Top clubs consider overseas games

[desertscouser]

it will coops. listen to the language and the detail. this has been in the offing for a while clearly. scudamore talked of the huge sense of solidarity in the room about the idea. david gold of brum said he'd never encountered such enthusiasm.

this is happening i'm afraid mate.

nobody can explain how the league's integrity is maintained mind you, or how they feel this extra game can be done fairly and equitably.

but all the clubs smell cash. this WILL happen.

thats why i'm so gutted. because i will be handing in my season ticket when it does.

as i said earlier, what dope would follow a meaningless competition?

I would seriously consider doing the same.

[Craig_H]

Which backs up my point above mate. You and I would not be alone. Money talks, which is why this ****ty idea keeps coming about, and when tens of thousands of footy fans across the country threaten to do just the same as you and I, which they will, money will talk again and the chairmen will unanimously decide that after all, it was a **** idea.

But the problem is, we have what, 30k ST holders? How many would jack it in? Let's say 10k.

Dont they have a waiting list of 60k? Probably 30-40k of that are still alive, would be able to afford a ST and would buy one.

So for every person who hands it in, there's probably 3 more who'll want it.

Sadly, the demand outstrips the supply hugely, so there'll still be more than enough people handing their money over to ensure this stupid idea will happen.

[WILF]

But it wouldnt be a home game though, would it?

Not being funny, but there's a reason why it's the ENGLISH league and why we are called LIVERPOOL. I'm not a scouser, i live 230 miles from Anfield and it costs me over £100 for every 460 mile round trip to Anfield, but that's the way it is. It'd be cheaper and more convenient if LFC played their home games in London, but it wouldnt be Liverpool FC then.

The whole point of LFC is the fact that it's representative of Liverpool, the games are played in Liverpool and i consider it a pleasure to make that journey to the place where 'it all happens'.

I can see why fans from abroad would be so keen, naturally but as it's JUST one game, like you say, then some of those fans can make one trip to Anfield to see a game, same as 40,000 of us did last May when we went to Athens.

The whole special nature of LFC is that it's in Liverpool, it's Anfield and it's the Scouse culture.

Half of the appeal is in that. Surely it'd be more special for a foreign fan to make the pilgrimage to Anfield and sample the real thing, rather than a hollow feeling of watching LFC playing in Tokyo for example, where i imagine the whole 'ordeal' would have a distinctly 'plastic' feel to it.

Spot on post

I am from Surrey originally, now settled in Tokyo and I would absolutely HATE the idea of a league game here, even though I could watch it.

No integrity, no fairness, no soul.

Rich owners will move their franchises from city to city/country to country , and **** the faithful fans.

[Guest]

This is a ridiculous idea. Footballers need rest, not traveling the world in order to play matches.

[Craig_H]

Yes I do mate. Without being disrespectful to the people on here. They wouldnt be really would they? The people who are gonna be against it are each clubs bread and butter. I.E. The local fanbase.

This site does not really represent the local fanbase so you are getting a distorted view on that score.

No doubt somebody will twist this into me being against OOT`ers again but it clearly isnt.

I agree with you to a point, but of the 44k that cram into Anfield every other week, there's a decent portion who have travelled from an area you wouldnt call local.

I'd maybe rephrase it and call them 'the weekly, matchgoing fanbase' as opposed to 'local fanbase'

[Craig_H]

thats what we lose though isn't it. the idea of watching a genuine competition rather than something distorted just for money.

and if anyone thinks it'll stop at 1 game once introduced and profitable really is naive.

I made this point yesterday, the idea is for one game, but that'll quickly turn into 5 games and then 10 games, etc etc in the future.

It'd be the beginning of the end for top flight english footy. I'd rather LFC got relegated and played ALL of their home games in the Championship, but IN Liverpool, rather than start playing a number of 'home' games abroad.

[carrsim]

If these overseas fans cant get to anfield anyway (which is part of the reason why this will happen, because there's an overseas demand which cannot be supplied at Anfield), what difference will playing a game in the far east make to their chances of helping to fill the stadium?

if you read all i've said on this thread you;ll realise that i have been saying that many fans from around the world CAN get to liverpool, but many can't.

theses overseas fans are not agitating for this development of course, but i can see the side of an argument that suggests that many who can't afford to come to england still pay their TV subs and buy merchandise etc with little in return.

i wouldn't have a problem with giving these fans the chance to see the reds in the flesh in a game that means something- if the system implemented works. the 39 games doesn't work imo.

of course the premier league and the clubs just want the cash (what else is new?) but i don't see that playing 1 game away from england in principle destroys the spirit of liverpool or the league we play in.

the game and times have changed. we have global fans and i wouldn't begrudge them the same pleasure i have got from watching the reds

[Craig_H]

if you read all i've said on this thread you;ll realise that i have been saying that many fans from around the world CAN get to liverpool, but many can't.

theses overseas fans are not agitating for this development of course, but i can see the side of an argument that suggests that many who can't afford to come to england still pay their TV subs and buy merchandise etc with little in return.

i wouldn't have a problem with giving these fans the chance to see the reds in the flesh in a game that means something- if the system implemented works. the 39 games doesn't work imo.

of course the premier league and the clubs just want the cash (what else is new?) but i don't see that playing 1 game away from england in principle destroys the spirit of liverpool or the league we play in.

the game and times have changed. we have global fans and i wouldn't begrudge them the same pleasure i have got from watching the reds

Many uk based reds cant get to a european cup final either mate, so what do they do? They miss out. Sounds harsh, but that's life isnt it?

If a prerequisite of supporting a club is being able to go and see them live, and those people cant do that, it makes a case for supporting their local club.

I've no problem whatsoever with foreign fans supporting LFC, i welcome it hugely. And if this idea didnt compromise the integrity of the league format, i'd have no issue with it. But it does and i cant see a way around that.

If you compromise the format of the league, there's really no point in HAVING a league system.

[carrsim]

If a prerequisite of supporting a club is being able to go and see them live, and those people cant do that, it makes a case for supporting their local club.

I've no problem whatsoever with foreign fans supporting LFC, i welcome it hugely. And if this idea didnt compromise the integrity of the league format, i'd have no issue with it. But it does and i cant see a way around that.

If you compromise the format of the league, there's really no point in HAVING a league system.

is it a prerequisite? I'll be sure to mention that to the asian fans i speak to who will never be able to afford to take their family of reds to england (and believe me i speak with thousands of football fans from across Asia every year)

so what you're saying in the next bit is you're not against it in principle IF the system in which it works can be figured out?

which is what i said

[Guest]

Many uk based reds cant get to a european cup final either mate, so what do they do? They miss out. Sounds harsh, but that's life isnt it?

If a prerequisite of supporting a club is being able to go and see them live, and those people cant do that, it makes a case for supporting their local club.

I've no problem whatsoever with foreign fans supporting LFC, i welcome it hugely. And if this idea didnt compromise the integrity of the league format, i'd have no issue with it. But it does and i cant see a way around that.

If you compromise the format of the league, there's really no point in HAVING a league system.

However, whilst it's a ****e idea, the incentives in terms of revenue generation is enormous, and I don't think anything can be done to nip this idea in the bud.

[Slim]

It’s clearly the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. I’ve become more and more disillusioned with the Premier League over the years, and this is potentially the final nail in the coffin and final confirmation that it is purely all about money now. It’s the thin end of the wedge because if it makes money they will do it again, and again, and again until half the games are played abroad ….or why not just move the whole league to Asia?

Even setting aside the whole moving abroad debate, the idea of an extra game and the fact that the top 5 get seeded is ludicrous and totally unfair. It ruins the league as a competition.

Why would the likes of Fulham and Derby agree to this if it means potential relegation after having to play one of the big boys 3 times in a season? Answer = money.

Who knows, maybe next they will move to stop relegation like in American sport.

A 39th league game between Bolton and Wigan in LA you say? Go soccerball!! :whatever:

[alunevans]

Many uk based reds cant get to a european cup final either mate, so what do they do? They miss out. Sounds harsh, but that's life isnt it?

If a prerequisite of supporting a club is being able to go and see them live, and those people cant do that, it makes a case for supporting their local club.

I've no problem whatsoever with foreign fans supporting LFC, i welcome it hugely. And if this idea didnt compromise the integrity of the league format, i'd have no issue with it. But it does and i cant see a way around that.

If you compromise the format of the league, there's really no point in HAVING a league system.

Exactly. And besides. There's loads of scousers who can't afford to go either who are Liverpool mad because they simply can't afford a ticket because the game is all about money. My nephew can count on his hand the games he's been to and he's Liverpool crazy. And he's 18!!

If we're all so concerned about reds who can't afford to go the games, lets start there eh.

But no, cos nobody really gives a **** about reds who can't afford to go the games, its about making money and every other reason is a veneer.

[carrsim]

But no, cos nobody really gives a **** about reds who can't afford to go the
games, its about making money and every other reason is a veneer.

that bit i agree with- and it would appear that our delightful owners and CEO have not rejected the idea outright

[Red_hot]

Another step towards football being completely ****e

[Red_hot]

Exactly. And besides. There's loads of scousers who can't afford to go either who are Liverpool mad because they simply can't afford a ticket because the game is all about money. My nephew can count on his hand the games he's been to and he's Liverpool crazy. And he's 18!!

If we're all so concerned about reds who can't afford to go the games, lets start there eh.

But no, cos nobody really gives a **** about reds who can't afford to go the games, its about making money and every other reason is a veneer.

Spot on Al.