Football has peaked....

[Mr Tourette]

Football in this country has peaked and will no slowly slip into a period of decline.

Ultimately attendances will continue to drop because of 2 main reasons.

1. Its basically too expensive

2. Why bother when you can name the top 4 teams with absolute confidence before the season kicks off.

Financially the top 4 will become richer and richer through the champions league compettion and while us liverpool fans might not mind - will it ultimately be a situation that will have to be addressed? In that case how can it be addressed if at all?

Not necessarily my opinion but topical enough for a thursday afternoon.

Discuss.

[Red Chilli]

I think you are correct and an inevitable lull will continue.
Point 1 is correct.
Another point I'd like to add is that Sky TV shows so many matches now and TV coverage of games will increase leaving less people visiting the grounds.

But it's cyclical, attendances fall, prices come down, attendances go up again. Nowt to worry about.

[WILF]

I think that some Prem teams , ****ed if I can remember who , are already planning ticket price reductions for next year cos of falling attendances.

Or did I just dream it?????????

[Red Chilli]

I think that some Prem teams , ****ed if I can remember who , are already planning ticket price reductions for next year cos of falling attendances.

Or did I just dream it?????????

I think the Chavs have suspended price increases to all but their executive boxes and some team (was it SCUM ) have decided to offer cheap season tickets to U16's?

[Mr Tourette]

Its a big cycle, but in the past do you think that the top teams were so far away from the rest of the league financially....that watching the top flite ceased to become enjoyable to watch as an overall competition?

Im not that arsed. Dont know why i got onto this, was just wondering years down the line if it would ever effect us being one of the "big 4" that would potentially have to be sanctioned in some way to even things up. its not something completely out of the question if things continued to slide significantly?

[Gordy Boy]

I think that some Prem teams , ****ed if I can remember who , are already planning ticket price reductions for next year cos of falling attendances.

Or did I just dream it?????????

Bolton and Blackburn are cutting prices.

I think it's Sheff Utd that are putting a price freeze on season tickets

[Red Chilli]

Its a big cycle, but in the past do you think that the top teams were so far away from the rest of the league financially....that watching the top flite ceased to become enjoyable to watch as an overall competition?

Im not that arsed. Dont know why i got onto this, was just wondering years down the line if it would ever effect us being one of the "big 4" that would potentially have to be sanctioned in some way to even things up. its not something completely out of the question if things continued to slide significantly?

It's something the big 4 can't allow to happen IMO and neither can the Premier league. The FA are the ultimate guardians of the game in this country ( :whatever: ) so they are responsible for preventing it. I think the big 4 need to bear it in mind, without a competition they won't get much money for TV rights and they won't get any attendances.

[WILF]

I think the Chavs have suspended price increases to all but their executive boxes and some team (was it SCUM ) have decided to offer cheap season tickets to U16's?

Bolton and Blackburn are cutting prices.

I think it's Sheff Utd that are putting a price freeze on season tickets

Thanks fellas ,

Seriously though , if the top 4 do pull away into a permanent league of their own it can't be good for footie in general here.The unpredictability of the Prem is part of it's attraction.
Of course if we win the title for the next 10 years it is different, that is called enhancing great tradition

[Joe Le Toff]

European Super League (Which I suppose you could call the CL in all but name) is just around the corner IMO.

[Red Chilli]

European Super League (Which I suppose you could call the CL in all but name) is just around the corner IMO.

It'll never happen IMO. Or should I say, it'll never replace domestic football. How many fans want to go and watch LFC play in Kiev and then 2 weeks later in Anderlecht?

Attendances would be poor and would never replace domestic football.

[Joe Le Toff]

It'll never happen IMO. Or should I say, it'll never replace domestic football. How many fans want to go and watch LFC play in Kiev and then 2 weeks later in Anderlecht?

Attendances would be poor and would never replace domestic football.

Hope youre right.

[jonesie]

Clubs like Newcastle, Spurs, Bolton and the Bitters will eventually give in to big money takeovers in order to compete with the likes of us, Chelski and the Mancs.

Of course, this will mean prices will continue to go up and more and more people will be priced out of the game.

Just curious. What role do you reckon the media have to play in all of this? Are they giving us simply too much football?

[Mumsafan]

Everton are cutting prices as well, and offering a big discount on STs if paid early, and offering interest free loans to help pay for STs.

Others: Bolton, Blackburn, Wigan, Sheffield United all cutting prices for all tickets and having low price games to up attendances.

[Deano]

Supply and demand

Yes the top 4 wil always have people wanting to watch a game live so why cut ticket prices ? - You take Blackburn and Bolton - They have reduced prices as they cannot fill their stadia unless it is against a top 4 club or a derby.

I don't thhink we have hit a peak per se, in fact we are IMO quite a way from that as people today have far more disposable incomes than in recent years.

Wether having a top 4 who dominate is a good thing who knows, you could go along a draft sytle transfer system as in the USA but the top 4 will usually ahve enough in reserve to counter this.

However only last year didn't Everton qualify for the Champions League with its untold riches but failed to qualify as they were not good enough to beat an equilvant European team. Money doesn't usually buy sucsess (Chelsea apart) - look at Arsenal, some fantastic footie which has been coached not bought. I hate saying this but man utd's sucess in the Late 90's was down to a group of homegrown players.

[Kinell]

Why bother when you can name the top 4 teams with absolute confidence before the season kicks off.

But in what order! One of the reasons it will never die.