It could be a watershed moment, where the Premier League says, sod it, we really don't need the loyal supporter. We just need enough bums on seats. At the present time everyone, from owner, to ex-player and pundit, to supporter, says that football clubs should not lose touch with their working roots. They say that football is a working class game. And then they charge middle class prices. It's paying lip service only. Roy Keane was right. He just made his pronouncement before it was fashionable.
Much as I hate its owner, Sky TV [or BSB or whatever] and latterly BT Sport, have liberated the Premier League clubs and brought benefits in several ways. They started this evolution, and clubs don't need the loyal supporter from now on, whatever they say. And the most committed supporters pay the price both ways. So if you don't like it, blame the clubs and Sky for starting the money merry-go-round. Of course it's your own bloody fault [that's bound to hurt] for having Sky [i.e. aimed subscription TV] in the first place, but I won't go there again as I have views on it which rock the boat, as you probably know by now.
The inevitable consequence of the TV journey that elite football is taking means that football clubs will eventually lose touch with their loyal supporters unless it suits them not to. Yes, I'm sure there are many PL club owners at present who consider the loyal supporter to be a core importance, but they are becoming fewer, despite what they say, and the importance for the remaining clubs becomes less with each deal. Their actions inevitably betray their words.
From the Championship down, with little affordable changes and builds, here and there, professional football in the UK remains pretty much as it has been for as far back as one cares to remember, but even they are affected by the PL shadow, in terms of revenue and costs. Which type of football do you want?
