Premier League clubs embroiled in £1bn TV cash row in biggest threat to unity since the division's inception

[davieG]

4 minutes ago, yorkie1999 said:

You can't really call yourself a top 6 premier league club if you've never actually won the thing though.

Top 6 = £££s nothing to do with football if it was we'd already have financial level playing field.

[Wymsey]

Not being funny, but can we consider ourselves as potentially a top-six club?

[davieG]

3 minutes ago, Wymeswold fox said:

Not being funny, but can we consider ourselves as potentially a top-six club?

Under the current financial structure no. Doesn't mean that in any given season someone outside the top 6 can't break through but I don't  believe it's sustainable. Not just financially either as the top 6 will always be more attractive to the best players from the rest as we've seen in recent seasons even if it means they don't get as many games. It also increased their international chances.

[Guest]

Maybe the time is right to let the big 5 +1 go. They can have 100% of the money from TV rights.

 

However the FA should then grow a pair and state that Those six are no longer in the FA and therefore there are no European places for them.

 

That should make things interesting.

[Nigel Graham Pearson]

19 minutes ago, Wymeswold fox said:

Not being funny, but can we consider ourselves as potentially a top-six club?

No. Even asking that question would be total insanity if it weren't for 15/16, but that's already a distant, hazy memory outside of the minds of LCFC fans. Normal service resumed frighteningly quickly last season when we were scrabbling around to stay in the league. This season is unlikely to be as bad as that, but we'll likely finish 10-15+ points away from the top six for years to come. With things as they are, and blue-tinted glasses off, what reason is there to think otherwise?

[gerrytaggart]

We will probably be top 6 in may 2018 so nowt to get your knickers in a twist about.

 

 

[Corky]

Even if we benefit from this somehow, I would be set against the principle of it. Who are we to say that West Brom, Southampton, Stoke who've all had longer current spells are less worthy of money than ourselves?

 

You can see why people are growing sick of the game.

[Guest]

Just buy a league instead of a team.

[kushiro]

Pride comes before a fall, they say. Any of the three clubs thinking 'look at us hanging out with the big boys' (us, Everton and West ham) could find themselves in a relegation scrap pretty soon. We could easily be 19th on Saturday night. 

 

Last time we had a similar temptation dangled before us we couldn't wait to jump in - the international champions cup. That turned out well, didn't it.

[Nalis]

Even looking at it from a soulless, corporate point of view, surely the whole unique selling point of the premier league is the competitiveness of the league as a whole in comparision with the difference between the top and bottom of the Spanish, French and German top flights?

 

You give the top 6 a monopoly then you create a greater gulf therefore ruining competitiveness leading to less interest internationally leading to reduced revenue for the premier league as a whole.

[Corky]

1 hour ago, Nalis said:

Even looking at it from a soulless, corporate point of view, surely the whole unique selling point of the premier league is the competitiveness of the league as a whole in comparision with the difference between the top and bottom of the Spanish, French and German top flights?

 

You give the top 6 a monopoly then you create a greater gulf therefore ruining competitiveness leading to less interest internationally leading to reduced revenue for the premier league as a whole.

The top teams don't want a competitive league, they want to win 3 to 4-0 most weeks and concentrate on the Champions League.

[Dan]

9 hours ago, KingsX said:

Dead on, Strider.  Just look at Ligue 1.  It is engineered so most of the TV Revenue goes to PSG, and as a result is an unbalanced and generally poor league, of little interest compared to those in England, Spain and Germany.  If the product is not interesting = and a degree of competitive balance is required for that = the pie will shrink.  Net result is that PSG is a little richer and the other clubs are much, much poorer.  Financially, the likes of OM are now tiddlers compared to their past standing, and a great Monaco side assembled via merit is quickly torn to shreds.

 

Analogue in the US is the Big 12, one of the 5 major college football conferences.  The University of Texas was the biggest team, decided it didn't want to share TV revenue, and pulled out to create its own network and monopolize the revenues "it" generated.  Two other strong teams pulled out to move to a major, revenue-sharing conference, the Big 12 quickly became a poor cousin, and now even Texas cannot draw many elite recruits.  The whole structure was weakened because of greed at the top.

 

This move bears the seeds of disaster.

Agree with this. The Premier League is definitely more level than the likes of La Liga and Ligue 1. It's one thing we have over those leagues. Why try and bleed the competition dry?

 

Surely executives or what not in Ligue 1 must sit there and think how can anyone be arsed by this, it's a total procession that PSG win the league. The odds get stacked so in favour of them that it degrades the achievement in my eyes.

[Dan]

8 hours ago, Wymeswold fox said:

Not being funny, but can we consider ourselves as potentially a top-six club?

Absolutely no chance. We weren't even regarded one when we'd won the fvcker. We've bodged it up since then to the extent that we're probably about par with Southampton.

 

Our target should be surpassing Everton. It's wide open as well as Everton are fvcking dreadful at the minute, but I can see a Southampton, West Brom or even a Watford pinching that Europa place.

[Dan]

6 hours ago, Nalis said:

Even looking at it from a soulless, corporate point of view, surely the whole unique selling point of the premier league is the competitiveness of the league as a whole in comparision with the difference between the top and bottom of the Spanish, French and German top flights?

 

You give the top 6 a monopoly then you create a greater gulf therefore ruining competitiveness leading to less interest internationally leading to reduced revenue for the premier league as a whole.

I think they're ultimately looking for an even bigger leg up before their super league is formed.

[trabuch]

6 minutes ago, Dan LCFC said:

Absolutely no chance. We weren't even regarded one when we'd won the fvcker. We've bodged it up since then to the extent that we're probably about par with Southampton.

 

Our target should be surpassing Everton. It's wide open as well as Everton are fvcking dreadful at the minute, but I can see a Southampton, West Brom or even a Watford pinching that Europa place.

I wish. 

[Dan]

5 minutes ago, trabuch said:

I wish. 

In terms of how we're perceived, I reckon, I'm judging it on say, both Leicester and Southampton go for a player, who would they choose? I think it'd be 50/50.

 

Although if you said who is likely to be higher in five years, at the minute I'd say definitely Southampton.

[mozartfox]

Recruitment/Academy and Scouting wise, Southampton are on a different planet to LCFC.  Ours in on par with a top 6 Division 1 Team.  Until this changes our aspirations need to be adjusted accordingly. 

[Guest]

8 hours ago, Dan LCFC said:

Agree with this. The Premier League is definitely more level than the likes of La Liga and Ligue 1. It's one thing we have over those leagues. Why try and bleed the competition dry?

 

Surely executives or what not in Ligue 1 must sit there and think how can anyone be arsed by this, it's a total procession that PSG win the league. The odds get stacked so in favour of them that it degrades the achievement in my eyes.

 

Here in France the conversation has already taken place regarding PSG. They are not going to be judged on league performance - nobody even conceives that they won't win the league. Their season stands or falls on their Champion's league performance.

[Staffs Fox]

Also what makes a 'top 6' club? It must just be based on last season then (didn't realise that was the cut off), I can't remember us kicking off that we didn't have enough TV money when we finished 1st!  

 

Seriously because it can't surely just be based on league position because this Europe Super League idea has been touted for 10 years or more, so say it happened in 2007/08, the top 6 would be Man United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and probably Everton and Aston Villa whilst we were playing Northampton away. Fast forward 10 years we've won the Premier League (whilst Liverpool and Spurs haven't), Man ****ing City are the richest club in the world and Villa are the division below Bournemouth playing Burton Albion in the league!

 

The point is you cannot draw a line in the sand and say 'these are the top 6' because aside from Liverpool and Man United (maybe include Arsenal) who are the biggest English clubs worldwide by a mile, the rest are just flavours of the month.   

[sylofox]

I've not read all this so if it's been said fair enough.

 

Give the big clubs all the money and make it like the spl or la liga.

 

Won't matter to us we'll just make them look all the more stupid next time we win it.

 

Really if these clubs want it let them fvck off to a world or European league.

[KingsX]

5 hours ago, Staffs Fox said:

Also what makes a 'top 6' club? It must just be based on last season then (didn't realise that was the cut off), I can't remember us kicking off that we didn't have enough TV money when we finished 1st!  

 

Seriously because it can't surely just be based on league position because this Europe Super League idea has been touted for 10 years or more, so say it happened in 2007/08, the top 6 would be Man United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and probably Everton and Aston Villa whilst we were playing Northampton away. Fast forward 10 years we've won the Premier League (whilst Liverpool and Spurs haven't), Man ****ing City are the richest club in the world and Villa are the division below Bournemouth playing Burton Albion in the league!

 

The point is you cannot draw a line in the sand and say 'these are the top 6' because aside from Liverpool and Man United (maybe include Arsenal) who are the biggest English clubs worldwide by a mile, the rest are just flavours of the month.   

For the purposes of this discussion, it is sustained revenue (money = power) and worldwide brand recognition.  Five PL clubs are far above the rest on those measures.  Spurs the last arriver, but apparently as keen to cement their place as the others.

 

We can subjectively argue “big clubs” citing history, fanbases, etc.  But I see nothing subjective about entry into the club behind this proposal.  It is the sum of TV revenue, winnings, gates and hospitality, ads on the stadium and shirt, and how many of those shirts you can sell all over the world.  It's a club of businesses, not teams.  That's why, if you check back in a decade, you will find that the members no longer change.  Especially not if they can help it.

 

These clubs are keen to create a closed, circular feedback loop, and priming it with money, to the maximum extent possible.  I submit that is their definition of a "top 6".

 

Ghastly that our club is reported to support it.

 

[The Doctor]

On 28 September 2017 at 21:04, Corky said:

The top teams don't want a competitive league, they want to win 3 to 4-0 most weeks and concentrate on the Champions League.

They might not, but they do want the money that is as big as it is because of the competitiveness of the divsion and resultant interest in it. This is wanting to eat their cake and still have it for later - can't be done.

[davieG]

Everton, West Ham and Leicester live TV meltdown is perfect justice

 

KARMA in football is a beautiful thing – especially that instant slice-you-to-shreds kind of karma.

 

By Harry Pratt / Published 25th October 2017

 

Firstly, the Foxes sack Craig Shakespeare in the wake of a spirited 1-1 home draw to West Brom in last week’s Monday Night Football.

Then ahead of Friday Night Football, Hammers co-owner David Sullivan states they will stick with constantly-under-fire Slaven Bilic for the season - unless the situation hits rock-bottom.

One can only imagine the barrel-load of trigger-pulling thoughts that followed the Londoners 3-0 thumping by Brighton a few hours later.

And to round off a remarkable week of top flight clubs in trouble on telly, Everton boss Ronald Koeman is fired after a Super Sunday 5-2 hiding from Arsenal.

What perfect poetic justice!

Seriously, could there be three English clubs currently more deserving of such public humiliation before the Premier League’s global armchair audience?

 

“How wonderful, then, it is to witness Leicester, West Ham and Everton reeling”

 

This trio, after all, is the same one named and shamed in this column three weeks ago – Amsterdam, Aguero and the filthy-rich elite in case you missed it.

Yep, that sneaky group willing to support the greedy Big Six’s bid to stuff their already-loaded pockets with a larger slice of the league’s booming worldwide TV revenues.

I know, you know, we all know, there can be no valid reason for anyone outside of United, City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs and Liverpool voting against the EPL’s socialist charter of equal television cash for all.

Unless, of course, you think yourself superior and better than the rest of your sometime top-eight, often mid-table, occasionally relegation-haunted rivals.

And that sucking up to Premier League royalty now might be of benefit at a later date… should this money dispute erupt into civil war.

As of Tuesday just gone, the matter has been shelved because the other 11 clubs refused to stoop to similar back-stabbing depths.

It will return, though, and, when it does, we must pray the decent majority stay true to their principles.

 

Who knows? By then even these deluded owners of West Ham, Everton and Leicester might recognise the despicable errors of their ways.

That’s if they are still in the league and have a say on anything!

In the meantime, we can continue to watch these car-crash clubs unravel from the comfort of our living room.

Tonight on Sky Sports Football, Bilic’s Hammers travel to Spurs in the EFL Cup – the first of two games, say Sky Sports News sources, which will make or break the likeable Croat.

Then on Super Sunday, 4pm, this most ironic, what-comes-around-goes-around mini series comes to a bizarre headless conclusion as Leicester host Everton.

Proof, if still required, that karma is everywhere - doing exactly what it says on the tin!

[Babylon]

Pratt by name....

[NZ_Foxile]

14 minutes ago, davieG said:

Everton, West Ham and Leicester live TV meltdown is perfect justice

 

KARMA in football is a beautiful thing – especially that instant slice-you-to-shreds kind of karma.

 

By Harry Pratt / Published 25th October 2017

 

Firstly, the Foxes sack Craig Shakespeare in the wake of a spirited 1-1 home draw to West Brom in last week’s Monday Night Football.

Then ahead of Friday Night Football, Hammers co-owner David Sullivan states they will stick with constantly-under-fire Slaven Bilic for the season - unless the situation hits rock-bottom.

One can only imagine the barrel-load of trigger-pulling thoughts that followed the Londoners 3-0 thumping by Brighton a few hours later.

And to round off a remarkable week of top flight clubs in trouble on telly, Everton boss Ronald Koeman is fired after a Super Sunday 5-2 hiding from Arsenal.

What perfect poetic justice!

Seriously, could there be three English clubs currently more deserving of such public humiliation before the Premier League’s global armchair audience?

 

“How wonderful, then, it is to witness Leicester, West Ham and Everton reeling”

 

This trio, after all, is the same one named and shamed in this column three weeks ago – Amsterdam, Aguero and the filthy-rich elite in case you missed it.

Yep, that sneaky group willing to support the greedy Big Six’s bid to stuff their already-loaded pockets with a larger slice of the league’s booming worldwide TV revenues.

I know, you know, we all know, there can be no valid reason for anyone outside of United, City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs and Liverpool voting against the EPL’s socialist charter of equal television cash for all.

Unless, of course, you think yourself superior and better than the rest of your sometime top-eight, often mid-table, occasionally relegation-haunted rivals.

And that sucking up to Premier League royalty now might be of benefit at a later date… should this money dispute erupt into civil war.

As of Tuesday just gone, the matter has been shelved because the other 11 clubs refused to stoop to similar back-stabbing depths.

It will return, though, and, when it does, we must pray the decent majority stay true to their principles.

 

Who knows? By then even these deluded owners of West Ham, Everton and Leicester might recognise the despicable errors of their ways.

That’s if they are still in the league and have a say on anything!

In the meantime, we can continue to watch these car-crash clubs unravel from the comfort of our living room.

Tonight on Sky Sports Football, Bilic’s Hammers travel to Spurs in the EFL Cup – the first of two games, say Sky Sports News sources, which will make or break the likeable Croat.

Then on Super Sunday, 4pm, this most ironic, what-comes-around-goes-around mini series comes to a bizarre headless conclusion as Leicester host Everton.

Proof, if still required, that karma is everywhere - doing exactly what it says on the tin!

These media pundits really do have it in for us, don't they? Tw@ts. (Not that I agree with the club supporting these proposals)