Subject: Premier League Abroad

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What do we think then people? As a fan outside the Premier League, and not taking in to account the fans and the player's fitness, i think it's a great idea.

rubbish

How many people in Singapore will want to pay good money to watch a predictable 0-0 between Bolton Wanderers and Fulham ? They'll do it once, maybe twice, and then the demand will only be for Man Utd, Arsenal, and Chelsea. Before you know it each of the top 5 will be playing 5 or 10 games a season abroad and screwing over their season ticket holders. This will result in empty stadiums here for the English matches, and the appeal will soon drain when a global TV audience sees an empty Highbury or Kop end.

If this happens it's the beginning of the end, with the whole premier league disappearing up its own satellite TV channels.
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I don't like the idea. I'll never gonna see Premier (or any other) match in England so sure, it would be nice to go and see a match in Sweden or Norway or wherever they might play but.. It just doesn't sound right...

You are talking too much sense to be the real Ken!!

While my heart bleeds *cough cough* for the English season ticket holders, people in Singapore, Capetown and Los-Angeles will pay twice as much per game plus, as you mentioned - satellite TV channels, to double the income of those teams, thus eliminating any sentimental argument there is for local/home crowds. However, this might also be the necessary boost for the real home teams like Doncaster or Oxford Utd which will now double their incomes... Maybe if the income from these (far) away matches, flows back into English sports (and economy) the gains will be bigger than the drawbacks?!

Turning sporting clubs into franchises doesn't work. There has to be a link to the local community, otherwise people don't feel a connection. The only exception I can think to this is Formula 1, and even there the Italians all get behind Ferrari, and the supporters of a country tend to get behind their countrys' drivers.

The income at the top stays at the top - if more money comes in, it'll go into the pockets of the likes of Fat Frankie Lampard and John Terry, and their agents. Oxford and Doncaster will never see a penny from top flight football, because they never do.

We did when we sold Dean Whitehead!

What was his transfer fee ? And how much are his wages ? I bet you his wages cost for than the transfer fee, the player gets more than the club.

"A tribunal ordered Sunderland to pay an initial £150,000 for Whitehead, who has been a success on Wearside. The fee has risen since based on appearances and promotion, up to £325,000."

I'm with you though, was only half-kidding.

Wow - you guys got robbed.

Was nearly 4 years ago now, but i agree, robbed.

The protection isn't there for the lower league clubs. It'll go to a tribunal and you get a couple of hundred grand if you're lucky.

What's his worth now? £3-4m?

Dexter Blackstock went for similar dosh.

*offtopic*

actually, i consider it very much on topic. The games abroad will only widen the gap between rich and poor.

Apart from being rubbish anyway, part of Oxford United's downfall has been the wage cap and not being able to afford the wages for our better players, who have inevitably now moved on.

Now we're left with a bunch of monkeys, so yeah, i suppose you're right.

But hey, as long as the lads in Bangalore are wearing Man Utd tops, everything will be all right, eh ? :)

Aye, which they made theirselves, for a wage of 5p.

Ironic, eh?