Quote:
Originally Posted by andy_m
English football doesn't need to copy nfl. There is a shining example much closer to home, and in the same sport. No 3pm tv blackout, competitive and low ticket prices, attendances up, public transport key, sustainable clubs with fan input, regular involvement in the latter stages of the Champions League, oh, and they're World Champions as well.
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I fail to see how no 3pm blackout will help improve the English game for fans. I am not saying it will destroy the lower league clubs, but equally I don't see how it will improve things.
I would love see some change in English football, but I would prefer the NFL way of doing things. I don't think think the German model can be replicated over here.
I think, in Germany they only have 56 professional clubs (as opposed to our 92 - that is 36 less clubs) so fans have less clubs in towns/cities they can choose to support. I.E. If Nottingham Forrest (for example) ever went bust (god forbid), there will only be one main club in Nottingham and as such Notts County would probably get more people watch football there.
As such, the 56 clubs should (in theory) be able to have more choice of players to choose from - thus allowing them to pick the best players around who they can develop and sell on, have more fans support their clubs, get more fans in the stadia and as a result, offer lower prices because of it. Of the 56 clubs, lets not forget some of the 56 clubs are reserve teams, and this helps reduce the number of other professional teams from other towns/cities, allowing the remaining clubs to reach even more potential fans from their town/city.
If the lower league English clubs could consistently afford to offer lower prices, I am sure they would.
As far as I am aware, the German FA are not held to ransom by a PL equivalent either.
This (in my eyes) is ultimately the problem, the PL is too big and the clubs/players too greedy. They could easily afford to share the TV wealth and still lower tickets prices, but they want to throw money at plenty very average players from around the world, so they can sell their product in more countries. I have no problem with the best players coming over, but it's the average players earning a fortune which annoy me the most. If Newcastle (for example) can not find English players who are equally as good as some of their current 1st team players, I will be a monkeys uncle.
I fully agree with fan input though, just look at how well Swansea have done because of it. Clubs should be about the fans, and not the owners plaything.