“Stop loading my club with unwanted debt and whoring the shirt to the highest bidder as a vehicle for your commercial growth strategy, you cynical hedge-fund b******s”
Good article, was thinking about this kind of thing a few days ago. Personally, my interest for the Premiership has decreased rapidly in the last few seasons, especially in last year's Championship. There are very few 'characters' left in the game, and for those that we do see a personal side of, it's 90% of the time for negative reasons, Suarez, Terry and others. Plus, the way in which clubs just spend £30m, without thinking, bothers me. In the past, if you spent a lot and the player turned out to be a poor investment, then you had to wait to build up enough cash (usually from sales) in order to spend big again. Nowadays, if someone doesn't live up to their price tag, no matter, just buy another £30m player in the next window.
Football sold its soul (that is if it ever had one) long ago. Love of money is the root of all evil and the people who are running, managing and in many cases playing professional football seem to love little else.
Well written and thought provoking piece. I missed it so thanks for posting it.
I was in Hong Kong when the Barclays Asia Trophy was played here and it was big news as were the pre-season Asian tours of Man Utd, Spurs, Arsenal, Man City and Sunderland where crowds line the streets to cheer their heroes. It amazes me when I come home that my mates who support EPL teams still think that it still has anything to do with England. As the piece points out, EPL clubs are largely foreign owned, foreign sponsored and mostly supported by foreign fans.
Sadly, many are naive enough to pay big ticket prices to watch a game at noon on a Sunday just to be extras in an Asian TV entertainment product that I am watching for free in a bar at 8pm with a cold beer.
The South China Morning Post (in Hong Kong) ran a good series of articles about how HUGE the EPL is in Asia which I will try and find a link to but some interesting facts:
There are 2.2 million Man Utd fans in Hong Kong alone and 108 million in mainland China. There are an estimated 820 million EPL fans in Asia TV audiences for EPL in Asia are 32.5% of the global total (that's double the UK and rising) Swansea's new sponsor Goldenway is a Hong Kong based financial services company ( I doubt they are seeking clients in Europe) Barcelona have just opened offices in Hong Kong
Asian economies are "emerging" and have huge growth so this is where sponsors need to connect. As I think Bangkok Addick posted in another thread sometime ago there is zero interest in English lower leagues in Asia. The heritage /history of Charlton/Leeds/Derby County/Notts Forest etc etc counts for zilch.
Two implications for Charlton fans:
1. If the owners want to solve the alleged financial problems we should sponsor a cheap a ticket to Hong Kong (or Bangkok/Singapore/Beijing/Shanghai) or at least spend a few quid putting a FOR SALE notice in the small ads section of the English newspapers here. 2. If/when we do sell out to Asian owners this will be to a. get into the EPL and 2. build an Asian audience an Asian fan base.
The core home support are just background noise (literally).
So bearing in mind that presumably we all want to see Charlton return to the Premier league does that mean we have to see the club lose it's soul if /when we get there again ? If that's the case I'd rather we stayed in the Championship thanks ! I still think one of these days there's a big bang coming with regard to the Premier league and it will have to be structured on a more sensible basis. Unless of course there's an endless supply of foreign investors prepared to keep pumping money in. Players wages are just getting higher & higher. I think the whole thing is becoming like one big circus. Call me old fashioned but I'm rather enjoying good quality football at reasonable prices , playing at good modern stadiums, in a league that potentially anyone can win. How many teams can win the Premier league?
So bearing in mind that presumably we all want to see Charlton return to the Premier league does that mean we have to see the club lose it's soul if /when we get there again ? If that's the case I'd rather we stayed in the Championship thanks ! I still think one of these days there's a big bang coming with regard to the Premier league and it will have to be structured on a more sensible basis. Unless of course there's an endless supply of foreign investors prepared to keep pumping money in. Players wages are just getting higher & higher. I think the whole thing is becoming like one big circus. Call me old fashioned but I'm rather enjoying good quality football at reasonable prices , playing at good modern stadiums, in a league that potentially anyone can win. How many teams can win the Premier league?
In many ways you've lost some of your soul already following your glory chasing years in the premier league. Year after year those of us who haven't even got close to the premier league have a little more of our soul chipped away at.
Each generation of new fan helps to dilute the link to the past and accelerates the changing face of the future.
As the money within the game escalates, the audidence it's appealing to change and the circus surrounding it grows, the more every club loses its soul.
So bearing in mind that presumably we all want to see Charlton return to the Premier league does that mean we have to see the club lose it's soul if /when we get there again ? If that's the case I'd rather we stayed in the Championship thanks ! I still think one of these days there's a big bang coming with regard to the Premier league and it will have to be structured on a more sensible basis. Unless of course there's an endless supply of foreign investors prepared to keep pumping money in. Players wages are just getting higher & higher. I think the whole thing is becoming like one big circus. Call me old fashioned but I'm rather enjoying good quality football at reasonable prices , playing at good modern stadiums, in a league that potentially anyone can win. How many teams can win the Premier league?
I have a Dulwich Hamlet supporting mate who staunchly believes that anything above conference level is part of the "sold its soul" group...
So bearing in mind that presumably we all want to see Charlton return to the Premier league does that mean we have to see the club lose it's soul if /when we get there again ? If that's the case I'd rather we stayed in the Championship thanks ! I still think one of these days there's a big bang coming with regard to the Premier league and it will have to be structured on a more sensible basis. Unless of course there's an endless supply of foreign investors prepared to keep pumping money in. Players wages are just getting higher & higher. I think the whole thing is becoming like one big circus. Call me old fashioned but I'm rather enjoying good quality football at reasonable prices , playing at good modern stadiums, in a league that potentially anyone can win. How many teams can win the Premier league?
In many ways you've lost some of your soul already following your glory chasing years in the premier league. Year after year those of us who haven't even got close to the premier league have a little more of our soul chipped away at.
Each generation of new fan helps to dilute the link to the past and accelerates the changing face of the future.
As the money within the game escalates, the audidence it's appealing to change and the circus surrounding it grows, the more every club loses its soul.
Well written and thought provoking piece. I missed it so thanks for posting it.
I was in Hong Kong when the Barclays Asia Trophy was played here and it was big news as were the pre-season Asian tours of Man Utd, Spurs, Arsenal, Man City and Sunderland where crowds line the streets to cheer their heroes. It amazes me when I come home that my mates who support EPL teams still think that it still has anything to do with England. As the piece points out, EPL clubs are largely foreign owned, foreign sponsored and mostly supported by foreign fans.
Sadly, many are naive enough to pay big ticket prices to watch a game at noon on a Sunday just to be extras in an Asian TV entertainment product that I am watching for free in a bar at 8pm with a cold beer.
The South China Morning Post (in Hong Kong) ran a good series of articles about how HUGE the EPL is in Asia which I will try and find a link to but some interesting facts:
There are 2.2 million Man Utd fans in Hong Kong alone and 108 million in mainland China. There are an estimated 820 million EPL fans in Asia TV audiences for EPL in Asia are 32.5% of the global total (that's double the UK and rising) Swansea's new sponsor Goldenway is a Hong Kong based financial services company ( I doubt they are seeking clients in Europe) Barcelona have just opened offices in Hong Kong
Asian economies are "emerging" and have huge growth so this is where sponsors need to connect. As I think Bangkok Addick posted in another thread sometime ago there is zero interest in English lower leagues in Asia. The heritage /history of Charlton/Leeds/Derby County/Notts Forest etc etc counts for zilch.
Two implications for Charlton fans:
1. If the owners want to solve the alleged financial problems we should sponsor a cheap a ticket to Hong Kong (or Bangkok/Singapore/Beijing/Shanghai) or at least spend a few quid putting a FOR SALE notice in the small ads section of the English newspapers here. 2. If/when we do sell out to Asian owners this will be to a. get into the EPL and 2. build an Asian audience an Asian fan base.
The core home support are just background noise (literally).
We really missed a trick then when we had Zhi playing for us, who by the way was a great player shame we were awful at that point.
So bearing in mind that presumably we all want to see Charlton return to the Premier league does that mean we have to see the club lose it's soul if /when we get there again ? If that's the case I'd rather we stayed in the Championship thanks ! I still think one of these days there's a big bang coming with regard to the Premier league and it will have to be structured on a more sensible basis. Unless of course there's an endless supply of foreign investors prepared to keep pumping money in. Players wages are just getting higher & higher. I think the whole thing is becoming like one big circus. Call me old fashioned but I'm rather enjoying good quality football at reasonable prices , playing at good modern stadiums, in a league that potentially anyone can win. How many teams can win the Premier league?
In many ways you've lost some of your soul already following your glory chasing years in the premier league. Year after year those of us who haven't even got close to the premier league have a little more of our soul chipped away at.
Each generation of new fan helps to dilute the link to the past and accelerates the changing face of the future.
As the money within the game escalates, the audidence it's appealing to change and the circus surrounding it grows, the more every club loses its soul.
Fuck me Sparrows - you alright mate?
You wouldn't think that I'm as excited as I've been for a while for a Millwall game tomorrow!
So bearing in mind that presumably we all want to see Charlton return to the Premier league does that mean we have to see the club lose it's soul if /when we get there again ? If that's the case I'd rather we stayed in the Championship thanks ! I still think one of these days there's a big bang coming with regard to the Premier league and it will have to be structured on a more sensible basis. Unless of course there's an endless supply of foreign investors prepared to keep pumping money in. Players wages are just getting higher & higher. I think the whole thing is becoming like one big circus. Call me old fashioned but I'm rather enjoying good quality football at reasonable prices , playing at good modern stadiums, in a league that potentially anyone can win. How many teams can win the Premier league?
In many ways you've lost some of your soul already following your glory chasing years in the premier league. Year after year those of us who haven't even got close to the premier league have a little more of our soul chipped away at.
Each generation of new fan helps to dilute the link to the past and accelerates the changing face of the future.
As the money within the game escalates, the audidence it's appealing to change and the circus surrounding it grows, the more every club loses its soul.
Fuck me Sparrows - you alright mate?
You wouldn't think that I'm as excited as I've been for a while for a Millwall game tomorrow!
I'm not just saying this because they beat Millwall but wasn't it great to see Yeovil win ? You can't buy the feeling of the little guy beating the big guy. Every win that Yeovil achieve this season will be treated like a major cup win by them. That will mean more to them than any win by Man.City, Chelsea and all the other big spending, win at all costs, souless teams that now exist in the Premier league. You may have a point Sparrows when you say we lost some of our soul when we played in the Premier league, but seeing where we ended up and have managed to claw our way back, I get as much,if not more satisfaction at a win in this league, as I did in the premier league. There might be some who don't agree with that, but I would argue they are maybe more interested in star spotting than actually watching a decent football match. I suppose it depends on what you want from a game & your motives for watching and supporting a team.
I'm not just saying this because they beat Millwall but wasn't it great to see Yeovil win ? You can't buy the feeling of the little guy beating the big guy. Every win that Yeovil achieve this season will be treated like a major cup win by them. That will mean more to them than any win by Man.City, Chelsea and all the other big spending, win at all costs, souless teams that now exist in the Premier league. You may have a point Sparrows when you say we lost some of our soul when we played in the Premier league, but seeing where we ended up and have managed to claw our way back, I get as much,if not more satisfaction at a win in this league, as I did in the premier league. There might be some who don't agree with that, but I would argue they are maybe more interested in star spotting than actually watching a decent football match. I suppose it depends on what you want from a game & your motives for watching and supporting a team.
If financially viable, I would much rather stay in the lower leagues.
I've seen us get points from Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal etc... It's boring after a while. We'd never challenge for the league without a takeover that would probably price us out anyway. The only thing I'd love is some European away trips.
I've got QPR mates who loved it when they went up, they were also happy when they went down! They had the glamour trips now it's back to cheap days out where you're not expecting to get spanked.
Saying that, for me it's more about the day out with pals than the result which is probably why I'd still go if we was in League Two...
If financially viable, I would much rather stay in the lower leagues.
I've seen us get points from Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal etc... It's boring after a while. We'd never challenge for the league without a takeover that would probably price us out anyway. The only thing I'd love is some European away trips.
I've got QPR mates who loved it when they went up, they were also happy when they went down! They had the glamour trips now it's back to cheap days out where you're not expecting to get spanked.
Saying that, for me it's more about the day out with pals than the result which is probably why I'd still go if we was in League Two...
This.
Hate Premiership prima-donas.
Did anyone else read how Manure were touring Australia and threatened 20 minutes before kick off to abandon a game because the Stadium was advertising Coke and Manure were in negotiations with pepsi for sponsorship.
Well written and thought provoking piece. I missed it so thanks for posting it.
I was in Hong Kong when the Barclays Asia Trophy was played here and it was big news as were the pre-season Asian tours of Man Utd, Spurs, Arsenal, Man City and Sunderland where crowds line the streets to cheer their heroes. It amazes me when I come home that my mates who support EPL teams still think that it still has anything to do with England. As the piece points out, EPL clubs are largely foreign owned, foreign sponsored and mostly supported by foreign fans.
Sadly, many are naive enough to pay big ticket prices to watch a game at noon on a Sunday just to be extras in an Asian TV entertainment product that I am watching for free in a bar at 8pm with a cold beer.
The South China Morning Post (in Hong Kong) ran a good series of articles about how HUGE the EPL is in Asia which I will try and find a link to but some interesting facts:
There are 2.2 million Man Utd fans in Hong Kong alone and 108 million in mainland China. There are an estimated 820 million EPL fans in Asia TV audiences for EPL in Asia are 32.5% of the global total (that's double the UK and rising) Swansea's new sponsor Goldenway is a Hong Kong based financial services company ( I doubt they are seeking clients in Europe) Barcelona have just opened offices in Hong Kong
Asian economies are "emerging" and have huge growth so this is where sponsors need to connect. As I think Bangkok Addick posted in another thread sometime ago there is zero interest in English lower leagues in Asia. The heritage /history of Charlton/Leeds/Derby County/Notts Forest etc etc counts for zilch.
Two implications for Charlton fans:
1. If the owners want to solve the alleged financial problems we should sponsor a cheap a ticket to Hong Kong (or Bangkok/Singapore/Beijing/Shanghai) or at least spend a few quid putting a FOR SALE notice in the small ads section of the English newspapers here. 2. If/when we do sell out to Asian owners this will be to a. get into the EPL and 2. build an Asian audience an Asian fan base.
The core home support are just background noise (literally).
I don't doubt the interest in Asia for the EPL. This interest is currently worth large amounts of money and potentially more still could be generated.
Dismissing the English based supporters is wrong. Match day revenue accounts for a significant percentage of clubs revenue streams. Domestic broadcasting rights are also significant, as is domestic commercial revenue. There may come a day when domestic support is just background noise, but it has not arrived yet.
Comments
Love of money is the root of all evil and the people who are running, managing and in many cases playing professional football seem to love little else.
Well written and thought provoking piece. I missed it so thanks for posting it.
I was in Hong Kong when the Barclays Asia Trophy was played here and it was big news as were the pre-season Asian tours of Man Utd, Spurs, Arsenal, Man City and Sunderland where crowds line the streets to cheer their heroes. It amazes me when I come home that my mates who support EPL teams still think that it still has anything to do with England. As the piece points out, EPL clubs are largely foreign owned, foreign sponsored and mostly supported by foreign fans.
Sadly, many are naive enough to pay big ticket prices to watch a game at noon on a Sunday just to be extras in an Asian TV entertainment product that I am watching for free in a bar at 8pm with a cold beer.
The South China Morning Post (in Hong Kong) ran a good series of articles about how HUGE the EPL is in Asia which I will try and find a link to but some interesting facts:
There are 2.2 million Man Utd fans in Hong Kong alone and 108 million in mainland China.
There are an estimated 820 million EPL fans in Asia
TV audiences for EPL in Asia are 32.5% of the global total (that's double the UK and rising)
Swansea's new sponsor Goldenway is a Hong Kong based financial services company ( I doubt they are seeking clients in Europe)
Barcelona have just opened offices in Hong Kong
Asian economies are "emerging" and have huge growth so this is where sponsors need to connect. As I think Bangkok Addick posted in another thread sometime ago there is zero interest in English lower leagues in Asia. The heritage /history of Charlton/Leeds/Derby County/Notts Forest etc etc counts for zilch.
Two implications for Charlton fans:
1. If the owners want to solve the alleged financial problems we should sponsor a cheap a ticket to Hong Kong (or Bangkok/Singapore/Beijing/Shanghai) or at least spend a few quid putting a FOR SALE notice in the small ads section of the English newspapers here.
2. If/when we do sell out to Asian owners this will be to a. get into the EPL and 2. build an Asian audience an Asian fan base.
The core home support are just background noise (literally).
Each generation of new fan helps to dilute the link to the past and accelerates the changing face of the future.
As the money within the game escalates, the audidence it's appealing to change and the circus surrounding it grows, the more every club loses its soul.
I think ill start calling the NFL the ANFL though. American National Football League....
I've seen us get points from Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal etc... It's boring after a while. We'd never challenge for the league without a takeover that would probably price us out anyway. The only thing I'd love is some European away trips.
I've got QPR mates who loved it when they went up, they were also happy when they went down! They had the glamour trips now it's back to cheap days out where you're not expecting to get spanked.
Saying that, for me it's more about the day out with pals than the result which is probably why I'd still go if we was in League Two...
Football was not invented by Sky in 1992.
This.
Hate Premiership prima-donas.
Did anyone else read how Manure were touring Australia and threatened 20 minutes before kick off to abandon a game because the Stadium was advertising Coke and Manure were in negotiations with pepsi for sponsorship.
The waiting crowd was 80,000.
Dismissing the English based supporters is wrong. Match day revenue accounts for a significant percentage of clubs revenue streams. Domestic broadcasting rights are also significant, as is domestic commercial revenue. There may come a day when domestic support is just background noise, but it has not arrived yet.