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OVERSEAS MATCHES ARE BAD NEWS FOR REAL FANS
11th February 2008
OVERSEAS MATCHES ARE BAD NEWS FOR REAL FANS
The Premiership has unveiled controversial plans to stage league matches abroad in a bid to capitalise on the increasing global demand for Premiership football. This would extend the season from 38 to 39 games by including an extra 10 Premiership matches that would be played in places like Melbourne and Tokyo. It is believed the extra games would be played at five different venues around the world with cities bidding for the right to host the games. The top clubs could be seeded to avoid drawing each other, although the points gained would count towards the final league tables. Further investigation into the proposals, which could start as early as 2011, has already been unanimously agreed upon by all the top flight clubs.
The plans have divided opinion fiercely. The clubs are well aware that there is a fortune to be made by playing these one-off matches around the world. Yet many fans have complained that they would miss out on seeing their favourite team play as they can?t afford to spend ridiculous sums of money just to travel to Australia, Asia or America for a single league match.
Last year the first NFL game to be staged outside of America was contested in front of an 82,000 sell-out crowd in London. The match between Miami Dolphins and the New York Giants reportedly earned London more than £20 million with 10,000 people flying over from America to watch the game.
However it would be the clubs that would profit most from these money-spinning matches. Manchester United already frequently visit Asia for pre-season tours because a short trip there can generate millions of pounds for the club in shirt sales and sponsorship. It also helps turn Manchester United?s strong national brand into a truly international and powerful one.
The clubs will argue that the money generated from the matches will go towards investment in the team and youth training facilities. Whether this will be the case or not remains to be seen, however the clubs that partake in these glamour fixtures would certainly benefit financially.
Nonetheless it is easy to see why there has been a backlash to the idea in some parts. Premiership tickets are already incredibly expensive and many fans feel priced out of getting to see their team play. Playing league matches thousands of miles away to boost club bank balances does little to appease the many fans who are already struggling to keep up with the financial demands of watching their favourite team.
In the past players, such as Roy Keane, complained about the lack of atmosphere at Premiership matches. The expensive ticket prices result in a higher amount of corporate tickets being sold whilst the average fan misses out.
If these money-spinning ventures meant that prices could be lowered throughout the season for fans then there would be huge support for the idea. However, as long as grounds are still being filled to capacity every week it is unlikely that ticket prices will ever decrease.
The idea to play matches abroad is certainly an intriguing one but at the end of the day for the majority of us who only watch the Premiership on television it doesn?t matter if the games are being played in Tyneside or Tokyo.
BAYERN POSE TOUGH TEST FOR DONS
After comprehensive defeats to Dundee United and Celtic, Aberdeen will face a mammoth-sized task when they face Bayern Munich on Thursday. After the crushing defeat to Dundee United in the CIS Cup semi-final last Tuesday Aberdeen were expected to come out battling to try and redeem themselves against Celtic on Sunday. Instead the Dons were run ragged as Celtic ran out easy winners. Now even the most optimistic of Dons fans must be more than a little apprehensive at the prospect of Frank Ribery, Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose turning up to play at Pittodrie on Thursday.
Aberdeen will certainly not be expected to win the tie but if they manage to compete and frustrate the Germans for as long as possible then that would be a fine achievement. A draw would be a phenomenal result, especially when you consider the huge gulf between the two teams in financial terms. Aberdeen have recently lost players because they can?t compete with the wages that Championship clubs can offer players whereas Bayern?s Luca Toni earns a cool £144,000 per week.
But who knows, Bayern may have a bad night, the Dons could get the rub of the green and Jimmy Calderwood?s men could secure a famous result against the German giants. If they do then the players will be quickly forgiven for the poor displays against Dundee United and Celtic.
TALKING A GOOD GAME
?I didn?t mean to handle it and maybe it touched my arm, but it is a goal and that is something I am trying to add to my game.?
Rangers captain Barry Ferguson is apparently working on handling the ball after his CIS Cup semi-final goal.
?Juninho?s technique is quite similar ? I have never seen anything like it before.?
Jamie Redknapp on Cristiano Ronaldo?s unique freekick.
?I have done everything in my career but this will be new and different.?
Terry Butcher on joining the Scotland management team.
?I have always said it?s no good shopping in Harrod?s if you?ve got Asda money.?
A few other managers could sympathise with Gillingham boss Mark Stimson.
?If I believed everything I read in the papers in the last week, I would have brought in 365 new players from 14 different continents.?
Another classic Kevin Keegan statement.
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