MADNESS!

[Tombwfc]

what we have is an english league that is dominated by money that is coming from outside of england. tv money is coming from asia, america, scandinavia etc. this is aimed at increasing the revenue that comes from these areas which can only be a good thing.

what if they said that the money generated from growing the interest in the EPL would be enough to reduce ticket prices by £5 a game? would that make you happy?

if clubs like us could fill their ground and run the business from bolton alone then i'm sure it could. but face facts, without those foreigners following our league, and our team and our players we wouldn't be able to afford half of our squad.

it's the way the game has gone. we've had the discussion elsewhere is the game indeed a game or now an entertainment business. it's become an entertainment business and one that has to adapt. if you are presented with an opportunity that could significantly increase revenue from that source then the league and clubs have to look at it seriously

But it'll all end up irrelevant if we drew Man Utd, lost, and then went down by two points.

Sometimes you've got to just stick with what you've got without endlessly chasing the next payoff or whatever. Our job trying to stay in this league is hard enough without making the playing field even more unlevel.

[hisroyalgingerness]

that argument doesn't wash with me either. if over 38 or 39 games we're in the bottom, then we deserve to be there. one more game matters extremely little in the scheme of things

[minibus]

that argument doesn't wash with me either. if over 38 or 39 games we're in the bottom, then we deserve to be there. one more game matters extremely little in the scheme of things

Nonsense.

Pretty much every year, the relegation battle goes right down to the wire. Sometimes it goes down to goal difference.

Home and away versus each team in the league is fair, because everyone has the same fixture list.

But if we were, say, 17th and a point ahead of Birmingham after 38 matches, how fair would it be for:

a) us to play Spurs

b) Birmingham to play Derby

(locations irrelevant)

[Lord Kangana]

that argument doesn't wash with me either. if over 38 or 39 games we're in the bottom, then we deserve to be there. one more game matters extremely little in the scheme of things

I think the argument is based on 'fairness'.

Each team gets to play each other team twice - once home and away. That is fair, and sorts the man from the boys. If you can't stay up in that format, you clearly deserve to go down.

But introducing a further game on neutral ground against as yet undecided opposition throws all that in the air.

So, for example, the Wanderers are in a tight relegation battle with, again for example, West ham. After 38 games its been close and tense, but we've managed to finish 2 points above the Hammers by dint of a nerve-wracking last day win against, for example, Middlesborough. Simultaneously, West ham have been away at, for example, Birmingham, and only managed a draw, again after a tense game.

Both teams have played all other teams home and away, and the Wanderers have managed to garner 2 more points than the Hammers over those 38 games, therefore proving conclusivley that they are the better team (albeit by a slim margin).

But then, for the final game, we have a blind draw, with the top 5 teams seeded(this is the proposal). We draw,say,Man Utd (the champions) in Kuala Lumpar, whilst West ham draw, say,Everton (who finished fifth in this fantasy season) in Dubai. Over the course of the season we and West ham may have been beaten heavily by Man United twice, a team that hypothetically finished 20-points clear of the chasing pack(head and shoulders above anyone in the imaginary league) and ourselves and West Ham have performed very well against an Everton team who are only 'the best of the rest' because of goal difference, and because the overall quality of the league has been poor.

Then West Ham beat Everton, quite luckily, 1-0. We gain a memorable 2-2 draw with a team who are acclaimed as the greatest team in Europe (treble wins blah-di-blah).

And we go down.

I'd love to know how this hypothetical situation could be given a positive spin by anyone.

[TANGODANCER]

I'd love to know how this hypothetical situation could be given a positive spin by anyone.

Think they got the idea from Riverdance.

[Lord Kangana]

I'd love to know how this hypothetical situation could be given a positive spin by anyone.

Think they got the idea from Riverdance.

Aye well they're both a bit Irish. (all apologies to M42 et al)

[minibus]

Why were the Glazers, Gillett and co, Lerner etc so eager to invest in a sport in which virtually no clubs (at present) make a profit?

Because they saw massive potential increases in revenue, via the global appeal of the Premiership.

I'll have a look for quotes, but I'm sure I've seen some of the new fellas say stuff along the lines of "even the latest TV deals are woefully short of what the EPL is capable of generating", and 'industry analysts' saying that it would need the ruthless corporate vision of the yanks to drive this forward.

If true, it's not just them to blame though, is it? We also have to thank the guys who sold the clubs to them for a fast buck, and I'm sure the rest of the current chairmen won't say no to another couple of billion on the next TV deal.

[hisroyalgingerness]

that argument doesn't wash with me either. if over 38 or 39 games we're in the bottom, then we deserve to be there. one more game matters extremely little in the scheme of things

Nonsense.

Pretty much every year, the relegation battle goes right down to the wire. Sometimes it goes down to goal difference.

Home and away versus each team in the league is fair, because everyone has the same fixture list.

But if we were, say, 17th and a point ahead of Birmingham after 38 matches, how fair would it be for:

a) us to play Spurs

b) Birmingham to play Derby

(locations irrelevant)

but if it's a draw, it's random. it's fair.

[minibus]

that argument doesn't wash with me either. if over 38 or 39 games we're in the bottom, then we deserve to be there. one more game matters extremely little in the scheme of things

Nonsense.

Pretty much every year, the relegation battle goes right down to the wire. Sometimes it goes down to goal difference.

Home and away versus each team in the league is fair, because everyone has the same fixture list.

But if we were, say, 17th and a point ahead of Birmingham after 38 matches, how fair would it be for:

a) us to play Spurs

b) Birmingham to play Derby

(locations irrelevant)

but if it's a draw, it's random. it's fair.

Not at all.

If it was a cup competition, perhaps.

But this is a league, and by its definition, there shouldn't be any element of randomness!

The whole purpose of playing in a league is so that at the end of the day, everyone has had a fair and equal chance.

[officer_dibble]

I'm fuming with this one

Could be the straw that broke the camels back

You buy a season ticket, one of your 'home' games is played in Mexico City

Do you get a refund?

Free trip?

Do you f*ck

Its a disgrace, this whole game is a disgrace. The money earnt will end up in some f*ckin jumped up pornstar shaggin mediocre footballers back pocket, after his agent has taken his 20%. Fans will see nowt, just one less game. Oh it will be televised, on sky of course.

F*cked off to high heaven. Hope Scudamore gets malaria or summat the tw*t.

To be quite frank I'd consider my season ticket, I'd consider attendance at matches, and yes I know its not BWFC's fault but they are one 20th of the problem. I'd rather we were in the Championship TBH, on initial thoughts. Maybe someone can talk me round but the premier league? quite frankly i couldn't give a toss anymore. Overpriced and overrated.

If there was uproar, could be a case of fans not renewing ST's, maybe all teams would f*ck off abroad leaving us to start at grass roots again. Something needs to be done to stop the madness!!!!! Might not be a bad thing in the longrun, return to pre money days.

[TANGODANCER]

but if it's a draw, it's random. it's fair.

But why risk a season's endevours on games that are obviously designed to suit a marketing opportunity? The Premier league rules are clear enough and the season is based on them. Why make it a money-making roadshow based on the fact it's thought that the world is just waiting to see the EPL as the "Greatest show on Earth"? (which a few other leagues would argue with anyway). A club relegated because they lost a match they didn't really want to play in Mesapotania or Tokyo?

The Riverdance paradox wasn't just as daft as it may seem; a successful interlude in an Irish run Eurovision Song Contest brought the house down, (and not just at the Point theatre), and appeared on the Royal Command Performance as a ten minute spot. Next they write a show around it and soon its international. The lead star gets a touch of "the great I am" and storms out of it because he wants control and the marketeers won't have it. He goes off and creates his own show, "Lord of the Dance", leaves his wife and takes up with a seventeen year old dancer, (great media fodder) and Riverdance goes on tour. Soon (and currently as far as I know) there are eight or nine different casts touring the world and the original show isn't what the public are seeing. Lots of people make lots of money (probably only the major stars and not the working cast/chorus dancers etc) and most of it goes in the pockets of the entrepenuers and marketeers. Spin-off shows on a similar theme jump up everywhwere "Spirit of the Dance, Celtic Dream" etc and die the death from over-exposure. It all ends somewhere with the fat-cats sniffing around for their next venture. This football idea could well go the same way. Sky and co won't be kept out and before you know it people will be watching it in pubs.

Let's stick with what we have for me. Then again, football really isn't a sport anymore is it, just a glorified Riverdance on turf. Oh, they don't use arms in Irish dance either.

[communistworkethic]

If they want games in other countries, do a summer cup comp each year and take it to a different country each time - four groups of 5 - 4 games each over 4 days , top 2 go through from each to a knockout, 45 minute games, tournament over 9 days max.

Are you going to put this in your manifesto?

I think it's a vote winner missen

[fatshaft]

It seems you all missed Scudamore on SSn

So, the format would be a game in December, so while it's still unfair, it's not the season decider, in fact it's before the transfer window. Still shite mind, but not terminal at that point.

Venues were the far east, Australia and Miami, surprisingly the only US venue.

Best bit though was Lexi Lalas. It's fantastic for America, it will give the US a chance to see the EPL up close, and maybe then they'll realise that the MLS isn't that far behind, in fact they may even see that we're ahead of some teams.

Lalas by name, lala by nature

[fatshaft]

I still think UEFA and FIFA are going to tell the premier league to GTF

[communistworkethic]

UEFA & FIFA, see sense? You're 'avin a larff mate

[minibus]

UEFA & FIFA, see sense? You're 'avin a larff mate

Nah, it's just that they wouldn't want any international competition for their own showpiece (cash-cow) finals, that move from country to country...

[spraggy]

I'm fuming with this one

Could be the straw that broke the camels back

You buy a season ticket, one of your 'home' games is played in Mexico City

Do you get a refund?

Free trip?

the extra match is on top of the current 38, so wouldn't be part of the season ticket.

still a fecking stupid idea though

[minibus]

I'm fuming with this one

Could be the straw that broke the camels back

You buy a season ticket, one of your 'home' games is played in Mexico City

Do you get a refund?

Free trip?

the extra match is on top of the current 38, so wouldn't be part of the season ticket.

still a fecking stupid idea though

I bet Man United (at the very least) would include any 39th-match-being-held-overseas in the price of their season tickets, like all cup / Euro matches at present.

[americantrotter]

Well since there is no Boston, this completely blows.

What the feck happened to sense in England? This will all end badly. The whole EPL is gonna iplode on itself.

[hisroyalgingerness]

the only way round it which dibble alluded to is if the fans vote with their feet. and i mean properly not a few disgruntled chavs waiting outside the reebok for megson in hoodies.

if the whole country decided say for example to only buy half season tickets and say to the clubs "we'll wait and see what your decision is in jan about that foreign game thing" then there's a lot of power. but that won't happen cos scandanavians will still turn up at OT, the irish at the stadium of light, businessmen at the emirates and women at liverpool.

the game's moved on and either everyone has to move with it or be prepared to stand up and fight a lot harder than manure did when the glazers moved in on their patch.