Some leagues are more equal than others.

[Scum-Triumphant]

Just heard Simon Jordan say on Talksport that in 3 years 8:5 billion is paid to the league clubs collectively from TV companies. £8:1 billion of this goes to the premier league.
I’m no socialist but if there isn’t the opportunity to fix the gulf between the premier league and the EFL now there never will be.

[great_fire]

That's the free market, more people want to watch the Premier League and will pay to do so.

You sound a bit like those people who say that the Women's Premier League players should be paid the same as the men.

[caytonmiller]

I'm sure they would survive on 7.5 billion.

[Scum-Triumphant]

Do I? That has never been my stance on that. My point is the gulf on the product is too far.

How can we try to improve our product with a local lighting business owner when 20 teams get 8:1 billion and 72 get 0.4.

This is exactly why the tail wags the dog in the premier league and the clubs hold all the power over the FA and the premier league.

More and more teams will go bust.

[ragingpup]

That's the free market, more people want to watch the Premier League and will pay to do so.

You sound a bit like those people who say that the Women's Premier League players should be paid the same as the men.

There's a big difference between a free market that is deregulated and allows the market to operate freely despite how negatively this can impact on consumers, the product itself and society at large (if talking beyond a sport). Regulation is there to allow a free market to operate within protections for these things so that the greater integrity of the game are protected. Are you of the belief that there should be no regulation in sport, or anything else, and that the law of the free market jungle should be the only consideration?

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

"You sound a bit like those people who say that the Women's Premier League players should be paid the same as the men"

Indeed, but if that view is spouted often enough the sheep begin to believe it.

Same with the Premiership, it's a non stop drip drip drip of being brainwashed into buying a product that's claimed to be brilliant and the best, but in the cold light of day it doesn't really stand up to scrutiny.

Even our old friends, that publically funded broadcaster the BBC tells you that "Match of the Day" has to be from the Premiership

Personally I would like corona to destroy the Premiership so we can have a rebirth of football based on attendance and not on watching it in the pub.

[KerrAvon]

There's a big difference between a free market that is deregulated and allows the market to operate freely despite how negatively this can impact on consumers, the product itself and society at large (if talking beyond a sport). Regulation is there to allow a free market to operate within protections for these things so that the greater integrity of the game are protected. Are you of the belief that there should be no regulation in sport, or anything else, and that the law of the free market jungle should be the only consideration?

That argument doesn't really work, raging. The issue is with the market value of the product not the regulation of the market.

People all around the world are willing to pay to watch Liverpool v Man United. The collapse of the ITV Digital project a few years ago suggests that precious few people in the UK are willing to pay for Walsall v Gillingham.

To suggest that TV revenues be regulated to make distribution more even is akin to suggesting that BMW should subsidise Daewoo.

[great_fire]

Could be worse, in Spain almost all the TV money goes to Real Madrid and Barcelona, no sharing with other clubs there.

[Scum-Triumphant]

I don’t really enjoy premier league football that much. The characters have all vanished, the main clubs are owned by people who hardly step foot in the country. The same 6 teams usually finish in the top 6 and VAR isn’t for me.
I prefer the entertainment of the football league but I understand that I’m a minority in that view.

The poles have never been further apart from the top league to the bottom.
Failure is rewarded with parachute payments and clubs are crippling themselves for a bite of the cherry.

[Scum-Triumphant]

Could be worse, in Spain almost all the TV money goes to Real Madrid and Barcelona, no sharing with other clubs there.

Why would I be bothered what happens in Spain?

Like saying it could be worse could be at the South Pole it would be fecking freezing and you still wouldn’t be able to go see a decent match.