I'm struggling not to be negative ! When you look at the money being paid to those at the 'top', it is difficult to argue that football is NOT a business ! ----and if it is a business, then the fans are merely customers. If I am prepared to accept that those at the 'top' feel justified in taking ridiculous sums of money, ( from the customers ), then I should be reciprocated by those at the 'top' - to accept that the customer is King ! The customer will be justified in expecting value for money - and will exercise their right to choose where and how they 'shop.' At this time of the year, many shops are offering ( genuine ) discounts (( I got a cauliflower for 29 pence this week - compared with £1 last week - I think the supermarket know there is competition )).... and in the next couple of weeks - when Gills customers will have to pay for 4 home games in the space of 16 days (( let alone the even more stupid prices to get into Ipswich )),............. they didn't need a price hike by somebody at our 'top'. At this rate I may become bankrupt and end up homeless ( if I'm lucky Mr.Evans will buy me a cup of tea ) ........................................................................now - shall I be negative ?
The problem is when clubs now get to the Championship or have even been in the Championship for a while, they are going for broke. Enticed by Premier League money, mostly gained from TV revenues. However, we are starting to see the consequences of it, ripple down to the lower leagues - you give us Stoke, and I'll give you a Sunderland, someone else will give us Bolton, and the next person will hold up a Wigan. The sad fate how the game has become, and no one is the slightest bit interested in doing anything about it, as club after club is dying. People will hold up Wolves, Sheffield United as positive examples, we all remember the days they were in L1 and some are always going to be fortunate. whether you love or hate our Chairman, at least we are not Bury, Southend and now Macclesfield https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50861229 The whole system needs a shake up, a maximum wage needs to be introduced, TV revenue needs to be shared out more fairly and we need a new governing body, where the League and FA become one. Every club needs an insurance policy so it can't go bust. But none of this will ever happen!
brb I entirely agree with your sentiments. I hate to see the greed of the EPL ----- BUT ---it is NOT the fault of the EPL. These teams are 'rewarded' by the TV companies via the FA ---- who are responsible for the equation regarding the division of wealth................so - that is where the buck stops ! At the end of the day, it is all down to supply and demand - and a reflection of the way that people choose to spend their money ------ which is NOT treating their local town football club as a charity - at whom we should blindly throw our hard-earned cash. I can feel a certain sympathy for the clubs you mention - but I would say that there are MANY more people in this World who are genuinely suffering - and far more deserving of a crumb of human kindness -- and who will actually starve on Christmas day - and Boxing day, and probably into the New Year............ I have stated in previous years, that my household gives 95% of a substantial Christmas fund, to a few different charities which hopefully help to give a meal / medicine etc for one day a year to a few poor souls ----------------------- or should I give that money to Stoke FC ? - who, like all the other clubs in the Championship would gladly prostitute their grandmothers if it got them extra cash to finance their quest to get into the land of milk and honey.............. I have a loving family - that is priceless - we give of our love to each other ( mere trinkets cannot compare - and the wasted money only line the pockets of greedy retailers)---------------SO MANY people want your money - but who truly deserves it ?............................ I have decided NOT to go to Ipswich on Boxing Day -- I have chosen to spend the entire day with ALL my immediate family ------ does anyone think I am being mean towards the finances of the Tractorboys ?
I heard not long ago, that fans were chanting 'this is not football' after yet another controversial VAR decision. The problem is the money men voted for it, not the fans, so it's not going to go away. I shouted often to not wish for the technology, now fans are paying the penalty, because as I said with it's introduction, one rule will lead to another and it did (handball/offside). The demise of lower league clubs and even Championship clubs is an easy one to resolve, but the real problem is no one has the balls to do it, and if they tried they would be met with complicated legal challenges. It was evident in the government enquiry into Bury FC, the FA were not obliged to contact them or assist, and a phone call only took place after they were gone. Once the last club has gone at least TV will have the money generating NFL, if you think that is a side swipe at a certain one billion pound stadium, then you thought right
brb like I said - football is a business ---- if it was your company, you would probably do all you could to maximise your profits - just like ALL other businesses. Just over 4 years ago, my sons both gave up their careers. They were at junior management level in their professions. Their jobs were safe - as was their pension prospects. They decided to go into a business venture - which had no guarantee of getting off the ground - and had a number of legal obstacles to overcome - let alone struggling to get financial backing. They went for nearly a year without any income.................... They worked through all the problems --- and now own 4 businesses, with multiple million £££ turnover, and employ nearly 30 people. They now have more money than they or the FA have sense. I am obviously very proud of the achievements. I believe that they deserve the rewards that they are starting to reap -- just like the corner-shop keeper, who gets up for work before a lot of people have even gone to bed ! I would defend the financial position that my sons now find themselves -- just as I would if it was Tesco, Asda, Utility companies, Tottenham Hotspur FC or any other business. Football is a business. The people in football ( the FA ?? ), are working within the lawful parameters ( maybe not ethical parameters ). You cannot blame these people who are profiting from their business. As you know, the system has to change - but nobody has the genetals to make the change ----- the law has to change -- perhaps we should have an election to get Corbyn in No. 10 to sack the FA. .................................................................... ........ of course - there is another way..................................... You don't have to buy the product ( football in all its' forms ) Nobody forces people to have satellite dishes and subscribe to SKY, BT, Amazon etc -------- but -- we do buy the product. My sons provide a 'quality' product - and wouldn't entertain anything cheap. SKY , BT, Amazon are also concentrating on 'quality' -- and that is why the EPL get all the money --- which wouldn't exist without the advertising revenue -- which wouldn't exist if the TV companies showed only 'inferior ' football..................................... it's a horrible and vicious circle that no amount of testosterone spheres can break.
Are we Gillingham FC better of in L1 or promoted to the Championship, which league should we be in , please answer. 1 C not a nice question , but has to be asked!
James, You may not be old enough to remember a previous Gills chairman, Dr. Clifford Grossmark. It was said then ( the 1960s ), that Gills didn't want promotion to Division 2 ( now Championship ) -- purely in terms of financial affordability. This is back when we regularly had crowds of 10,000. When we got promoted to the Championship, the best average attendance we had was just over 8500. That sort of support ultimately wasn't enough to keep us in that league. I believe that the expenses ( transfer fees and wages ) in the EFL is not sustainable --- and that even if we sold out every week, we wouldn't be able to get the revenue to compete ( for long ), with other clubs in the Championship......................... ...........You also have to bear in mind that at least 3 clubs get relegated into the Championship each season - and take 3 years of parachute payments - which puts them on a different financial level than the other clubs --- and the next season 3 more clubs go down with loads of money from the Premiership etc etc . If Gills did get promoted, I fear that relegation would be swift - but in the meantime, for the ( short ) period in which we may be in the Championship, our finances would be shot to pieces with all the increased expenditure (( and that is without any thought about the implication for the fans.))........so, the short answer to your question ( purely from a 'long-term' financial viewpoint ), it might be better if Gills have 'reasonable success in League 1, sprinkled with a few half decent cup runs.
If the FA were to give more money from the TV revenue to lower leagues, how long would it be before the EPL broke away from the FA and went it alone?
I have said the same thing. We will not be able to sustain championship football for more than one or two seasons without a massive invester as wages will be too much to attract players to stay in division. We would have to get a multi millionaire who is willing to finance club and lose money in the hope we can do a Bournemouth. Very unlikely to be honest. Realistically what we are doing this season is best outcome for us. Winning at home playing better and good cup run.
As I alluded to earlier, I think the answer lays somewhere in the two becoming the same governing body of football. Also it needs government intervention, to start laying down some financial regulation within football.
