only1salty wrote: ↑Thu Oct 22, 2020 1:31 pm
Whisky: Football was a working mans sport.
The absolute vast majority of people who played it are working class, the majority of supporters who crammed into stadium were working class.
Just because the rich milked it - doesn't mean its roots aren't working class. I mean - the docker derby was exactly public school was it.
Tennis, Rugby Union and Cricket - yes.
Football has evolved several times and since the advent of the Premier League, all seater stadia and massive revenues - the tourist has been more important than the purist to those than run the game. Its about the dollar not the sport.
Its the American model. Franchises, no relegation, bleed the customer dry. Issue is (and its the same in my industry) the americans don't understand history or tradition, they don't understand Europe is not one country with distinct cultures and philosophies.
An American Bank convincing American owners to milk European football dry.
Stands to reason that in the days when it was 50p-£5 to stand home or away and a tenner for the special train, the majority of fans standing on the terraces were working class (or University students like me
)....a few in the seats maybe not so much so.
However now that it costs between 30-90 quid to get in and 100 to get on the train, the demographic is changing and working class people are being squeezed out. The richer the owners, the more the ticket price goes up and unfortunately the attitude that it is a sound business model does not fly with the majority of traditional support.
You have the purists that I would count myself as one that want to watch the team, dont expect too much luxury but want an atmosphere and a
competitive league...that is geared towards the fan who watches live.
You have the other camp which Whisky is in where they want a glossy product, all the best players in the world playing here even if it means the top 6 pull away and the league is less competitive and luxury facilities plus the game geared towards the TV fan or the fan that sees a player on the playstation and wants to see him play live.
That does not make the second camp wrong but the PL correctly decided the second camp was where the money was and American investors looked at it and thought 'We'll have some of that'.
I understand why the Americans are doing what they do. I understand why all people are not purists but it ultimately means the death of proper competition in place of an 'arms race' of money and sponsorship, giant clubs hoarding the best players and for me it has ruined the game. How much further would Hudson-Odoi have come if he was playing for us or Newcastle rather than playing in Chelsea's reserves and being denied a move to Bayern....what about the other 40 they have out on loan
So I can see why people that traditionally were in the first camp feel betrayed and I also think ultimately that it has ruined the sport as a competitive sport and replaced it with a spectacle and procession that is more akin to a theatre show. There is more skill now yes, but players rarely look like they are giving their all for their clubs as they know there is another payday down the road and they dont need to.
My favourite games always used to be the fiercely competitive battles on the pitch....much of that is lost.
Just my opinion and I am sure there are many that dont agree with me.