Top clubs consider overseas games

[Guest alex]

see the long-term impact of World Cups in the USA

 

I think football has exploded at a grass roots level in the USA but I'm not sure how much the WC triggered that.

It was big before the world cup. It hasn't 'exploded' as such it's long had huge popularity as a partication sport, particularly at school level but, apart from a few heady days with the NASL it’s never been big (relatively speaking) on the spectator side.

[Park Life 71]

To clarify what I meant about supporting their local teams, I meant attending games. That's why I said support - an alien concept to some admittedly (taking the piss before anyone calls me a soopafan). The attendances in these countries are pitiful iirc. If they were true football fans instead of glory hunters they'd go to games and that would in turn develop the game in their own countries. Something this won't do imo - see the long-term impact of World Cups in the USA and Japan/S. Korea.

 

Football is too graceful and complicated for Americans. If things aren't exploding or beefcakes aren't running into each other at 30mph they don't really think it's a sport.

You really got to the essence of my point there. Well done.

 

 

The point I'm making is that 'entertainment' is the main requirement (in these countries) which is a clear adjunct to your point IMO.

[Guest alex]

Brian Glanville has it spot on - while this may have been inevitable it's utterly repugnant. The whole game is geared towards money but I can't help but agree with him that there is a danger of killing the goose that lays the golden egg. The average age of supporters is going up all the time and you can see it clearly at places like SJP.

 

The average age of supporters attending matches may be going up, but there's plenty of younguns who follow the game via the box, and that's where the real money is.

 

There's a whole new flock of geese on the block, the old one has been culled.

And what a sad state of affairs that is.

[RlCO 0]

So we're all agreed, back to grass roots jumpers for goalsposts local sport: cut all tv broadcasts, live spectators only, Stevie decides the entry requirements. All to see players from around the world.

[Guest alex]

So we're all agreed, back to grass roots jumpers for goalsposts local sport: cut all tv broadcasts, live spectators only, Stevie decides the entry requirements. All to see players from around the world.

Not like you to build a strawman.

[Guest alex]

To clarify what I meant about supporting their local teams, I meant attending games. That's why I said support - an alien concept to some admittedly (taking the piss before anyone calls me a soopafan). The attendances in these countries are pitiful iirc. If they were true football fans instead of glory hunters they'd go to games and that would in turn develop the game in their own countries. Something this won't do imo - see the long-term impact of World Cups in the USA and Japan/S. Korea.

 

Football is too graceful and complicated for Americans. If things aren't exploding or beefcakes aren't running into each other at 30mph they don't really think it's a sport.

You really got to the essence of my point there. Well done.

 

 

The point I'm making is that 'entertainment' is the main requirement (in these countries) which is a clear adjunct to your point IMO.

The point I was making was that it's a shame imo that they won't watch football in their backyard but they'll watch it on telly or watch a game with foreign stars. I don't buy into the 'entertainment' thing that much since some of these games will be shite but I see what you mean regarding being into the 'razzamatazz' and seeing recognised stars (Carr and the like, y' knaa?). That's the fucking whole problem, it ALL about money now. Fuck the fans who actually have a proper attachment to the clubs. Football's going to the dogs and to be honest, I'm gutted about it.

[Guest alex]

And it's very easy to gauge by their reaction those who don't really care about football imo.

[Toonpack 7071]

To clarify what I meant about supporting their local teams, I meant attending games. That's why I said support - an alien concept to some admittedly (taking the piss before anyone calls me a soopafan). The attendances in these countries are pitiful iirc. If they were true football fans instead of glory hunters they'd go to games and that would in turn develop the game in their own countries. Something this won't do imo - see the long-term impact of World Cups in the USA and Japan/S. Korea.

 

Football is too graceful and complicated for Americans. If things aren't exploding or beefcakes aren't running into each other at 30mph they don't really think it's a sport.

 

The word you were looking for was "boring".

 

Take your Newcastle supporting head off for a minute and look at some of the shite we've been served up of late. If you didn't have the emotional attachment of a fan, would you consider it entertaining?

 

The biggest market for football is with the people who don't go to the games, the only difference to the clubs is the gate receipt, sell a couple of shirts to neutrals and you've covered a match attender for the week.

 

In the US there are a lot of people who are what we call proper fans but the majority of viewers just "watch the sport" all the games are televised (sort of) and if the game you're watching is crap you switch to another one. Remember there's only 32 teams in the whole continent, local attraction and the associated fan feeling we have is limited.

 

It's a bit like when you're out for a walk and there's a game of footy at the local park, you'll likely stop and watch for a while, just because there's a game going on. Commercially the big sports administrators just want people to watch, they don't give a shit whether they're there at the game or sat in front of the TV.

 

 

BTW American Football is one of the most complicated games around.

[Guest alex]

And the most boring.

[Happy Face 29]

Sport is treated like cinema in the US.

 

A way to sell snacks.

[Toonpack 7071]

Sport is treated like cinema in the US.

 

A way to sell snacks.

 

Is Football so different here these days.

[Guest alex]

Sport is treated like cinema in the US.

 

A way to sell snacks.

 

Is Football so different here these days.

I'd like to think so. And people forget that more people attend matches outside than inside the PL too.

[Happy Face 29]

Sport is treated like cinema in the US.

 

A way to sell snacks.

 

Is Football so different here these days.

 

I've never been to a 4 hour game of football.

[Guest alex]

American Football is so dull people take fucking barbeques with them. Go figure

[Toonpack 7071]

Sport is treated like cinema in the US.

 

A way to sell snacks.

 

Is Football so different here these days.

I'd like to think so. And people forget that more people attend matches outside than inside the PL too[/b].

 

I agree, I'd like to think so to, but I believe I'm wrong if I do. Emirates Stadium, Ford Super Sunday, EON FA cup etc etc etc

 

6 billion Johnny Foreigners just waiting to be plucked by the right product. Dwarfs the domestic market let alone that part of the domestic market that actually turns up at a game.

[Toonpack 7071]

Sport is treated like cinema in the US.

 

A way to sell snacks.

 

Is Football so different here these days.

 

I've never been to a 4 hour game of football.

 

I have, I've also been to an all day game of cricket, no difference IMO

[Ken 119]

Sport is treated like cinema in the US.

 

A way to sell snacks.

 

Is Football so different here these days.

In many ways NO! tbh.

[Guest alex]

Cricket,s completely different to football though and it's always been a long, slow game which is boring to many (I like it but I can't understand why others don't). Indeed cricket has moved with the times and has, over the years, introduced one-day matches and, most recently, 20/20 matches. All of these have concerned the purists but have essentially been for the good of the game, because cricket desperately needs the extra revenue from TV and attendances. And therein lies an important difference. Football and, in particular, the clubs that will benefit most don't desperately need the money and this won't imo, benefit the game. It's greed. Pure and simple. And you know where the money will end up, just like it has since the Premier League started - in the backpockets of players and their agents.

[Guest alex]

Sport is treated like cinema in the US.

 

A way to sell snacks.

 

Is Football so different here these days.

I'd like to think so. And people forget that more people attend matches outside than inside the PL too[/b].

 

I agree, I'd like to think so to, but I believe I'm wrong if I do. Emirates Stadium, Ford Super Sunday, EON FA cup etc etc etc

 

6 billion Johnny Foreigners just waiting to be plucked by the right product. Dwarfs the domestic market let alone that part of the domestic market that actually turns up at a game.

Ok then. To take your earlier argument, why not just continue to televise the games. That's where the money is, no?

[snakehips 0]

Scudamore and others are using the argument that this is taking the Prem forward and it (The Prem0 shouldn't stand still.

 

So what happens in four or five years time to keep 'moving forward'? More fuckin' matches abroad I reckon.

 

Oh, and what about 'burn out', 'tired' and the players in need of the winter break ???? Seems to have been put on the back burner somewhat.

[Happy Face 29]

Derby Chairman was on 5 Live this morning saying how one game abroad can bring in 10% of their seasons income, which basically justifies it for the lower teams.

 

I can't see how that's any justification if they draw Man Utd in the extra game and end up relegated because the fellow strugglers got Newcastle and an easy 3 points.

 

Seems a gamble of Drangons Denesque proportions.

[Toonpack 7071]

Sport is treated like cinema in the US.

 

A way to sell snacks.

 

Is Football so different here these days.

I'd like to think so. And people forget that more people attend matches outside than inside the PL too[/b].

 

I agree, I'd like to think so to, but I believe I'm wrong if I do. Emirates Stadium, Ford Super Sunday, EON FA cup etc etc etc

 

6 billion Johnny Foreigners just waiting to be plucked by the right product. Dwarfs the domestic market let alone that part of the domestic market that actually turns up at a game.

Ok then. To take your earlier argument, why not just continue to televise the games. That's where the money is, no?

 

Aye but you take the product to the audience to keep em hooked, and likely increase the customer base by the massive local (global mebe's) hype that'll surround "the event"

[RlCO 0]

How many of the 50,000 supporters who only go because it's their 'local team' would still turn up if we were in the third division and Ramage and Shola were our star players.

[RlCO 0]

Scudamore and others are using the argument that this is taking the Prem forward and it (The Prem0 shouldn't stand still.

 

So what happens in four or five years time to keep 'moving forward'? More fuckin' matches abroad I reckon.

 

Oh, and what about 'burn out', 'tired' and the players in need of the winter break ???? Seems to have been put on the back burner somewhat.

 

Hopefully when they have enough money rolling in they will split into 2 leagus, a domestic PL and a PL with some overseas games. They only dropped the G14 Euro league idea on money grounds.

[NJS 4006]

How many of the 50,000 supporters who only go because it's their 'local team' would still turn up if we were in the third division and Ramage and Shola were our star players.

 

Sunderland's recent history suggest that if they were doing well, the answer is quite a few.