segunda-feira, 11 de fevereiro de 2008

NO TO GAM£ 39

http://www.fsf.org.uk/game39/no-to-game-39-reasons.html

Reasons why these proposals are a bad idea

1. Even if the total revenue to the Premier League from these games is to be split evenly across the 20 clubs, the rich clubs will still get even richer as they will be the ones who will benefit more from the greater marketing opportunities the games provide. So while the income gap between Premier League clubs and the rest will get even bigger - so will the gap between the rich clubs and the rest within the Premier League.
Ordinary fans - who may have followed their club home and away for many years - will be unable to follow their team abroad. The cost of winning a bidding war to host a match will mean that tickets will be priced at the level of the super-rich only.
In the same way, travel and time requirements will make matches impossible to the vast majority of supporters.
What makes English football unique and so attractive is the passion and vibrancy of the crowd. Trying to recreate that elsewhere is as pointless as trying to experience of London by walking around the old London Bridge in the Arizona desert.
This is an easy first step to "football franchising". It may be one game a season overseas to start with, but once that has happened, what is to stop two, five or more games overseas in later seasons? And what if an overseas city bids an outrageous amount to host ALL of a clubs home games?
This proposal demonstrates once and for all that the only interest of the Premier League is pure, naked, greed - and that they are happy to put making even more money ahead of the interests of supporters, English football, and the history and traditions of both.
The arrogance of Premier League clubs in parachuting their games into foreign countries which have their own leagues and competitions is astounding. How would the FA and the Premier League like it if Celtic or Rangers announced that they were going to play a SPL match at Wembley in order to "enhance and establish the Scottish game on a global basis"?
There is a worldwide drive to reduce carbon emissions - including the FA and E-on's own "carbon footy-print" campaign. So how can this level of worldwide travel be justified?
The impact on the England team can only be negative - extra matches and extra travel will only put an extra strain on England's top players.
Imposing unwanted matches onto foreign shores will inevitably be unpopular with the governing bodies in those countries - the same governing bodies who will be voting on World Cup bidders. Kiss goodbye to England ever hosting the World Cup again!
The whole fairness of the league structure will be destroyed by playing an extra match in the League - founded on the principle that every team plays every other team twice. While one team will be drawn against Manchester United or Arsenal, another will be drawn against Derby or Reading? How can this be fair?
Already managers and players complain of fixture congestion and playing too many matches. So how will playing an extra match a season, which may involve travel to the other side of the world and back, help solve this problem?
January has for over 130 years been home to rounds 3 and 4 of the FA Cup, with replays in the middle of January. Overseas matches and travel can only force unwanted changes to the world's premier Cup competition.
This proposal is all about enhancing the Premier League brand and nothing to do with football. How many people in the world support a brand? We support football teams.
The Premier League is already the richest league in the world able to pay the highest wages to attract the best players. So what is this extra income needed for?
Announcing these proposals without consulting players, managers and supporters shows contempt for all of these key stakeholders in the game.
The PL have said that in order to ensure that teams at the top don't play opponents of different strength they will have seeding. This goes against everything leagues are about, which is everyone on the starting line ready to go. Seeding is alien to leagues and would cement the idea that the league is impossible for all but 3 or 4 teams to win - the rest are just there to make up the numbers and make their owners rich.

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