Is Football Finished?

Britishshooting said:
Not a big football fan, I just follow the team my mate plays for so Middlesborough now was Bristol City last season.

I must admit from seeing him over a couple of league games attendances can be poor at times unlike big cup matches. Not seen him at the new club yet but i imagine stronger attendances.

Haven't La Liga just confirmed they are to play 'x' number of matches in America now? Probably for an obscene amount of money. Wonder if the PL will follow suit or any other lower level clubs which could boost attendances. OR is it just bad for the game. I don't know or care to be honest.
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Can see the Premier League playing matches in Asia or the Middle East sooner rather than later.
 
Football will never be 'finished' as it goes from strength to strength financially of course. But it is only getting more difficult for the every day fan. Tickets prohibitively expensive, even club shirts are now £65 (Spurs ones are in the club shop anyway). Sky Sports and BT have to be purchased just to watch it on your TV. I'm only 31 so I guess it has always been going this way since I've been a football fan (20 odd years say). I do wonder what it was like to be a fan in the 70s. Must have been a lot different.
 
I have little interest in the EPL, not enough UK players involved for me.
It has become a foreign mercenary league where big money will always wins.
The gap between the top 5 clubs and the next 40 is huge and getting bigger, clubs like Bolton and Portsmouth will never get back to the highest level

Since the demise of Rangers and the introduction of the SPFL2 league football in Scotland has come alive again.
SPFL2 have had Rangers, Hearts, Hibs and Dundee United playing in recent years that has spread the money around a bit and enabled more competition. The gap between Div1 and Div2 is not huge.

Crowds and interest are up, Nearly all the clubs are debt free [with one notable exception.;)]
Fan owned clubs are starting to kick in. Grounds have been improved and enlarged.
Automatic entry into the Leagues has also added greater interest.

Fair enough we have our share of non UK players but nothing like the level in the EPL/Championship.
Long term who will prosper, that's anyone's guess.

I have my doubts as to an Atlantic league, a British/Irish league may be a better idea.
 
Orikoru said:
Football will never be 'finished' as it goes from strength to strength financially of course. But it is only getting more difficult for the every day fan. Tickets prohibitively expensive, even club shirts are now £65 (Spurs ones are in the club shop anyway). Sky Sports and BT have to be purchased just to watch it on your TV. I'm only 31 so I guess it has always been going this way since I've been a football fan (20 odd years say). I do wonder what it was like to be a fan in the 70s. Must have been a lot different.
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Yes it was a lot different. Way less money, more local players in every team, quagmires of pitches, brutal tackling (often from behind), hardly any foreign players, hardly any live football on tv. Standing at most grounds, very poor facilities. Etc etc but it was always advancing as a sport and I loved it then and do now.

Yes, I get Pee'd off with the play acting and cheating but the players now are treated, and perform, like thoroughbred race horses, pitches are superb and games are lit up with the world's best players who we can see in every game played, usually live on tv.

This is just an off the cuff summary from an old footie fan.
 
chrisd said:
Yes it was a lot different. Way less money, more local players in every team, quagmires of pitches, brutal tackling (often from behind), hardly any foreign players, hardly any live football on tv. Standing at most grounds, very poor facilities. Etc etc but it was always advancing as a sport and I loved it then and do now.

Yes, I get Pee'd off with the play acting and cheating but the players now are treated, and perform, like thoroughbred race horses, pitches are superb and games are lit up with the world's best players who we can see in every game played, usually live on tv.

This is just an off the cuff summary from an old footie fan.
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Well, it's refreshing to see an older fan who isn't just one of the "it were better in my day" brigade! And yeah, ignoring the money side, the game itself has changed as well. As you say, players are now toned athletes rather than just ordinary blokes with great feet who like a pint after the game. I'm sure the pace of the game must be a lot quicker now as a result?
 
Is football finished?

Of course not, Burnley are in Europe, it's only just getting started :clap:

We are Claret, we are Blue ...
 
Orikoru said:
I'm sure the pace of the game must be a lot quicker now as a result?
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For sure it's quicker, the better pitches and fitness of the players ensure that. One downside though is the inability of many true fans to afford to take their kids to games as the "prawn sandwich brigade" are the predominate season ticket holders - my (affluent) brother in law has waited 10 years for an Arsenal season ticket in his name.

I do think that the games are better now but the players are more like hired hands and less local lads get the chance to break into the teams which is sad.
 
Is football finished?

Of course not, Burnley are in Europe, it's only just getting started :clap:

We are Claret, we are Blue ...

And very soon we'll be back playing against Crewe"
 
Not finished, just overkill I think. No real end/start of most football seasons now, familiarity breeds contempt. It's a year round thing which doesn't work.
Any sport season should be 8 months tops so fans are itching to get going again after a decent break. US sports are good at that imo.

Too much of a good thing devalues it.
 
chrisd said:
For sure it's quicker, the better pitches and fitness of the players ensure that. One downside though is the inability of many true fans to afford to take their kids to games as the "prawn sandwich brigade" are the predominate season ticket holders - my (affluent) brother in law has waited 10 years for an Arsenal season ticket in his name.

I do think that the games are better now but the players are more like hired hands and less local lads get the chance to break into the teams which is sad.
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The rising costs are a shame. I have thought in the past that if I have a son I'd be better off taking him to Watford, which is very local and would likely be much cheaper than Spurs - but it's a real shame really that I'm even considering that rather than when I was young when I just naturally followed my dad who was Spurs.

maxfli65 said:
Not finished, just overkill I think. No real end/start of most football seasons now, familiarity breeds contempt. It's a year round thing which doesn't work.
Any sport season should be 8 months tops so fans are itching to get going again after a decent break. US sports are good at that imo.

Too much of a good thing devalues it.
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In fairness this was a world cup year. Normally you do get a bit of a break, albeit with constant transfer speculation. The sports pages know that football sells best so they are always invented stories.
 
chrisd said:
Is football finished?

Of course not, Burnley are in Europe, it's only just getting started :clap:

We are Claret, we are Blue ...

And very soon we'll be back playing against Crewe"
Click to expand...

Cruel 👎
 
Players are fitter and the game is faster but not necessarily any more skilful.

Also the focus of the media and thus the public tends to be entirely upon the EPL and, more specifically, the top 6.

In this respect the game in England has changed massively with the television viewer often prioritised over the paying spectators.

Not worse but not always better than previous generations and certainly not finished.
 
chrisd said:
For sure it's quicker, the better pitches and fitness of the players ensure that. One downside though is the inability of many true fans to afford to take their kids to games as the "prawn sandwich brigade" are the predominate season ticket holders - my (affluent) brother in law has waited 10 years for an Arsenal season ticket in his name.

I do think that the games are better now but the players are more like hired hands and less local lads get the chance to break into the teams which is sad.
Click to expand...

That's true but only in the top leagues. For £21 I can buy a ticket to watch Colchester play and take up to 4 under 11's free. Have quite often gone with my two boys and a mate and his two kids, and even with diesel costs and a McDonald's before the game it's less than £75 for the 6 of us to have a day out. Yes, it's "only Colchester" but the kids get to watch live football 8 or 10 times a season rather than only as a very occasional treat.
 
MetalMickie said:
Players are fitter and the game is faster but not necessarily any more skilful.

Also the focus of the media and thus the public tends to be entirely upon the EPL and, more specifically, the top 6.

In this respect the game in England has changed massively with the television viewer often prioritised over the paying spectators.

Not worse but not always better than previous generations and certainly not finished.
Click to expand...

ColchesterFC said:
That's true but only in the top leagues. For £21 I can buy a ticket to watch Colchester play and take up to 4 under 11's free. Have quite often gone with my two boys and a mate and his two kids, and even with diesel costs and a McDonald's before the game it's less than £75 for the 6 of us to have a day out. Yes, it's "only Colchester" but the kids get to watch live football 8 or 10 times a season rather than only as a very occasional treat.
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I absolutely accept the validity of these points, as a Palace fan I know we're only borrowing a PL place 😁
 
Just to use another rugby example, my brother is a season ticket at Tigers, with that he gets a free season ticket for his son until he is over 11. Seems like a great way to keep sport accessible to kids
 
Having watched Rammel from my club for far to long. Now we have started winning games it has only just started. Of course I get bogged off and frustrated with football at times who doesn't. My golf is exactly the same. Don't think golf is finished either.
 
Burnley still in Europe..,football is definitely on the rise 😁
 
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