Football in it's current version

[Daggers]

2 hours ago, Wymsey said:

There was talk about them apparently being open to it, and some lower league English clubs also perhaps playing against lower level Scottish clubs.

 

It doesn't sound right really, does it?

It sounds like something you’ve made up.

 

What do you think would be the reaction of every club, every player, every owner, every fan in the pyramid that strives season in, season out to be promoted through the levels - only for a pair of clubs no one gives a shit about to be parachuted in?

 

It’s absolute fictional bollocks.

[aussie-fox]

People in 90s were whinging that the game had gone. In 20 years time we'll be missing these days. 

[grobyfox1990]

25 minutes ago, aussie-fox said:

People in 90s were whinging that the game had gone. In 20 years time we'll be missing these days. 

In 20 years time people 20 years younger than today's current crop of people who have suddenly realised their best days are well past them will be saying the game's gone. That's how life works. 

[Wymsey]

1 hour ago, Daggers said:

It sounds like something you’ve made up.

 

What do you think would be the reaction of every club, every player, every owner, every fan in the pyramid that strives season in, season out to be promoted through the levels - only for a pair of clubs no one gives a shit about to be parachuted in?

 

It’s absolute fictional bollocks.

https://www.offtheball.com/soccer/premier-league-celtic-rangers-1183733

 

[Daggers]

13 minutes ago, Wymsey said:

https://www.offtheball.com/soccer/premier-league-celtic-rangers-1183733

 

"It sounds like"

[Samilktray]

43 minutes ago, Wymsey said:

https://www.offtheball.com/soccer/premier-league-celtic-rangers-1183733

 

Great source 

[Kitchandro]

I’d add that in the 90s stadiums were more varied / unique, visually interesting and atmospheric. Kits were more creative and artistic (took artistic risks even), tickets were cheaper and footballers weren’t as rich so they weren’t quite as detached from the average man. You could still probably see Leicester players at the local, and in the 70s my grandparents were actually acquainted with Leicester players and went to bars with them. Now there is no doubt that you have no shared experiences with these people that represent the club, and no reason to connect with them.

 

I’m sure some people will say that there are things that are much better now, like the quality of the football (personally I find it quite boring and if there is more skill it hasn’t equated to being more wondrous or entertaining) but I think the bad things outweigh the positive changes.

 

If you look at attendances and scorelines you could argue the 50s were even better, but certainly I think football is at its very lowest ebb, it’s basically dead with no tangible or even perceived link with local communities as people cotton on to the fact they are customers with absolutely no say in anything now most profits are from TV money and not ticket sales.

Edited 2 October 2024 by Kitchandro

[smudgerfox]

Viewing figures for football are down which is why the TV companies demand more for their money each time. The overall contract value always goes up, but the price per match is falling. 
 

Theres too much of it and too few matches carry any real jeopardy. The expansion and revamping of the Champions League is a case in point ..

 

The World Cup is being expanded (48 teams next time) , the bigger Euros has happened, as has the incomprehensible Nations League, a larger World Club Tournament is also in the way. 
 

The summer break has virtually disappeared amid alot of pointless football…

 

And the PL is too divorced from the Championship to create 20 competitive teams each season 

At one stage this summer Chelsea had NINE first team keepers…

[grobyfox1990]

48 minutes ago, smudgerfox said:

Viewing figures for football are down which is why the TV companies demand more for their money each time. The overall contract value always goes up, but the price per match is falling. 
 

Theres too much of it and too few matches carry any real jeopardy. The expansion and revamping of the Champions League is a case in point ..

 

The World Cup is being expanded (48 teams next time) , the bigger Euros has happened, as has the incomprehensible Nations League, a larger World Club Tournament is also in the way. 
 

The summer break has virtually disappeared amid alot of pointless football…

 

And the PL is too divorced from the Championship to create 20 competitive teams each season 

At one stage this summer Chelsea had NINE first team keepers…

Not true for the PL. It is now the most watched league in the world, another record year across all international markets and in the USA, just shy of 550m viewers. 59% of the total UK audience watched PL football last season. The overseas rights are going up to £6.7bn from season 25/26. 

Stadiums were 98.7% full last season.

I am friends with a sports lawyer who works with UEFA and PL contracts predominantly,  very interesting work if you're a fan. The popularity of the sport is booming hence all the extra matches and competitions. Don't confuse some ramblings on social media with reality.

[smudgerfox]

2 hours ago, grobyfox1990 said:

Not true for the PL. It is now the most watched league in the world, another record year across all international markets and in the USA, just shy of 550m viewers. 59% of the total UK audience watched PL football last season. The overseas rights are going up to £6.7bn from season 25/26. 

Stadiums were 98.7% full last season.

I am friends with a sports lawyer who works with UEFA and PL contracts predominantly,  very interesting work if you're a fan. The popularity of the sport is booming hence all the extra matches and competitions. Don't confuse some ramblings on social media with reality.

Of course the TV audience is growing worldwide. They’re selling more matches to more countries. But the audience per match?

Do you think PL fans in Hong Kong are quivering with excitement at the prospect of Luton v Sheff Utd or Ipswich v Southampton ?

[grobyfox1990]

20 minutes ago, smudgerfox said:

Of course the TV audience is growing worldwide. They’re selling more matches to more countries. But the audience per match?

Do you think PL fans in Hong Kong are quivering with excitement at the prospect of Luton v Sheff Utd or Ipswich v Southampton ?

All 380 PL matches are televised abroad. Because total audience has gone up, that means total audience per match has gone up.

Which are the new countries they are selling to? The PL has been televised in 212 territories since 2015.

Yes they are in answer to your second question as there's a huge offshore gambling market in HK.

[Tommy G]

8 minutes ago, grobyfox1990 said:

All 380 PL matches are televised abroad. Because total audience has gone up, that means total audience per match has gone up.

Which are the new countries they are selling to? The PL has been televised in 212 territories since 2015.

Yes they are in answer to your second question as there's a huge offshore gambling market in HK.

Everywhere, when a goal goes in at the KP next time have a look around, phones out of pockets and straight onto bet365, skybet etc altering bets, putting more bets on, cashing out. Gambling and football are so stitched together now it's like horse racing. 

[smudgerfox]

51 minutes ago, grobyfox1990 said:

All 380 PL matches are televised abroad. Because total audience has gone up, that means total audience per match has gone up.

Which are the new countries they are selling to? The PL has been televised in 212 territories since 2015.

Yes they are in answer to your second question as there's a huge offshore gambling market in HK.

Not sure we’re disagreeing about too much here. Thread is about domestic disillusion with domestic football. Im arguing that  theres too much football generally and on Tv more specifically- so much so that domestic audiences for live domestic matches have been falling. 
 

The TV companies ate demanding more for  their huge and growing investment - the football authorities are happy to give it to them as long as the wheelbarrows of cash dont stop turning up.

 

The growth  area  now is international sales and the game is increasingly skewed towards that. 
 

In effect, we are playing Forest on a Friday night do some sad IT guy in Hong Kong can bet on the time of the first corner. 

[grobyfox1990]

40 minutes ago, smudgerfox said:

Not sure we’re disagreeing about too much here. Thread is about domestic disillusion with domestic football. Im arguing that  theres too much football generally and on Tv more specifically- so much so that domestic audiences for live domestic matches have been falling. 
 

The TV companies ate demanding more for  their huge and growing investment - the football authorities are happy to give it to them as long as the wheelbarrows of cash dont stop turning up.

 

The growth  area  now is international sales and the game is increasingly skewed towards that. 
 

In effect, we are playing Forest on a Friday night do some sad IT guy in Hong Kong can bet on the time of the first corner. 

Ah fair enough yeh I see where you are coming from. Although I would not agree with domestic disillusion given the TV figures from last season plus 98.7% stadium utilisation rate.

Defo agree all the new tournaments are driven by TV and their record income and viewing figures internationally, I am not aware of any evidence of matchday fans calling for the club world cup or whatever it is.

 

[CosbehFox]

There’s more people going live football in this country than ever before. It is expected to break the million (on a single weekend) attendance mark over the next year - the last time that occurred was part of a campaign in the 60s when clubs slashed prices to achieve it. 
 

The EFL reported their biggest accumulative attendances figures since the 50s on the last two seasons 

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c2ll8jdknzeo.amp

 

Edited 4 October 2024 by CosbehFox

[FLAN]

18 hours ago, Tommy G said:

Everywhere, when a goal goes in at the KP next time have a look around, phones out of pockets and straight onto bet365, skybet etc altering bets, putting more bets on, cashing out. Gambling and football are so stitched together now it's like horse racing. 

How they getting a signal??? 

[Trav Le Bleu]

On 03/10/2024 at 00:30, Kitchandro said:

 footballers weren’t as rich so they weren’t quite as detached from the average man. 

 

 

I work with Nick Platnauer. Ok, so not the most prolific player, but he played for us in the Brian Little era, then Coventry in the Prem and Cardiff City. Essentially on a par with a player like Ayew.

 

Could you get imagine him delivering your brand new Temu knockoffs in 10 years time?

[Plastik Man]

19 hours ago, Tommy G said:

Everywhere, when a goal goes in at the KP next time have a look around, phones out of pockets and straight onto bet365, skybet etc altering bets, putting more bets on, cashing out. Gambling and football are so stitched together now it's like horse racing. 

How the feck do they get a signal?! 

 

It's one of life's mysteries. At the Kasabian concert on Victoria park I couldn't even get a signal, for calls or texts, nevermind data. Yet there was at least one person, with a crowd around them, streaming the England Euro match v Holland! 🤔🤣

[Plastik Man]

57 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

I work with Nick Platnauer. Ok, so not the most prolific player, but he played for us in the Brian Little era, then Coventry in the Prem and Cardiff City. Essentially on a par with a player like Ayew.

 

Could you get imagine him delivering your brand new Temu knockoffs in 10 years time?

I'm sure there's a joke in there about failing to deliver, but falling just outside the postbox! 🤣

[Tommy G]

41 minutes ago, Plastik Man said:

How the feck do they get a signal?! 

 

It's one of life's mysteries. At the Kasabian concert on Victoria park I couldn't even get a signal, for calls or texts, nevermind data. Yet there was at least one person, with a crowd around them, streaming the England Euro match v Holland! 🤔🤣

You can during the match but at HT no chance 

[Wolfox]

Everything can be looked at with rose tinted glasses

 

I’m delighted my son can go to a game without fear of some scroat kicking 10 bells out of him (although he did get a slap from some coked up Stoke 40 year olds a couple of years back)

 

Most teams in the PL would batter the better teams from 20 years ago I suspect, but that’s because methods of playing are hugely different as opposed to raw talent…

 

I enjoyed watching us under MON and I enjoy (occasionally) us playing today…. 

[Matt]

I think i'm broken. Sorry to harp back but the 2020 to 2022 era (2017 to 2022 in all honesty) broke me.

 

That's when I lost interest, became less engaged, I always wrote it off during that period and said that it would come back but i've never regained the passion or interest. It may well be because i'm getting older and with that there are more important things in life to worry about, but I find myself with little to no feeling or emotion about it all. Last night was just a feeling of general "meh", whatever, numb. That in itself is horrible.

 

I still go to games and post on here but only out of habit, routine and the fact i've spent most of my life invested in it. If I were a kid growing up now I reckon i'd have no interest in football whatsoever.

 

I dare say this is a similar situation for most of our fanbase which goes a long way to explaining our dire atmosphere. 

 

Edited 26 October 2024 by Matt

[CosbehFox]

On 04/10/2024 at 07:31, CosbehFox said:

There’s more people going live football in this country than ever before. It is expected to break the million (on a single weekend) attendance mark over the next year - the last time that occurred was part of a campaign in the 60s when clubs slashed prices to achieve it. 
 

The EFL reported their biggest accumulative attendances figures since the 50s on the last two seasons 

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c2ll8jdknzeo.amp

 

Well, on Sunday we had the biggest ever  collective football attendance in history in one English city. It was London, the games on that day were Crystal Palace v Tottenham, West Ham v Man Utd, Chelsea v Newcastle and Arsenal v Liverpool. The total number of people attending were approx 187,000. It beats the record of 160,000 set in the years of 1947, 1948 and 2022. Quite astonishing if you are as old as me and can remember the low crowds of the 1980s!