Liverpool FC Forum

by **kindaconfuzed** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 7:21 pm

I thought I would throw this one into the advanced members discussion forum to see if they want to take this one up. If the question gets going in the inner rectum yer can throw the scraps back to us so we can pick any meat off the bone that yu've left.

by **Ciggy** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 7:24 pm

by **kindaconfuzed** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 7:33 pm

cisse

The issue is is Football a sport or a business. The importance is that if its considered a business then its about money and if its a sport its about winning and not necessarily money.

In the older days it was a working class sport but times have moved on but some of the fans still consider it "their team" and the directors approach the issue as a business which is why you sometimes get a lot of conflict etc etc etc.

by **supersub** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 7:50 pm

yes,it is open for discussion,but the fish needs his bath;I'll have to get back to the question later and possibly,afterwards we can come to a conclusion.....I'm coming Jaws..bloody impatient fish!

by **A.B.** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 8:46 pm

Football, like any other sport has become bussiness for the big clubs such as Real Madrid,Barcelona,etc..

by **kindaconfuzed** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 9:03 pm

AB

Do you consider this statement extends to other clubs, I would be interested in your views. The clubs you mentioned maybe just better at the management of the sport as a business which doesnt necessarily mean the others dont also consider it as a business but perhaps there just not as good at it (managing it as a business).

by **supersub** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 9:19 pm

The day Sky tv and the equivalent tv groups of Europe began offering the golden carrrots,was the day big business muscled in on football.

by **A.B.** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 9:23 pm

kindaconfuzed wrote:The clubs you mentioned maybe just better at the management of the sport as a business which doesnt necessarily mean the others dont also consider it as a business but perhaps there just not as good at it (managing it as a business).

Thats exactly what I mean. However, Rafael Benitez has shown that he is a good bussiness man. Instead of throwing away money on player, he spent a low amount of money on various talented players from Spain. I think that is better than spending 30 million on striker, like Man Utd did on Rooney.

by **redspirit** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 9:26 pm

supersub wrote:The day Sky tv and the equivalent tv groups of Europe began offering the golden carrrots,was the day big business muscled in on football.

I live in the United States and what you mentioned has been reality over here for decades. Money talks and bullsh*t walks.

by **A.B.** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 9:28 pm

redspirit wrote:
supersub wrote:The day Sky tv and the equivalent tv groups of Europe began offering the golden carrrots,was the day big business muscled in on football.

I live in the United States and what you mentioned has been reality over here for decades. Money talks and bullsh*t walks.

Exactly.

by **supersub** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 9:37 pm

Barcelona and Real Madrid have both spent huge amounts of money on players in the past.Real Madrid have been working under huge debts for years,not because they manage it well,but because they are the country's favourite sporting icon and are able to get special disspensation on loans,they get the King's help,in fact they can do anything and will always receive a helping hand from the powers that be in Spain,much to the annoyance of the other clubs.

Man u. are streets ahead here because they were the first to realise the full potential of a marketable product thats football.It all coincided with their rise to success,which gave them that massive boost.Sadly for us,we were on a decline and when David Moores took over we stood still for a long time,before Parry came on the scene.We are getting our act together,but we still tend to shoot our-selves in the foot..i.e..failed Thai deal

by **JBG** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 10:08 pm

The game is now a business, but an appallingly poorly run business with the majority of clubs losing money.

Only Man UTD really earn money which shareholders actually get to see as a dividend.

European football will be radically different in 10 to 20 years time, resembling American football more in structure.

We'll see the end of transfer fees and the introduction of a draft system, wage caps, mega endorsements, a huge reduction in domestic league games, travelling "circus" teams who tour around to maximise crowds (Juventus are already doing it). Large amounts of small clubs will go to the wall or go amateur, and international football will be watered down to a half baked spectacle (its already going that way).

We'll probably have 20 or so super franchises in Europe with another 20 or 30 secondary clubs and the rest will all probably die off. Its going to happen as clubs become super brands and money will talk. Nobody (or at least the majority of instant gratification fans )will be interested in seeing Man UTD v Norwich, they'll want Man UTD v Madrid every week.

by **A.B.** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 10:12 pm

Well said, I completly agree. The last statement is very true, I would rather watch Liverpool vs. Madrid than Liverpool vs. Norwich.

by **JBG** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 10:21 pm

The first attempt by the market to make money from football was a huge failure but there'll be another attempt where the money men will take power from FIFA and UEFA and run their own sport.

Its happened in the US, it'll happen here as soon as the suits can gain power over the games' organisation and make football even more marketable than it is.

That'll be a sad, sad day for football.

by **taff** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 10:32 pm

Its been like that since the game went pro in the 19th Century and yu can look to other sports to see a comparison but football has one diffrence in that its the biggest game on planet earth and easily ahead of any of its rival sports

I pessimistically tend to agree with JBG but unlike America the game is worldwide and there will probably be a split at some time but the nature of the game means that t will keep its basic strengths

I do however see clubs joining together in Britain e.g. Sheffield and Bristol as for any real success now they wont do it as singular clubs

Sam Hamman in Cardiff has realised that and is marketing the club as the club of Wales to get the suport of the country he even had a bring yur Man Utd Shirt and Ill buy it off you and give yu a free Cardiff shirt to the local kids

The Milan chairman after Blackburn won the premiership said hed prefer to see Liverpool in the CPL as that would fill the stadium this type of thinking probably led to the third and fourth positions for Europe

My concern however is that ten years ago I though Livepool had about fifteen years of shelf life left if they dont become one of the big boys again and with all the criticism of GH he did at least make us one of the gang again for a bit bt at the end of the day we are only a few seasons away from being a Spurs who until a few years ago were the biggest selling merchandising club in London

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