The Growing Influence Of Money In Football

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The Growing Influence Of Money In Football

Postby SE13 » Sat Jul 28, 2007 5:36 pm

This is another I wrote some time ago, but the point still remains..... Discuss

Remember back to the days when we could afford to be a season ticket holder, you know, the days of muddy pitches, terraces, and teams with no sponsors on their shirts?

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They were they glory days of the past people so often harp on about. Players used to turn up on a Saturday morning, still hungover from the night before, cigarette in hand, and waiting for the pay packet almost comparable with the average working man.

What ever happened? Well money is the obvious answer. Suddenly people other than the average kid and Dad discovered that money could be made out of football. Suddenly, teams were offered vast amounts of money to carry the name of a company on the shirts of the teams, as opposed to just a little advert on a hoarding at pitchside. The football authorities around The Globe loved the idea, because more money for the clubs meant more money with which to line their own pockets. The players loved it, because more money in football meant higher wages, and let us face a fact, who is going to turn down money?

Players were now more important than the clubs they represented, transfer fees went through the roof, and suddenly a new route for money was needed by both the clubs, and football in general. Television companies suddenly became more involved in the game, and the fight for that prime slot on Saturday night began. From being a tradition of Match Of The Day on Saturday night, and The Big Match on a Sunday afternoon, the BBC and ITV were squabbling for the rights to host prime time slots, and the big winner was the football authorities. They owned all the rights to any footage shown, and must have rubbed their hands with glee as the "Big Two" fought it out, and bidded more and more money for the rights.

The point where it all became silly, was arguably the introduction of all-seater stadia, where despite the ready money available to the clubs and authorities on tap, prices were hiked to incorporate the new style of seeing the glorious game. Sky had come along and offered huge amounts of money for the rights, and BBC/ITV were fighting for the scraps. Players were demanding more and more money, sponsors were paying more and more money, terraces were being outlawed, seats brought in bigger revenue, and the greed continued.

So I bring myself to a point in time where to see my beloved Arsenal now costs a whopping fourtyfive English pounds, the players earn more a week than I do in years, and yet I see players demanding more and more, yet perfectly happy to turn their backs on the supporters by moving to rivals in the need for more cash. I think back only fifteen years, where a "Grade A" game was eight quid to see, and weep. Nowadays, I would be lucky to see a non-league encounter at that price, but I can...... Just!

Those "little" teams that used to supply the big teams with players are long gone, and in a desperate attempt to stay afloat financially, hammer the average supporter. Those little teams that used to be so prominent years ago giving us a proper cup upset in January on a filthy, dirty, freezing cold afternoon. Those little clubs that are so starved of money that they actually put buckets out for supporters to throw a few coppers into. Those little clubs that once were our near neighbours are now our forgotten relatives. All in the name of money.
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Please note that my comments are my own view, and not that of GoonersWorld. Everything I write is subject to © 2007-2013, and is my own work unless quoted otherwise.
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Postby Libertine » Sun Jul 29, 2007 7:26 am

I worry about where the next generation of fans will come from.

When i was a kid my paper round easily paid for my train fare to Arsenal, entrance to the ground and a programme.

I've no idea how much a paper round pays nowadays but i bet it ain't £60+ a week!


If the youngsters don't get the habit of going, then they'll never go regularly.
And then who's going to be sitting in these huge stadiums that the clubs are building?
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Postby Libertine » Sun Jul 29, 2007 8:20 am

SE13 wrote:
So I bring myself to a point in time where to see my beloved Arsenal now costs a whopping fourtyfive English pounds, the players earn more a week than I do in years, and yet I see players demanding more and more, yet perfectly happy to turn their backs on the supporters by moving to rivals in the need for more cash. I think back only fifteen years, where a "Grade A" game was eight quid to see, and weep.



I know exactly where you're coming from SE13

I remember, after we won the league at Anfield, Arsenal increased our standing season ticket prices from £65 to £91.
People went mental about it!

Now £91 isn't enough for an upper-tier seat at grade A fixture!


I'm one big price increase away from jacking my season ticket in.
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Postby SE13 » Sun Jul 29, 2007 9:24 am

I seem to recall that my ticket for Anfield that night was £7, and the touts were charging £25 outside. When we piled out of the pub, they had dropped to £18 or so. And at £7, it was an expensive ticket for terraces!

Hard to call, as I was a season ticket holder, but I think that admission onto The North Bank was £5 in 88/89.
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Postby She_Gunner_Wales » Sun Jul 29, 2007 9:25 am

£91 for a season ticket :shock: :P

Wouldnt we all love it if that as the price now, when i had my season ticket its cost £500 now that would only just about get me to 10 games.

Aint been to the new stadium yet, cant afford it now im living back in Wales, would cost me about £200+ just to go to one match, with trainfare/petrol, overnight stay, 2 tkts (me n my boy) & thats without spending money, sadly these days im more of an armchair supporter. :cry:

My bloke takes Jake down to the Liberty Stadium to watch my local side the Swans and for a league 1 side that costs £19 for adults & £10 for kids, which is alot more affordable, ill never desert Arsenal though in favour of another team.
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Postby REG » Sun Jul 29, 2007 9:37 am

I have one of the cheaper seats at the Emirates at £900 which is still alot of money for a ticket
So far Arsenal have sold out all there games nearly & getting that 20,000 extra every week is amazing for them so what do they do with the extra cash, it goes in Cesc's pockets
The board doesn't ask the people that pay the wages of everyone from Cesc, themselves & the tea ladies what they want done with the stadium etc
Every so often a world class player asks for for the biggest wage which goes on the back of the NOTW with 3 players at the mo at Chelsea getting £100k plus to train & play every week!!!!!!
Thats just of the club itself imagine what the extras they must get
Football has gonba back in time & to me it will never be the same again (the greed), Roman has changed football for the worse & Glazers etc etc don't help
Even ticket prices at Barnet are £15 to stand & watch a league 2 side play & a poor ground!!!!!!!
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Postby Libertine » Sun Jul 29, 2007 9:37 am

SE13 wrote:Hard to call, as I was a season ticket holder, but I think that admission onto The North Bank was £5 in 88/89.


Would've been somewhere around that.

Or "two for a fiver mate?" as one of you hopped over the turnstile at the gate. ;)


Ah, paying cash to get in.
One of my mates is a red member and he reckons it's like a military operation nowadays, getting tickets for games.
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Postby SE13 » Sun Jul 29, 2007 9:45 am

Libertine wrote:
SE13 wrote:Hard to call, as I was a season ticket holder, but I think that admission onto The North Bank was £5 in 88/89.


Would've been somewhere around that.

Or "two for a fiver mate?" as one of you hopped over the turnstile at the gate. ;)


Ah, paying cash to get in.
One of my mates is a red member and he reckons it's like a military operation nowadays, getting tickets for games.


I used to take my little sister back then, and for a quid to the gateman, she would hop over the turnstile...... Happy days!
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Postby Libertine » Sun Jul 29, 2007 10:30 am

SE13 wrote:
I used to take my little sister back then, and for a quid to the gateman, she would hop over the turnstile...... Happy days!



Sadly, those days are gone forever. :cry:

I feel a bit sorry for the young 'uns going now.
The football is miles better but the 'matchday experience' is much poorer.
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Postby rvtheace » Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:33 am

Football fans ought to form an association and demand a reduction in prices.
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Postby Yorkyblue » Tue Jul 31, 2007 9:01 am

REG wrote:Football has gonba back in time & to me it will never be the same again (the greed), Roman has changed football for the worse & Glazers etc etc don't help
Even ticket prices at Barnet are £15 to stand & watch a league 2 side play & a poor ground!!!!!!!


Sorry mate but football was always that price pre-Roman. I go watch Huddersfield a bit and I was paying the same price in League 2 just when Roman took over. The prices never dropped from the relagation the year before.

Abramovich isn't the blame for everything.
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