Don't Blame Sky TV - Blame The FA!!

[nutty nigel 7,667]

In a recent thread posters were blaming Sky TV for the problems at the top of our game today. For me, the people who are responsible for the situation are the "Top Brass" at the Football Association. The way I see it, they are the people who sell our game to the highest bidder in the interests of a few clubs in the Premiership. I think there are something like 150,000 Football Clubs affiliated to the FA. Only 20 of these are in the Premier League, I wonder what all the other clubs, at the various levels up and down the country, make of it all.

When the new TV deal for the FA Cup and England games was announced FA Chief Executive Brian Barwick said “We are delighted with this new deal and are looking forward to our partnership with ITV and Setanta. It is very good news for football as the increased revenue will allow The FA to channel more funds back into the game.” Well, I wonder! Because if you look on TheFA.com this is what they had to say about this years FA Cup TV revenue: The FA’s stated objective is to use The FA Cup to redistribute funds throughout the game and together the prize fund and the television monies represent an investment in the competition of around £15 million. In reality there were 10 premiership clubs and 6 championship clubs playing the 5^th Round but of the eight teams to share the £2,120,000 Live Broadcast Fund only one (Preston) was from outside the Premier League.

The FA also seem unwilling to take any meaningful action against the seedier parts of premiership football. Agents fees don''t have to be disclosed, no real action is taken against the tapping up of other clubs players and discipline at a club level gets worse every season. Yes the clubs that are found guilty are fined, but what deterrent is a fine in a league awash with money? If the FA were serious about these issues they would deduct points, that would clean up the game because no amount of money could buy back those points lost.

The FA don''t seem to recognise that the national game is suffering as a consequence of their actions. More and more of our established top clubs are being taken over by foreigners who are attracted because of the TV exposure of the game in our country. But those investors have no interest in our national game and it’s future, only a short term interest in their clubs. English kids have got to be the future of the English game, just look at the excitement generated by Chris Martin, he is so much more special because he is a local boy. Surely we should be able to rely on the governing body of the game in this country to look after this country’s interests.

In the mean time the Football League appointed Sir Brian Mawhinney as Chairman and they pioneered measures to try and control club finances amongst their clubs.

These included clubs in the lower divisions restricted to spending no more than 60% of their turnover on players wages. A ten point deduction for clubs enetering administration. New regulations making it compulsory for clubs to register payments made to agents in order for these to be published. And a “fit and proper persons test” for Club Directors and Majority Shareholders. They have found it more difficult to implement some of these measures in the Championship because clubs there have half an eye on the Premier League who don’t adopt them. The Football League in partnership with their sponsors are aiming to: Strengthen links between clubs and their communities. Enhance relations between clubs and their supporters. Encourage more people to attend games at their local club. Increase the number of children playing football. And deliver new commercial revenues for league clubs.

With ever increasing attendances in the more competitive football leagues it appears these initiatives are working. Where as the attendances in the Premiership are dropping, except of course on TV. And many of the top clubs can now reduce prices as ticket sales become a smaller part of their income.

In my opinion many of the problems created by the huge amounts of money at the top of the game will not be solved until all four divisions are back under one governing body and the only fit and proper governing body to do this is the Football League.

 

 

 

 

[San Miguel 0]

In my opinion, ITV manage to ruin any sport they cover so rest in peace The FA Cup!

 

[Evil Monkey 52]

Excellent thread, NN, and I agree with your thoughts that many recent

policies set by the FA have been the death knell of many of the good

and great things in English football... the selling of rights to

muppets such as ITV and the appointment of Steve Macca (not just the

man, more the way they went about it) to name but a few...

Dark times lie ahead, methinks...

[mbncfc 1]

Excellent post NN, and one that asks a lot of questions.

I have been convinced for some time that football will become a business closely aligned to an American sport. Promotion to the Premiership will become far harder for those teams outside the parachute payment loop. Will there be a time when the Premiership becomes a closed shop entirely?

The Football League is doing the right thing in spending time doing what it does best - local clubs working in and with their local communities. The Football League and its clubs have that responsibility, as does the Premiership. The FL must pursue this as a matter of survival, and as NN says it does seem to be working.

But what effect will be felt if Premiership teams continue to lower their prices? Will people go to Blackburn to watch players off the telley rather than Preston, Burnley or Oldham, especially if it is the same price?

The FA have failed, as proven over time, to look after the game at all levels. There are too many contradictions in what they are trying to achieve. That also comes from UEFA. Champions League? Hardly...

One thing I think is certain, and something Norwich City is partly responsible for of course - we voted for it. The Premiership and Football League will only every be reunited if all money dissolves out of the top of the game. TV, prize money, investors, the lot. The foreign investment fashion will come and go like market trends. But the money, and the damage, will be around for a lot longer...

Football simply isn''t as competitve as it was, and that hurts all fans and everyone''s appetite for the game.

[Syteanric 1]

[quote user="Evil Monkey"]

Dark times lie ahead, methinks...

[/quote]

how long did it take for england to score Vs andorra? english football is in decline... some might laugh at this but how long before a nation like Andorra or Liechtenstein beats england in a competitive match?

changes would surely be needed then.

and if Platini makes the changes to Europe (Premiership winners, FA Cup winners, and League cup winners enter the champions league.... 2nd in the premiership end up in the UEFA cup) then the FA are going to have a headache when it comes to keeping the big 4 happy...

 Its perfectly feasible given the nature of the cup that only 1 of the big 4 would end up in the champions league under Platinis rules... what Price the Premiership then...???? and if a team outside the premiership lost to a side in the FA cup final that did the double (or the treble) theyd get the champions league spot.... Millwall vs Real Madrid anyone?

 the money the FA have should be given into a huge overhaul and restructure of the leagues and the england team.... it wont be though...

Northern Ireland are now the UK''s number 1 footballing country and will qualify for the euro''s.. how long will it take for england to be left behind? the FA need to think and quickly....

jas :)

[Shack Attack 0]

I was going to put something very similar to this, although not as detailed, on my original thread about Paul Jewell''s comments.

Whilst there''s nothing wrong with a bit of Sky bashing, they''ve contributed as much as anyone to the lopsided state of football in this country, surely the real blame lies with the people who allowed this to happen.

The idea of ditching our satellite dishes is all very noble but the facts are that it is the only way I can watch Premiership football (or Spanish football, test match or world cup cricket, rugby league, darts etc. etc.). I don''t particularly like lining Rupert Murdoch''s pockets but until there''s a real change in peoples attitudes in this country, from the fans to the club owners to the FA, I see no point in cutting my nose off to spite my face.

Unfortunately the FA seem to have gotten away with it yet again, just as they do when the world and his dog rips Steve McLaren to shreds rather than focusing their anger on the clowns who appointed him.

[Karl Pilkington 0]

It''s not the FA that sold the top division down the river to sky. It is the PREMIER LEAGUE. A totally different organisation to the FA. The Premier League which we as part of the then top 22 clubs in England decided to break away from the rest!

[Cluck 0]

They all ruined it when they allowed women to discuss technical football issues live on air. This and that knob Townsend standing by a podium pitchside at half time with McCoist finally broke the spell for me.

 

 

[nutty nigel 7,667]

[quote user="Karl Pilkington"]It''s not the FA that sold the top division down the river to sky. It is the PREMIER LEAGUE. A totally different organisation to the FA. The Premier League which we as part of the then top 22 clubs in England decided to break away from the rest![/quote]

The FA supported the big clubs'' breakaway to form the Premier League KP.

 

[ricardo 7,445]

[quote user="Cluck "]

They all ruined it when they allowed women to discuss technical football issues live on air. This and that knob Townsend standing by a podium pitchside at half time with McCoist finally broke the spell for me.

 

 

[/quote]

Oh Cluck!

You''ll have the PC brigade up in arms again with remarks like that.

Or is that the intention?

[arrdee 2]

Great post mate , proud of you , you  have it as it is Nutty , well thought out , we all know this is true , all of us who love the game and hold it close to our hearts , in fact it''s nothing more than i would have expected from you , you have left us all behind you with your posting''s , you are out on your own now , Brill.

[Cluck 0]

[quote user="ricardo"][quote user="Cluck "]

They all ruined it when they allowed women to discuss technical football issues live on air. This and that knob Townsend standing by a podium pitchside at half time with McCoist finally broke the spell for me.

 

 

[/quote]

Oh Cluck!

You''ll have the PC brigade up in arms again with remarks like that.

Or is that the intention?

[/quote]

What are you suggesting Ric?      [:)]

 

[Putney Canary 0]

I agree 100% NN. Don''t blame Sky, all they did was bid for touted business. The BBC used to provide excellent sports coverage but now Sky do it 10 times better. The HUGE amount of money coming into the game is not a problem, its the unfair distribution that is killing the sport. The FA are definately partly to blame for this. We need salary caps and curbs on agent fees but I doubt the former will ever happen.

The FA supported the Premier League breakaway because 1. It was supposed to make the England team stronger 2. they wanted to get one over on the football league and 3. it was/is an old boy''s club that worries more about not upsetting the likes of Edwards and Dein. It was also supposed to make the England team stronger with a top league reduced to 18 teams and therefore less fixtures at club level, so more time for players to be with the England squad. They never enforced the reduction to 18 though (it did drop from 22 to 20) as then FA chief Sir Bert Millichip washed his hands of responsibility for it.

The FA are toothless. They didn''t enforce laws stopping the flotation of clubs on the stockmarket and they have allowed a few individuals to make huge profits from the game, one of the major reasons they were set up to protect our game. What has been allowed to happen at clubs like Wimbledon is a disgrace. I''m going to stop now before I go into serious rant mode.

[Shack Attack 0]

[quote user="ricardo"][quote user="Cluck "]

They all ruined it when they allowed women to discuss technical football issues live on air. This and that knob Townsend standing by a podium pitchside at half time with McCoist finally broke the spell for me.

[/quote]

Oh Cluck!

You''ll have the PC brigade up in arms again with remarks like that.

Or is that the intention?

[/quote]

I don''t understand, what''s so un-PC about calling Andy Townsend a knob?

[yellow hammer 0]

[quote user="jas the barclay king"]

[quote user="Evil Monkey"]

Dark times lie ahead, methinks...

[/quote]

how long did it take for england to score Vs andorra? english football is in decline... some might laugh at this but how long before a nation like Andorra or Liechtenstein beats england in a competitive match?

changes would surely be needed then.

and if Platini makes the changes to Europe (Premiership winners, FA Cup winners, and League cup winners enter the champions league.... 2nd in the premiership end up in the UEFA cup) then the FA are going to have a headache when it comes to keeping the big 4 happy...

 Its perfectly feasible given the nature of the cup that only 1 of the big 4 would end up in the champions league under Platinis rules... what Price the Premiership then...???? and if a team outside the premiership lost to a side in the FA cup final that did the double (or the treble) theyd get the champions league spot.... Millwall vs Real Madrid anyone?

 the money the FA have should be given into a huge overhaul and restructure of the leagues and the england team.... it wont be though...

Northern Ireland are now the UK''s number 1 footballing country and will qualify for the euro''s.. how long will it take for england to be left behind? the FA need to think and quickly....

jas :)

[/quote]

 

Football administration in this country is a complete shambles with competeing groups squabbling over the TV money. The national interest is completely forgotten in their lust for money. I never saw the need for a separate FA and Football league organisation, let alone a Premiership Club organisation.

It will probably take a defeat by Andorra of the English team for the Government to step in and set up one organisation to look after all of the game''s interestd from top to bottom. But then the Scots seem to make up most of the Government so I doubt they care about the state of the English game.

 

[yellow hammer 0]

[quote user="Shack Attack"]

The idea of ditching our satellite dishes is all very noble but the facts are that it is the only way I can watch Premiership football (or Spanish football, test match or world cup cricket, rugby league, darts etc. etc.). I don''t particularly like lining Rupert Murdoch''s pockets but until there''s a real change in peoples attitudes in this country, from the fans to the club owners to the FA, I see no point in cutting my nose off to spite my face.

[/quote]

And there Shak lies the rub.If we want to watch Man U v Chelsea live from our armchairs then those clubs are going to make a lot of money for the privilege. Nothing wrong with that, per se, as that is how the market works. Except that the market becomes the TV audience; and the fans who actually pay at the turnstile are a much smaller, and less significant revenue stream.

The club, which used to belong to the fans - now belongs to the dictacts of the TV viewers. It''s no longer sport - just mid-eveming TV entertainment.

What does Sky care about the average football fan? I think nothing other than providing a bit of noise and colour for the background.

Given the choice between wall-to-wall TV coverage and the fans getting back control of their clubs, I''d rather ban live football completely from the screens or whatever was neccessary to acheive it.