Oh you seem to have misunderstood me. I had literally just opened my eyes and all I could see was a wall of words, I was tired before I read it.
I hope you have a licence as it supports the BBC who do some great radio. Radio keeps me company at night. I would be very lonely at three in the morning without it.
In fairness, it hasn't made football more accessible, well it has to some extent but to a much greater extent it's made the aforementioned clubs that matter way more accessible because they're on TV pretty much every week. Man U have had 55 consecutive televised FA Cup games. The final and semi, sure... But half of them are dull, premier league side at Old Trafford fixtures in the third round. Not to mention the extremely slanted TV rights money distribution particularly benefiting a select few once again.
Well affiliation to a football team is fairly illogical. However, one could argue that we are all here to make up numbers in life and arguably what will any of us achieve?!
Agree that tv money should be distributed more fairly. You go on about man utd - DON'T WATCH IT THEN. Watch celebrity big brother instead. Because it's on you don't have to watch it. It's about choice. I don't particularly enjoy watching man utd but watch as I like to relax watching football and there is always the chance they will lose. If anything bbc and itv are far worse than sky in showing the big boys.
Buy me another pint someone. We've got a Saints fan going all philosophical on us! Like FLT, I played footie before I discovered Saints. I still curse the uncle who took me to my first game. Bastard started me on a road to addiction which I love and hate in equal measure! My dad was Royal Navy and Pompey through and through. Poor man never came to terms with my defection.
Come on TSS, saying fans are at fault for buying SKY subscriptions is akin to saying British voters are at fault for millions of deaths in middle east as they've supported our government by voting. In other words, you're talking absolute ****e Edit- You've mentioned a few times that you don't go to games anymore as you fell out of the habit. Ever wondered if your love would come back if you started going again?
My dad was also RN but used to go to both Saints and Pompey matches, depending on who was at home when his ship was in dock. Most other people in my family at the time were Saints fans and I think this, plus of course a bit of glory hunting, turned him towards the red and white end of Hampshire once he left the Navy.
I don't think I am talking ****e. The day the Premier League hit town the writing was on the wall. If people feel insulted perhaps I've touched a nerve. I'm not a SKY subscriber and I knew 100% the mega money would be the outcome the day they put their oar in. I'm not suggesting anyone should be like me, but just be aware of the consequences of what they do. And I can't afford to go to matches these days. Besides, I'm occasionally working. Going to football matches is a habit I got out of, and I've decided that I prefer doing things to watching other people doing them anyway.
What difference does me not watching Man U (and I won't, nor did I watch Man $ity) make? None. Not one iota. In fairness, there aren't that many exciting fixtures in this round. And I agree BBC are far worse, especially as they're meant to be an unbiased national commercial-free broadcaster which represents the entire country.
In the PL, TV money is distributed very fairly; we received 84% of the money received by the biggest earners, Arsenal. It's the biggest equalizer these days, as more than half of it is an equal share, with the next-largest tranche being the merit payments...finish high in the league and you'll be on close to equal footing with the biggest clubs. In the football pyramid overall, it's a different matter; there have been some mild steps toward funneling money to the FL, but given the cash sloshing around the top division, it really ought to be more.
i bet when the fixtures come out most people are looking for the games against chelsea, utd, city and arse. not many were looking for Sunderland and Burnley.
I prefer Saints games against the lesser clubs. When there was a bigger choice because most games were on Saturday. I would choose to watch games where we had a better chance of winning. I go to see Saints, not the opposition.
I absolutely idolised the old bugger too. He was a decorated war hero, a generally bloody good bloke and a brilliant dad. He was an Eastney lad and Pompey was in his DNA. My mum, on the other hand, was posh Hampshire and so she and her siblings supported the little team down the road, bless 'em. Her brother-in-law got me hooked while dad was sailing the seven seas. As a result, I do not join in with the Pompey hating songs. Oddly enough, it was one of the things I had in common with my late lamented mate, Channon Walked on H2O. His dad had been a Royal Marine, I think. Bit part players, my old pompey mate? No, we all play a part, albeit humble spear carriers. Saints have just reached the point of getting a few speaking parts. Poor old Pompey are now on latrine duties. I look forward to their rise from the ashes.