Top clubs consider overseas games

[fah-q]

It's the thin end of the wedge

[Sir Bob]

The English game has dies.
Lets face it, the top teams are mostly foreign owned, foreigned managed, with the best players being foreign and now we are playing a game a season abroad.

And that will be the start. how long before a foreign based team plays in the league. i mean it makes financial sense. Base Derby in the Far East and watch the money fly in.

[alunevans]

Base Derby in the Far East and watch the money fly in.

Exactly. Once it reaches the point that competitions can be subverted for cash, and matches can be divorced from the regular fanbase for cash, everything is up for grabs.

It would make financial sense for Derby County to be based in the Far East. First one to do it would be quids in.

In the USA teams are regularly uprooted in the name of cash and just moved elsewhere.

This is the first step down the same path.

This proposal (though I think it's actually more than just at proposal stage) means that if it raises money, the team's fanbase and the integrity of the competition is unimportant. Once you're at that point the game's soul is well and truly dead and ANYTHING is possible so long as it is profitable.

If the Premier League want to be a global brand, do you really think it will stop with one game a year?

What if that one game a year makes more money than the usual games at home. Do you really think that they won't want to do more of it? Virtually every club is just a business. There are almost no football clubs anymore, and even the few obviously feel they have to swim with the sharks.

It shocks me how some people on here fail to see how significant a decision this is, and where it leads us.

[dww]

My suspicion is that this is just being talked up as the Super Bowl recently made people remember about the NFL doing it here. Maybe it will happen eventually but I would imagine that either the Charity shield or league cup final or something would be used first as a trial.

I would be surprised if the FA/Government didn't step in in the next year or so to reaffirm their anti-franchise position. they never should have allowed the MK Dons debacle as now everyone will have a precedent.

[kurtangle01]

It's a horrible and crass idea. Truely disgusting and it has serious consequences for the future of our game.

When you start compromising the integrity of the league which has a fair and just format as it is signals the end of competetive football as we know it because money has taken on more significance than trophies.

I just saw Richard Scudamore on Setanta Sports News saying that it will be great for fans from this country because they plan to host the matches in January in warmer climates...GREAT! So just after everybody's skint from Chrimbo and has already spent the best part of a grand on a season ticket earlier in the year and spent about £500 on travelling to away days and away CL matches they're expected to spend another two grand to go and watch their team play against Fulham in Melbourne? What a brilliant idea!!

Cunts the lot of them.

[carrsim]

considering how much money "foreigner" and people from the "far east" (just call it Asia ffs, we don't live in colonial times anymore) put into our club, i think there is a strong case for giving them the chance to watch their team in action in a match that genuinely means something.

i'm sure before the US ownership went pear shaped, there were a number of people in here talking about how we should be making more of our huge global fanbase. How that as one of the best supported clubs in the world, we lagged far behind in terms of merchandising etc.

i didn't realise that meant "let them buy real replica shirts, pay their TV subscription and just shut up and be drip fed the product like vegetables"

Now if you argue that this idea is all about money, then i'm inclined to agree. but a byproduct might be that some of our genuine fans who can't afford to get to england (the strength of the pound can be a killer for tourists) get to see their team in real action and not just a pre-season friendly.

they are saying an extra 240m over 3 years for revenue. if it went towards helping us sign another torres, finding the next stevie, or even helping us pay off the ****ing interest a bit quicker i'm all for it.

don't confuse the mess that G&H have made with an issue that might benefit thousands of reds from somewhere outside L4 who contribute plenty to the clubs coffers with little reward at present

[alunevans]

they never should have allowed the MK Dons debacle as now everyone will have a precedent.

I agree entirely.

[Marky]

What a heap of ****e.
These clowns are killing the game.
FFS.

[alunevans]

It's a horrible and crass idea. Truely disgusting and it has serious consequences for the future of our game.

When you start compromising the integrity of the league which has a fair and just format as it is signals the end of competetive football as we know it because money has taken on more significance than trophies.

I just saw Richard Scudamore on Setanta Sports News saying that it will be great for fans from this country because they plan to host the matches in January in warmer climates...GREAT! So just after everybody's skint from Chrimbo and has already spent the best part of a grand on a season ticket earlier in the year and spent about £500 on travelling to away days and away CL matches they're expected to spend another two grand to go and watch their team play against Fulham in Melbourne? What a brilliant idea!!

Cunts the lot of them.

Exactly. The daft get also said that just because the new format won't be assymetrical (ie everyone playing everyone twice) doesn't mean it won't be fair. His reason? Because everyone will know the rules in advance.

So by that token, if a new rule comes in at the beginning of next season that everytime Man U scored a goal it was worth ten goals, then it would be fair because everyone would know the rules in advance.

Utter tosh.

The mood is right for the fans to take the game back. How do we do it? I'm up for it even if it means resetting up the club all over again as Wimbledon's fans were forced to do and as FC United chose to do.

[Dhav]

This idea jeopardises the integrity and fairness of the EPL and makes it a less worthwhile competition to win. Some things should be more important than taking the game to the global fans, like integirty and sportmanship in the game.

Have to say, I found Scudamore's justifications absolutely laughable; "oh it could be worse, at least we're not taking any games away from the season ticket holders" :whatever:

[alunevans]

considering how much money "foreigner" and people from the "far east" (just call it Asia ffs, we don't live in colonial times anymore) put into our club, i think there is a strong case for giving them the chance to watch their team in action in a match that genuinely means something.

no there really isn't. so what that they put money into the club. big deal. that's not what the club or the game is meant to be about, simply following the largest buck.

if it comes down to how much money people put into the club, what if it can be shown that these fans actually put more in than the Anfield matchgoers do. wouldn't that give them MORE right to see their team than us?

and if so why have the team based in Liverpool at all. why not in Asia? Move Liverpool FC to Asia and I'm pretty certain that we'd be absolutely massive.

Except, it wouldn't be WE anymore.

Forget the money. If we have a fanbase then cater to them with merchandise, keep a welcome mat out at The Shankly Gates for those who are able to make the pilgrimage. Be commercially savvy in that sense.

But once you start making decisions like this based on money, everything is possible.

we're not the Harlem fecking Globetrotters. We have a community here in Liverpool and primarily that is who Liverpool FC represents. All others are a welcome and desirable part of that family, but it starts here.

Let the game be about sport and about community. They are the values that made the game great. We are just being whored around by these pimps because there's cash in it for them.

Don't think it'll stop there if their little lab test proves super profitable.

[kurtangle01]

Exactly. The daft get also said that just because the new format won't be assymetrical (ie everyone playing everyone twice) doesn't mean it won't be fair. His reason? Because everyone will know the rules in advance.

So by that token, if a new rule comes in at the beginning of next season that everytime Man U scored a goal it was worth ten goals, then it would be fair because everyone would know the rules in advance.

Utter tosh.

The mood is right for the fans to take the game back. How do we do it? I'm up for it even if it means resetting up the club all over again as Wimbledon's fans were forced to do and as FC United chose to do.

This idea jeopardises the integrity and fairness of the EPL and makes it a less worthwhile competition to win. Some things should be more important than taking the game to the global fans, like integirty and sportmanship in the game.

Have to say, I found Scudamore's justifications absolutely laughable; "oh it could be worse, at least we're not taking any games away from the season ticket holders" :whatever:

Exactly, lads. The filth draw Derby in New York and we draw Tottenham in Melbourne. Man U predictably win and we lose to Tottenham. As such we miss out on the title by two points to the filth.

Don't worry though it's fair because we knew about it in advance. What a load of ****e. 38 matches, one home, one away, is fair and the proper way. All this stuff is just crap. Horrible and crass.

I'm serious when I say that if these proposals go ahead then that's it for me. Finished with footy entirely.

[alunevans]

Exactly, lads. The filth draw Derby in New York and we draw Tottenham in Melbourne. Man U predictably win and we lose to Tottenham. As such we miss out on the title by two points to the filth.

Don't worry though it's fair because we knew about it in advance. What a load of ****e. 38 matches, one home, one away, is fair and the proper way. All this stuff is just crap. Horrible and crass.

I'm serious when I say that if these proposals go ahead then that's it for me. Finished with footy entirely.

Me too. I'd probably look at trying to get involved in a Liverpool Grassroots FC team which according to a recent poll I set up here would have 38% of readers based in the area going to watch.

I'm sure there'd be a mood among many fans that the game had finally gone too far and to get something which was partisan, community based, and founded on principles to do with sport, community and the traditional values of the game.

But if that wasn't in the offing then I'd jib it completely.

how do they have the right to do that to loyal supporters, to make us so obviously irrelevant that we are faced with the choice of accepting a farce and paying through the nose for it, or lose something that we have loved all our lives.

[carrsim]

no there really isn't. so what that they put money into the club. big deal. that's not what the club or the game is meant to be about, simply following the largest buck.

Forget the money. If we have a fanbase then cater to them with merchandise, keep a welcome mat out at The Shankly Gates for those who are able to make the pilgrimage. Be commercially savvy in that sense.

Don't think it'll stop there if their little lab test proves super profitable.

Sorry mate, football hasn't been about community for some time. and even now, the idea of community has changed in the modern world. look at the members on this forum from all over the world. the liverpool community especialy is a global thing- i know many scousers have a bit of a problem with that (not saying you are one)

and i'd also be tempted to suggest that the crowds might be louder than your average matchday at anfield- anyone who has been to a local derby with 60,000 in the crowd in Malaysia or Thailand will know what i'm talking about (oh yes, these countries do have hugely supported domestic football as well as a love for english football)

as for doing everything for the biggest market, technically we already do. Asia (for example) don't provide the MOST money, but SOME, therefore they might get ONE game. UK fans provide the MOST, so they get 38 league games and the CL etc etc

and what about the fans who pay but can't get to england? lots of people on this thread are complaining about 1 game to travel to when they live in one of the world's richest countries and the strongest currency on the planet.

there are many red fans who might NEVER get to see their team in action if this doesn't happen (assuming liverpool went to Asia of course) i don't think they should be ignored as you are suggesting ie let them buy the merchandise and let the lucky (richer) fans come to england. how elitist is that?

and i've left your last bit as that is pure speculation on your part. even if the premier league want to do it, logistically it becomes a bit harder to fit more trips into a season calender. (i expect)

[kurtangle01]

Me too. I'd probably look at trying to get involved in a Liverpool Grassroots FC team which according to a recent poll I set up here would have 38% of readers based in the area going to watch.

I'm sure there'd be a mood among many fans that the game had finally gone too far and to get something which was partisan, community based, and founded on principles to do with sport, community and the traditional values of the game.

But if that wasn't in the offing then I'd jib it completely.

how do they have the right to do that to loyal supporters, to make us so obviously irrelevant that we are faced with the choice of accepting a farce and paying through the nose for it, or lose something that we have loved all our lives.

Obviously we don't matter. They've got our money so now it's time to go and get someone else's. Whether we love the club all our lives is irrelevant. There's a fan base out there who are prepared to pay through the nose so lets exploit them as well.

The fact that we go to matches whether they be against Wrexham, Havant & Waterlooville, Barnsley, Bolton etc... and supported the club all season and all our lives in many cases doesn't matter. There's money to be made elsewhere.

As you say we either pay through the nose for watered down ****e and a league that's been ruined and no longer matters or we give it up.