Another nail in the PL coffin...

[SheepdipBlade]

There are fans of many clubs who should be looking to consolidate in the PL who feel this way. I'm not suggesting they're in the majority but I've had many conversations over quite a few years now, usually before and after games, with opposition fans of clubs like those you mention who aren't passionate about playing in the top flight any longer.

We recently had a few drinks with Leeds fans we got chatting to on a day out in Hebden Bridge who felt the same.

I'm not saying it's binary but I think it's people who attend games regularly who feel like this as opposed to those who watch more on tv.

I think that's absolutely right.

It's like football is becoming "gentrified" - it's all about money, success, image and fame - it's about brand and sales figures and about watching your favourite club play another plastic club in a sports bar while drinking over-priced lager.

It's not about the history, heritage, community and local ties the game was built on - it's not about meeting your mates in the Golden Lion before kick off, that pride when the lads run out, screaming yourself raw backing them, and holding back the tears when we get relegated (okay - less the last one this time around).

Most Blades are just like the true fans of other clubs. Pay the ticket money, drink the beer, stand in the rain, wear the colours, cheer the lads - the club is in our blood - but we're yesterday's people.

The game has moved on and we're no more important than window dressing to those who make the big decisions. The world has turned and both our club and ourselves have been left behind. That's not to say we have to accept it happily - in fact we should be mightily pissed off that the EPL have sacrificed our club and us - and all the history and heritage and decades of emotions not just at BDTBL but over a hundred other clubs - just so they can promote the EPL brand and rake in the coins.

Increasingly I'm at a place where I'm still a Blade, but I hate the game.

And even the first match of the cricket season was rained off without a ball being bowled.

 

[jt64]

I mean you did not answer my question jt64. why the big foreign clubs can't compete if they were in the English Premier League?

I didn't comment one way or another as to whether they could compete or not. They probably could given PL TV money. My point is that matchday revenues are a tiny, tiny fraction of revenue in the PL, and as such saying that Milan would be competitive if they stayed at the San Siro but not if they groundshared with Middlesbrough is misunderstanding where a teams' competitive advantage comes from. City could move into Stockport's ground tomorrow and still win the league.

 

[Numpty's Dusty Ruts.]

I think that's absolutely right.

It's like football is becoming "gentrified" - it's all about money, success, image and fame - it's about brand and sales figures and about watching your favourite club play another plastic club in a sports bar while drinking over-priced lager.

It's not about the history, heritage, community and local ties the game was built on - it's not about meeting your mates in the Golden Lion before kick off, that pride when the lads run out, screaming yourself raw backing them, and holding back the tears when we get relegated (okay - less the last one this time around).

Most Blades are just like the true fans of other clubs. Pay the ticket money, drink the beer, stand in the rain, wear the colours, cheer the lads - the club is in our blood - but we're yesterday's people.

The game has moved on and we're no more important than window dressing to those who make the big decisions. The world has turned and both our club and ourselves have been left behind. That's not to say we have to accept it happily - in fact we should be mightily pissed off that the EPL have sacrificed our club and us - and all the history and heritage and decades of emotions not just at BDTBL but over a hundred other clubs - just so they can promote the EPL brand and rake in the coins.

Increasingly I'm at a place where I'm still a Blade, but I hate the game.

And even the first match of the cricket season was rained off without a ball being bowled.

This is a brilliant but sad post mate. I completely agree and hope we can get our game back. It's weird but I will feel better in the Championship, even if we don't actually do very well. It'll feel more real, and no complaints about that.

 

[reedy63]

Your point is not the point I was asking so you cannot answer my question correctly that is not important so it does not matter. However, I do agree matchday revenue for the people who pay to attend the games is tiny. Spurs for instance make three and a half million per home game because of fantastic stadium facilities. Liverpool has shown how greedy they are by putting season ticket fees and matchday ticket fees up for next season. their fans are not very pleased at all.

 

[JJBlade]

The money in the game has meant that we’ve had to invest in technology and coaching to improve the game from grassroots up. So we’ve ended up with technically better players.

But I’d be happy yo-yoing with the latest academy kids coming through and the odd big signing, I grew up on ‘80’s and ‘90’s football with forays into the premier league. I go less in the top league as the games are rarely sat/ tues and I have a life beyond football a lot of the time.

I’ve no interest in a big investor, just keep plugging away wheeling and dealing.

I’d like a European run someday, but only against opposition in countries of my choosing. Couldnt think of anything worse than some poxy French town in mid November or a February away trip to Netherlands. I’d want all our away games to be in warm interesting locations where the beer is colder than the weather, otherwise i can watch us away at Boro or Blackburn instead

I'd be happy to yoyo, steal some Prem money, go down, come back up for a few years, but you need a big investor just to yoyo.