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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