Generic clubs in financial crisis Thread

[Skyline]

We're only going to need two league divisions at this rate ffs.

I've been saying this for years. Look on the continent and most countries only really have two professional divisions - below the second tier they tend to be semi-pro at best. The situation in this country, where even the Conference is mostly full of professional teams, is very unusual and, in these days of concentration of money at the top of the pyramid, increasingly infeasible.

[Once were Biscuitmen]

If they would just seal off the Premier league and allow no promotion/relegation it would probably save a fair few clubs in the lower divisions from destroying themselves.

Salaries would fall massively, the championship would be far more competitive and could be modelled on the NFL/NBA with clubs regulated, revenues shared equally etc. The Premiership big 4/5/whatever would never agree to this but a new 2nd tier probably would.

They may as well go the whole hog and organise the premiership as a franchise with a good geographic spread of teams. There's no financial point in Fulham, Reading etc in the top division and having no teams at all from Yorkshire. Its completely cynical but the alternative seems to be financial insanity and more and more clubs going under.

[Ian Royal]

If they would just seal off the Premier league and allow no promotion/relegation it would probably save a fair few clubs in the lower divisions from destroying themselves.

Salaries would fall massively, the championship would be far more competitive and could be modelled on the NFL/NBA with clubs regulated, revenues shared equally etc. The Premiership big 4/5/whatever would never agree to this but a new 2nd tier probably would.

They may as well go the whole hog and organise the premiership as a franchise with a good geographic spread of teams. There's no financial point in Fulham, Reading etc in the top division and having no teams at all from Yorkshire. Its completely cynical but the alternative seems to be financial insanity and more and more clubs going under.

Surely the sensible alternative is breaking the dirty self-serving and corrupt power of the Premier League and making them and every one else play by reasonable well policed financial rules.

[Big Foot]

If they would just seal off the Premier league and allow no promotion/relegation it would probably save a fair few clubs in the lower divisions from destroying themselves.

Salaries would fall massively, the championship would be far more competitive and could be modelled on the NFL/NBA with clubs regulated, revenues shared equally etc. The Premiership big 4/5/whatever would never agree to this but a new 2nd tier probably would.

They may as well go the whole hog and organise the premiership as a franchise with a good geographic spread of teams. There's no financial point in Fulham, Reading etc in the top division and having no teams at all from Yorkshire. Its completely cynical but the alternative seems to be financial insanity and more and more clubs going under.

So a team such as Fulham could have their revenue oppotunities culled purely because of the number of clubs in the league within a certain radius of them? Crazy idea

[Barry the bird boggler]

Yes, life's tough isn't it.

[Terminal Boardom]

If they would just seal off the Premier league and allow no promotion/relegation it would probably save a fair few clubs in the lower divisions from destroying themselves.

Salaries would fall massively, the championship would be far more competitive and could be modelled on the NFL/NBA with clubs regulated, revenues shared equally etc. The Premiership big 4/5/whatever would never agree to this but a new 2nd tier probably would.

They may as well go the whole hog and organise the premiership as a franchise with a good geographic spread of teams. There's no financial point in Fulham, Reading etc in the top division and having no teams at all from Yorkshire. Its completely cynical but the alternative seems to be financial insanity and more and more clubs going under.

Who knows? It might work. It may even help to reduce hooliganism. What would be needed if such a system occurred would be some sort of draft pick where the team finishing last has first dibs at free agents. Introduce a salary cap and Bob's your uncle.

[Wax Jacket]

Salaries would fall massively and so would crowds and interest

[Row Z Royal]

Salaries would fall massively and so would crowds and interest

Sorry to get all clichéd, but's an expanding bubble and it's self-reciproc8ing. The question is whether we (football fans, the FA, the Government) want to wait for the bubble to burst on its own or let a little air out in dribs and drabs.

I would imagine that they'll all choose the former as it saves any tough decisions and keeps the money rolling in.

I don't think Reading are faultless by any stretch, but I think I'd choose the latter from a selfish perspective as I know we're relatively stable while those around us would suffer in the short term.

[Big Foot]

If they would just seal off the Premier league and allow no promotion/relegation it would probably save a fair few clubs in the lower divisions from destroying themselves.

Salaries would fall massively, the championship would be far more competitive and could be modelled on the NFL/NBA with clubs regulated, revenues shared equally etc. The Premiership big 4/5/whatever would never agree to this but a new 2nd tier probably would.

They may as well go the whole hog and organise the premiership as a franchise with a good geographic spread of teams. There's no financial point in Fulham, Reading etc in the top division and having no teams at all from Yorkshire. Its completely cynical but the alternative seems to be financial insanity and more and more clubs going under.

Who knows? It might work. It may even help to reduce hooliganism. What would be needed if such a system occurred would be some sort of draft pick where the team finishing last has first dibs at free agents. Introduce a salary cap and Bob's your uncle.

Reduce hooliganism? How much hooliganism is there now (that isn't bourne out of underhand police tactics)?

[Terminal Boardom]

Hooliganism? It is still there believe me. There was even the altercation after the Barnsley game at the Mad Stad last season where 20 or so neck vein pumping neanderthaals were doing their jumping up and down stuff.

If for example, Tottenham and Arsenal merged to form a North London franchise, how many of the old school would turn up? Very few. What would hapen is that a new generation of middle class happy clappies with foam hands and rumblestix would appear. The game would become far more family orientated and it will then only be a matter of time before hot dog sellers are seen walking up and down the aisles.

[Once were Biscuitmen]

Salaries would fall massively and so would crowds and interest

Would they? Ticket prices could fall and I can't imagine people turn out to watch Bury vs Rotherham on the faint hope that one day they will be in the Premiership.

It's chasing the dream that has done for Leeds, Hull, Pompey etc. The kindest thing to do would be to squash it and set up something that would provide a sustainable model.

[Big Foot]

Hooliganism? It is still there believe me. There was even the altercation after the Barnsley game at the Mad Stad last season where 20 or so neck vein pumping neanderthaals were doing their jumping up and down stuff.

If for example, Tottenham and Arsenal merged to form a North London franchise, how many of the old school would turn up? Very few. What would hapen is that a new generation of middle class happy clappies with foam hands and rumblestix would appear. The game would become far more family orientated and it will then only be a matter of time before hot dog sellers are seen walking up and down the aisles.

Depends on what you define as hooliganism, I certainly wouldn't call those Barnsley youth 'hooligans' in the same breath as discussing tester year!!

I thought the og post referenced a quota of clubs in the top flight per region - i.e. London gets allocated 4 spaces which go to Spurs, Arsenal, West Ham and Chelsea - why should a club like Fulham miss out in that hypothetical situation? Why should one of Leeds/Sheff Wed/Hull be allowed top flight football at Fulhams expense purely due to where they are in the country?

[Vision]

Salaries would fall massively and so would crowds and interest

Would they? Ticket prices could fall and I can't imagine people turn out to watch Bury vs Rotherham on the faint hope that one day they will be in the Premiership.

It's chasing the dream that has done for Leeds, Hull, Pompey etc. The kindest thing to do would be to squash it and set up something that would provide a sustainable model.

Its the dream thats changed though.

When the likes of Ipswich,Forest,Watford,Wimbledon etc climbed the leagues the dream was to genuinely compete in top flight football and in the case of the first 2 actually win the whole damn thing. Of course there were financial rewards for doing this but that wasn't the be-all and end-all. Now the dream is purely to get our grubby hands on Murdoch's pot of Gold. I agree with WJ the only way to try and stop this is to redress that balance, but like you I feel sadly we're too far gone.

[under the tin]

If they would just seal off the Premier league and allow no promotion/relegation it would probably save a fair few clubs in the lower divisions from destroying themselves.

Salaries would fall massively, the championship would be far more competitive and could be modelled on the NFL/NBA with clubs regulated, revenues shared equally etc. The Premiership big 4/5/whatever would never agree to this but a new 2nd tier probably would.

They may as well go the whole hog and organise the premiership as a franchise with a good geographic spread of teams. There's no financial point in Fulham, Reading etc in the top division and having no teams at all from Yorkshire. Its completely cynical but the alternative seems to be financial insanity and more and more clubs going under.

I hold a similar view of the future of the top level of the game, but I don't think it will be a franchise based premiership, I think it will be on at least European, or even a world level. Uncle Sam has already started having a little tickle about a world gridiron league, and it's not about teaching the world how to play american football, it's about maximising television revenues. "Our" football is a bigger game, worldwide, and the ad men selling those high end 4X4's at half time will pay proper money for exposure on that scale. The likes of SKY don't truly give a flying one about football itself: they're only involved in order to make money out of it.
As I've posted before on OAE, if this happens, I will be delighted, because the "galactico" footballers will all be playing for truly plastic franchises dotted around the planet, and as a natural consequence, our domestic leagues will become a more level playing field, more competitive as a result.
Microsoft Manchester vs. Fiat Turin 20.00 EST. Bring it on.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Absolutely agree, either FIFA/UEFA have to act now to enforce effective financial regulations globally or all the so called big clubs can bugger off to some marathon major league somewhere and play umpteen crappy demo games that no-one gives a toss about in front of mammoth TV audiences as no bugger can be arsed to go and watch.

Preferably the former, but either way we get our great domestic leagues back.

[Wax Jacket]

if this happens, I will be delighted, because the "galactico" footballers will all be playing for truly plastic franchises dotted around the planet, and as a natural consequence, our domestic leagues will become a more level playing field, more competitive as a result.
Microsoft Manchester vs. Fiat Turin 20.00 EST. Bring it on.

I agree, if it's going ot be a European thing. a ring-fenced UK-only competition would have to take into account geographical growth areas etc so we could see some strange imbalances

[Dirk Gently]

The big clubs' long-term strategy is a bit different to that - they see an "official" franchise in each continent/big league.

So in Asia you'd have a local "Real Madrid" playing a local "Arsenal," in South America a local "Barcelona" playing a local "Man Utd" ... and so on in each continent.

[Royal With Cheese]

The big clubs' long-term strategy is a bit different to that - they see an "official" franchise in each continent/big league.

So in Asia you'd have a local "Real Madrid" playing a local "Arsenal," in South America a local "Barcelona" playing a local "Man Utd" ... and so on in each continent.

May I be the first to say they can all go fuck themselves if that happens.

[Ian Royal]

The big clubs' long-term strategy is a bit different to that - they see an "official" franchise in each continent/big league.

So in Asia you'd have a local "Real Madrid" playing a local "Arsenal," in South America a local "Barcelona" playing a local "Man Utd" ... and so on in each continent.

May I be the first to say they can all go fuck themselves if that happens.

seconded.

[sheshnu]

http://www.oceancityfc.com/

Isn't this already happening anyway, or are the various Arsenals and Evertons around the world something different? What about Chengdu Blades? Can't see as it'll make much difference to Reading fans, but why would FIFA allow a potential conflict of interest in their World Club Championship; what would happen if every team in that competition was Barcelona?