think giving the Big Four one game abroad will satisfy them? If they want to break away they will do so anyway, this might just make it easier for them. However, the G14 Group has just disbanded, which means the threat of a European Super League has lessened considerably, which seems to go against Scudamore's warning that the PL needs to do this or else. No other sport in the world has proposed this sort of idea before, it's new ground, but the argument that the Spanish or Italian leagues will do it if we don't is flawed as well as they don't have the same gloval fan base as we have and are not popular in English-speaking countires like South Africa, Australia and, crucially, the USA. Let's be honest, this is a device to make more money for the clubs and the people who run them and nothing else. That's not doom mongering, it's just an honest appraisal of the situation. If you're happy to go along with it, fine, but I have severe reservations about it.