Premier League Disgrace

[George]

Even the most die hard PL fan would struggle to find more than a handful of matches that have genuinely been worth watching this season.

 

Really? I think that it's actually been a very exciting Premier League season and that there have been lots of enjoyable games to watch.

[Guppy 4 England]

The situation is ridiculous but I don't see how anyone who pays for Sky/cable TV can moan.

 

I watch MOTD & listen to some games on the radio, otherwise I've boycotted the Premier League. None of my hard earned is going towards that circus.

 

In theory, if enough people did the same, the bubble would burst.

 

I have cable but dont pay for the sports package, you get bt sports free and usually im in the pub if theres a live game on sky sports anyway, its only the midweek stuff i miss and just lately sky 1 have been showing CL games!

[robf]

Really? I think that it's actually been a very exciting Premier League season and that there have been lots of enjoyable games to watch.

 

Really? Or is that just media hype? When was the last time a genuine outsider had a chance at the title? Remember those seasons in the past when Watford or Forest stormed up the table - and in Forest's case, won it. They won it because they had radical managers who brought something different, not because they had oodles of cash.

 

The very fact that it wasn't the usual 3/4 contenders because sleeping giants Liverpool 'woke up' was seen as a "thriller"? The fact that we didn't know which massively rich club would win it till late on was also a "thriller"? Mind, in the PL world, everything's a thriller and every Sunday's a "Super Sunday"... There is a level of managerial skill of course (as David Moyes proved) but ultimately as Man City proved it's who has the most money and the biggest squad.

 

What was thrilling (apart from merely staying in the league) about the season for anyone below the big four or five who know (in their hearts) that unless they get a billionaire owner they will never win the title? Wasn't there a sad inevitability that the newly promoted and/or less rich clubs were the ones relegated?

 

I personally found the Football League and Conference more interesting as at least its more of a level playing field where pure managerial skill can make a difference (Sean Dyche at Burnley, for instance).

 

But the PL is even distorting that with the crazy parachute payments meaning there is now starting to be a yawning gap between rich and poor in the Championship.

 

I personally think the PL has a real chance of getting terribly stagnant and when it does, it will only have itself to blame.

[robf]

The FA should have a signifcant levy on all TV rights for the PL to plough into grass roots football..you might even get more subscribing if they knew the mioney was going to do more than line the pockets of PL clubs and players

 

But the PL cannot keep their own promises. They haven't even reached a pitiful 5% they pledged to contribute.

 

As David Conn says: "That is 4.3% of the Premier League's TV deal this year. It is short of the "minimum of 5% of income" which the Premier League committed to invest.."

 

Conn compared it to cricket who also enjoy TV riches and "have the freedom to maximise its TV income but in return should distribute 30% of the resulting bonanza to the grassroots"

 

http://www.theguardian.com/football/david-conn-inside-sport-blog/2011/apr/21/premier-league-grassroots-investment

[SimonMills]

Stop moaning and pull your Sky boxes out then!

 

Most of you are ****ing hypocrites. Have you got nothing better to do on a Sunday afternoon than watch Aston Villa V Fulham?

 

I am just hoping that Greg Dyke has opened a whole can of worms with this L3 bull**** which will see a revolution in football fandom, starting with the destruction of Sky. I now know how Muslim radicals must feel towards the West...

[robf]

Stop moaning and pull your Sky boxes out then!

 

Most of you are ****ing hypocrites. Have you got nothing better to do on a Sunday afternoon than watch Aston Villa V Fulham?

 

I am just hoping that Greg Dyke has opened a whole can of worms with this L3 bull**** which will see a revolution in football fandom, starting with the destruction of Sky. I now know how Muslim radicals must feel towards the West...

 

Gosh, I thought I was the one having a rant on this thread.

 

We don't all have Sky boxes ;)

[Little_Al]

The problem does not lie with Sky who are pumping vast amounts of money into football but with the FA which is supposed to govern football in this country but singularly fails to do so. The situation will not improve until the FA take control of the Premier League, decide which matches can be shown on tv and when, and decide on the distribution of the payments. As well as the scandal of League 3 there has also been the case of Scudamore's prejudice which has not been dealt with. It may be that gpvernment action is required to remove Dyke and Scudamore and set up a proper governing council for English football.

[For Us All]

PL disgrace,isn't Richard Scudamore's name being put forward at the moment?

[JOHNNYAITCH]

I'd disagree with you on that. Sky's coverage of PL football is excellent, the majority of PL football matches are at best average and at worst complete dross. Same goes for England games & European games. Some are painful to watch.

 

Even the most die hard PL fan would struggle to find more than a handful of matches that have genuinely been worth watching this season.

 

I'm including La Liga which has been superb, CL coverage, their 'football gold' stuff, Footballers Football Show, Soccer AM and so on

 

I do belive that the general standard of the PLas dropped in thet last 5 years or so as it becomes more about survival than anything else but the matches involving the top teams have been fantastic this past season. Every City match, every Liverpool match etc that I have watched has been great. But there has been some dross

[JOHNNYAITCH]

The problem does not lie with Sky who are pumping vast amounts of money into football but with the FA which is supposed to govern football in this country but singularly fails to do so. The situation will not improve until the FA take control of the Premier League, decide which matches can be shown on tv and when, and decide on the distribution of the payments. As well as the scandal of League 3 there has also been the case of Scudamore's prejudice which has not been dealt with. It may be that gpvernment action is required to remove Dyke and Scudamore and set up a proper governing council for English football.

 

I sincerely hope that the govt do not get involved on that level..plus UEFA/FIFA would quite rightly never allow that. Do we really want MPs deciding how football is run?

[JOHNNYAITCH]

? When was the last time a genuine outsider had a chance at the title? Remember those seasons in the past when Watford or Forest stormed up the table - and in Forest's case, won it. They won it because they had radical managers who brought something different, not because they had oodles of cash.

 

Who bought the first million pound player? Brian Clough for Forest:razz:

[Warren]

The Premier League is a business. Franchises can compete to join it. Along with La Liga it is the most successful league in the world in selling TV rights and for example out sells the German league 10 times. There is not duty on it to pass money down the leagues, it is a business in its own right. The situation is more favourable than many sporting situations with for example AAA, AA and A level baseball teams never able to join the American and National major leagues.

[Warren]

I sincerely hope that the govt do not get involved on that level..plus UEFA/FIFA would quite rightly never allow that. Do we really want MPs deciding how football is run?

 

The Government / Ministers have powers based on the various legislation in force. Most of these powers relate to dealing with anti competitive markets but Sky has won its rights in compliance with EU single market rules. One also needs the perspective that the Premier League is one of the most successful exporting businesses in the UK. They have no means to mobilize their thoughts in to actions.

[Warren]

Really? Or is that just media hype? When was the last time a genuine outsider had a chance at the title? Remember those seasons in the past when Watford or Forest stormed up the table - and in Forest's case, won it. They won it because they had radical managers who brought something different, not because they had oodles of cash.

 

Atletico Madrid just won La Liga and are 50/50 to win the Champions League on Saturday. But there will be a problem sustaining it - their support and stadium are about Newcastle level.

 

In the early 1980's Aston Villa were European Champions. Instead of consolidating that Doug E presided over a quarter of a century of decline. Nottingham Forrest were managed by an exceptional manager, but being a community club never pursued the business plan to remain a top club in the modern era.

 

So what does it take. I can remember Man United as a club failing with a 40k stadium, now 76k. Under Ferguson they developed to where they are now and it is off the field where a lot of that happened. Meanwhile clubs as big as Man United at the time like Everton and Spurs and to some extent Liverpool fell behind off the field. If we look at Aston Villa in 1981 they were European Champions, a bigger club than Man United with a similar sized stadium and support. But then Doug Ellis took them on a quarter of a century of status decline they have never recovered from.

 

It is possible for clubs to come to the top, but they have to do it on and off the field. In the case of Man City the bridge had to be crossed by signing top players and hence it is slightly unfair they are hit by fair play rules when clearly solvent.

[Woakesy]

I'm including La Liga which has been superb, CL coverage, their 'football gold' stuff, Footballers Football Show, Soccer AM and so on

 

I do belive that the general standard of the PLas dropped in thet last 5 years or so as it becomes more about survival than anything else but the matches involving the top teams have been fantastic this past season. Every City match, every Liverpool match etc that I have watched has been great. But there has been some dross

 

I'm talking just about the PL. Undoubtedly Sky's football coverage is excellent though I don't watch it myself.

 

But the actual PL as a TV proposition is dreadful. I even struggle watching the highlights on MOTD sometimes because the games are that dull.

 

The PL marketing people will have you believe it's the best league in the world which it just isn't. Aside from the big team's, the general quality is crap.

 

Sky has both made & ruined the PL. It's turned it into a product where every second person is an Arsenal or Liverpool fan but has never been within 10 miles of the ground.