AndyJR 0 Posted February 22, 2009 for Sky/Saltana or the FA in this instance. The Credit Crunch is taking hold and whilst everyone else has to tighten their belts the TV companies/FA want fans to pay more. Players still want over inflated, ridiculous salaries so I find it hard to have any sympathy. Perhaps the FA might consider spreading the money they receive more evenly instead of only looking after their beloved ''Premier League'' or more to the point ''top four''. We can all see what effect this is having not only on Norwich but other clubs who are''nt in the Premiership and therefore don''t earn all the trimmings. As for Sky, for me they have singly done more to ruin Sport than anyone else. They have taken away Football and Cricket, amongst other sports/occasions from the masses. As for the bit about people staying at home and watching the ''pirate streams'', well maybe if ticket prices were kept inline with peoples budgets, they wouldnt have to!!!!! Sod you Sky. (and the FA). Premier League fears web pirates By Margot Dunne Jonathan Maitland, BBC Radio 5 Live Will the internet put an end to huge football salaries? The Premier League has admitted that illegal streaming of live football on the internet could have a dramatic impact on the professional game''s finances. A new deal worth almost two billion pounds over three years has just been reached between the Premier League, and broadcasters Sky and Setanta, who will show live matches in the UK. But could it be the last big money deal that the game attracts? Millions of fans are circumventing subscription channels by watching illegally-streamed matches on the internet for free. Premier League lawyer Oliver Weingarten told the BBC that the most popular illegal sites attract up to a quarter of a million viewers for a single game. He confirmed that this could potentially have an effect on the price the league is able to demand for its product in future negotiations. "The long term consequences for the game are that it has the potential to devalue or dilute the rights value, and in turn that will dilute the product that we are able to turn out and the quality of player coming to the league." The Scottish Premier League faces the same problem. Simple technology Recent advances in technology and the increased availability of broadband mean that it is now easier than ever to broadcast and watch illegally streamed football. All you need is a computer, some software and access to a high speed internet connection. With so much potentially at stake, the Premier League has joined together with rights holders from other sports to take legal action in an attempt to stamp out the practice. Will fans stop taking their money through the turnstiles? They are not planning to target the end user but are concentrating their efforts instead on the sites showing the games. They have successfully taken legal action against five websites in the UK so far and have a class action pending against Google and YouTube in the United States. But Weingarten says, as the music and film industries have already discovered to their cost, closing down the pirates for good is far from easy. "Once a site has stopped streaming it can set up another domain name, or the Internet Service Provider may be safe-harboured in a country where the laws don''t provide as much protection as we would like." It is not only the two big UK rights holders - Sky and Sentanta - that could be out of pocket. Several top clubs also pay substantial sums for the right to show their games and highlights on their own TV stations and websites. The BBC too pays the Premier League for the pictures shown on Match of the Day. Fan culture Weingarten warned that the atmosphere at stadiums could suffer if fans stay at home and watch the action on illegal pirate sites rather than going along to the game. Gate receipts and catering sales, an important source of income, could also be affected. Can anything beat being in the crowd at the game? In the long run, predicts Oliver Weingarten, British clubs would not have the money to buy the world''s top class players. But would a drop in revenue really affect the quality of players the League could attract? Internet pirate TV is a global phenomenon - leagues like Serie A and La Liga are similarly affected. New era? If Weingarten''s predictions about possible falls in income come true, then no league would be able to pay the huge salaries that top players can currently command. For the fans, it could mean a return to an era of more affordable football. In the end, as the music and film industries have already discovered, when there is a free alternative, it may well be that the true value of a product will be determined by fans with a mouse click. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
A Load of Squit 6,260 Posted February 22, 2009 The Football Association is not directly involved in the day-to-day operations of the Premier League. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyJR 0 Posted February 22, 2009 [quote user="A Load of Squit"]The Football Association is not directly involved in the day-to-day operations of the Premier League. [/quote]I would have thought they have due responsibility to retain what the game is there for; the Supporters. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
