Sky

[Leicesterbaggie]

In my humble opinion Sky is ruining our game. It panders to the armchair fan at the expense of the real fans who travel up and down the country following their team. Kick off dates and times are changed making it really difficult for fans. At the start of the season they should state which games are being televised, and the times, and this should be stuck to. Match dates should not be altered once the season has started.

I don't get this 'global' thing either. Why should I be bothered about fans in China or anywhere else for that matter. They're British teams and matches are attended by British fans even though they are full of foreign players.

The vast amounts of money is another issue. We've now got the so called 'big clubs' stating that viewers only want to watch them so they should get a bigger share of the money. What utter rubbish! I don't want to watch City, United, Chelsea etc. week in, week out, I want to watch all twenty clubs. To be honest the money should be distributed to all divisions not just the elite of the Premier League. Football shouldn't be run for the few but for the many.

I firmly believe that the 'bubble' will eventually burst. Don't get me wrong, there are many new facets of the game that have improved it immensely but I don't believe that Sky, in its present format, is one of them.

[phild]

With the astronomical sums of money pouring into the game because of SKY its allowed extraordinary transfer fees. Clubs can pay upwards of 10 to 15 million on a player and then shove him in the reserves and its not even considered a waste of money because its easy come, easy go when the SKY money is about. Its also allowed those wide boy parasites called football agents who contribute absolutely jack to the game pocket a massive cut on the backs of these inflated transfers.

SKY money great for the clubs but the fans don't get that much of a return. Huge fees to watch SKY, clubs still charge huge amounts for merchandise and entrance fees and also charging £2.60 for a cup of tea!!

[talkSAFT]

Absolutely endorse Phild and Leicester's comments, and I'm surprised in 123's views.
I'd much much rather have Saturday 3pm games, and I've suffered inferior football with 100% British players long enough. It doesn't matter so long as they all give their all.
There was a big drive 20 years or so for fans nationally to unite in not subscribing to Murdoch. I hate the fact that all that money is going towards paying "the elite Clubs" multi-millions to pay £10m pa salaries to these w*nkers + their Agents. The standard of football is obviously better (except for WBA) but the England Football team is suffering as a result.

[SwedishBaggie]

Absolutely endorse Phild and Leicester's comments, and I'm surprised in 123's views.
I'd much much rather have Saturday 3pm games, and I've suffered inferior football with 100% British players long enough. It doesn't matter so long as they all give their all.
There was a big drive 20 years or so for fans nationally to unite in not subscribing to Murdoch. I hate the fact that all that money is going towards paying "the elite Clubs" multi-millions to pay £10m pa salaries to these w*nkers + their Agents. The standard of football is obviously better (except for WBA) but the England Football team is suffering as a result.

Haven't the England national team always suffered, more or less (except in 1966 maybe) ?

[stripes39]

I think that SKY money has improved the stadiums significantly from the dirty run down holes many of them used to be and matches are much more family friendly than they used to be but that aside there are more negatives for me. This is after all The English Premier League. A ***** component of that - the supporters, are treated with complete indifference as fixtures get switched to satisy TV schedules so I fail to see any real positives for those that go through the turnstyles.

Agents fees were up 38% in 2016-17 with £220Million being paid in commissions by PL clubs alone. Seems the biggest benefactors in this stand to be the agents and the players with the supporters seeing next to nothing. One wonders what the legacy will be aside from richer agents and players given so much is creamed off at the top with lower league clubs and the grass roots level seeing so little.

Personally, I preferred it pre PL as the old First Division was more competative. The season we got promoted away at Oldham, not long after we were playing and beating Galatasaray and Valencia. Wouldn't happen now as newly promoted teams today just want to stay in the division end of. It suits the PL to have a cartel of the top 5 or so clubs as they create the most revenue. Scudamore himself said it was 'bad for business' having UTD outside the top 6. Says it all. We and others like us re just making the numbers up as the PL is really about the top 5 or 6. That is the reality of SKY. It's all about flogging a product to every corner of the planet.

The biggest negative for me is that many supporters feel completely disenfranchised with the modern game. What do supporters have in common with the modern game where average squad players earn tens of thousands a week? I can see why the true supporters are turning elsewhere. I went to Kiddy Harriers v Chester last week in the FA Cup and its was more entertaining than the Bournmouth, West Ham and Watford games (not hard) and it was clear the supporters all identified with their respective players. Maybe what football should be about.

[WBA123]

Interesting responses,

There are definitely aspects of the game I don't like, with agents fees being top of the list. However, I still get excited when there's a big Super Sunday game on Sky. I love the analysis Sky do. And I think they have revolutionised the game, I did hear they were the first broadcaster to put a clock in the top corner of the screen and started showing more replays of fouls and decisions. As a result of their money, we have world class players playing in our league rather than Spain or Italy.

They have also revolutionised other sports, Cricket being the prime example. Amazing analysis of the game. So I'm in favour of them.

Its all opinions I guess, for every one who approves there are others who don't...

[stripes39]

Interesting responses,

There are definitely aspects of the game I don't like, with agents fees being top of the list. However, I still get excited when there's a big Super Sunday game on Sky. I love the analysis Sky do. And I think they have revolutionised the game, I did hear they were the first broadcaster to put a clock in the top corner of the screen and started showing more replays of fouls and decisions. As a result of their money, we have world class players playing in our league rather than Spain or Italy.

They have also revolutionised other sports, Cricket being the prime example. Amazing analysis of the game. So I'm in favour of them.

Its all opinions I guess, for every one who approves there are others who don't...

I agree with your points about the quality of the coverage 123. SKY has definately raised the bar that the BBC etc have had to follow. The cricket in particular has been covered exceptionally well. I just think that the rank & file supporters who ultimately the game belongs to are taken for granted by SKY when it comes to scheduling etc. More significantly, the game itself across the board will not necessarily gain in the long term due to the top league and the top 5 being awash with more cash than they can spend. All its done is increase player values with enhanced commissions for agents without being used for the greater good. Reminds me of one of those oil rich states, the smart ones invest in infrastructure and education for when the oil money runs out. The not so bright one's do not.

[SwedishBaggie]

In my humble opinion Sky is ruining our game. It panders to the armchair fan at the expense of the real fans who travel up and down the country following their team. Kick off dates and times are changed making it really difficult for fans. At the start of the season they should state which games are being televised, and the times, and this should be stuck to. Match dates should not be altered once the season has started.

I don't get this 'global' thing either. Why should I be bothered about fans in China or anywhere else for that matter. They're British teams and matches are attended by British fans even though they are full of foreign players.

The vast amounts of money is another issue. We've now got the so called 'big clubs' stating that viewers only want to watch them so they should get a bigger share of the money. What utter rubbish! I don't want to watch City, United, Chelsea etc. week in, week out, I want to watch all twenty clubs. To be honest the money should be distributed to all divisions not just the elite of the Premier League. Football shouldn't be run for the few but for the many.

I firmly believe that the 'bubble' will eventually burst. Don't get me wrong, there are many new facets of the game that have improved it immensely but I don't believe that Sky, in its present format, is one of them.

From a foreigner's point of view (who does watch, albeit a few, games live too):

The English top league has attracted the attention of foreigners long before Sky and the PL. In 1969 they started to show games live over here from the old first division, and now and then the FA cup. Back then our league was strictly for amateurs and obviously of lesser quality in all aspects. Our league is still inferior to many foreign leagues which is why people follow these leagues - and because of the televised games from the 60s there is a special affinity and bond with English football over here. The vast majority of football fans over here have a club they support in England (the vast majority don't support the same club as I do though ). So "the global thing" is quite understandable to me .