Cost Of UK Football

Dave
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Posts: 13,081

Cost Of UK Football Jul 31, 2008 17:38:18 GMT

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Post by Dave on Jul 31, 2008 17:38:18 GMT

Well we all call our country, rip off Great Britain don't we?
everything here is always so much more expensive than other places. It might be drink, or fags you are after, you will pay more here, In fact there is very little you would find cheaper here, than most countries.

Even today on the J.Vine show a man stated he gets his gas from E.D.F. and that he also has a house in France and guess what? he pays half the price for his French home, than he does for his home here and its from the same company.

So my mate Rolf was always a season ticket holder for Ajax, but for what ever reason, could not go to games so often and did not renew his season ticket.

Then at the start of last season, he decided to get a season ticket again. He was in talks with the club, because as it would be a new season ticket again, it would be for the bottom tear only. Rolf wanted to be back on the upper tear, where all his mates were. First year season ticket holders can only have the bottom tear, so I don't think he got one.

So while he was explaining all this to me I asked him how much a season ticket would cost, I'll tell you I was gob smacked. I have just looked on the Man U site and season tickets range from £494 to £912 for the season. I do not know if the ticket only covers the 10 league home games or not, but if that was the case, it would work out at the cheapest, £49 per a game.

So how much per a game would it cost Rolf to watch Ajax at the Amsterdam Arena, well you will be shocked, it worked out around £8 per a game, yes half the price to get into Plainmoor. So why is so cheap to watch one of the top teams in Holland.

I really don't know and hope Merse and others will explain it to me, I guess players wages are not to high in Holland, maybe thats why all the players want to play in England and other countries. Why has the Dutch clubs not gone the way of the English clubs? have they not, simply because they don't want to price fans out of being able to support their team?.

The other question is, who is responsible for football in this county being now so expensive, that true fans can't watch it. Is there a way it could ever go back to being the working mans sport?

Last Edit: Jul 31, 2008 18:02:50 GMT by Dave

merse
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Posts: 2,684

Cost Of UK Football Jul 31, 2008 18:04:04 GMT

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Post by merse on Jul 31, 2008 18:04:04 GMT

It's quite clear..............commercial greed.

Paying run of the mill players superstar wages to keep the clubs in contention to get the TV money.

For what? A million quid a place in the Premiership (not the real one!) as a reward for mediocrity.

The Germans don't fall for it, neither do the Dutch nor the Spanish or the Italians only the stupid dumb fans of the so called top level in this country..............so they get what they set themselves up for and chuck their money away. As long as they queue up like lemmings they will get screwed and I have no sympathy for them.

At the very top, the type of person who used to support football no longer go and have been replaced by the lahddy dah softies and middle classes, with floppy haired scruffy kids who wouldn't know a proper football ground if they lived next door to one; which in my neighbourhood so many don't - they motor in and pay more stupid money to park in my son's school playground (at £15 a time) because they're too bloody soft to come in on public transport.

They watch the game in near stupefying silence re-creating the "non atmosphere" of the local hockey or rugger club in their leafy suburbs.

When their kids come and play football with the local "ruffians" they burst into tears when they get clumped and their parents whinge and whine on the touchline whilst the areas they come from will never produce a "player" in a century of Saturdays..............if you doubt me compare the number of pro's from Islington, Hackney and Dagenham and then find me ONE from Chalfont bloody St Giles - apart from Lee (where's my mum sitting) Canoville that is!

As you can see, I don't think much of the birth right of the working classes being usurped by the middle classes and it's made me a bit angry ;D

rolf
TFF member

Amsterdams No1 TUAFC Fan

Posts: 35

Cost Of UK Football Aug 1, 2008 7:14:03 GMT

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Post by rolf on Aug 1, 2008 7:14:03 GMT

We the Dutch think about the English as :
you rather have no food on the plate than NOT going to see your team, also buy the new shirt every year.
The English are more fanatic about their football and their clubs as the Dutch.

but still it's strange that we pay less for our games than the TUFC fans.while your clubs earn more money with the TV income.

but as long as you keep paying, the clubs keep raising the money.

you can ask yourself with the money they earn from the TV income : would they rather have an empty stadium while all the fans are watching the game on TV ??

Dave
TFF member

Posts: 13,081

Cost Of UK Football Aug 1, 2008 17:39:59 GMT

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Post by Dave on Aug 1, 2008 17:39:59 GMT

Strange how the Dutch view us English Rolf, maybe in the past, some may have forgone food, to be able to watch their team, but at the prices these days, it would have to be a whole weeks food ;D ;D.

Clubs at our level get very little from TV money, its the big boys who cream it all off. It does not matter what action fans took, as Merse has said, its no longer affordable for the working man and the middle class and above, will always pay the asking price.

Thats why clubs like TUAFC are so important, football the working class can still watch, where players are not over paid stars, in fact most will get very little reward and will end up doing an ordinary job, when they no longer can play.

Small clubs who value their fans where fans would never be out priced from watching their team(just maybe eating the food there

) clubs who try to link with the local community, but will always find it hard to keep going.

I really would like to understand, why the Dutch etc, did not simply follow English football. Did they see what happened here and said, no thank you.Was it the clubs? or the Dutch fa?, who somehow stopped it happening.

I think you are lucky in Holland that you can support your teams, how many true Man U fans ever get to see them play, or any top team for that matter, I wonder what it must be like, say for a man now, who was taken to watch his team as a young boy by his dad. Now as an adult, no longer able to go, simply because his team, that he supported as a boy, has priced him out completely.

What is clear that these top teams, care nothing for true football fans and that is what I find so sad, so long live clubs like Torquay United, clubs who do want to have its true fans watching their team play.

Last Edit: Aug 1, 2008 17:42:35 GMT by Dave

jimd Guest	Cost Of UK Football Aug 3, 2008 12:00:00 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by jimd on Aug 3, 2008 12:00:00 GMT Rolf Any idea of the wages that are paid to the dutch players? Are the wages paid the main reason why it is so cheap to go and watch your team?

rolf
TFF member

Amsterdams No1 TUAFC Fan

Posts: 35

Cost Of UK Football Aug 3, 2008 12:25:11 GMT

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Post by rolf on Aug 3, 2008 12:25:11 GMT

Jim,
I've got no idea, but the fact that we can't keep our Dutch players in Holland and other top players won't come to Holland says it all i guess.

and because we can't hold on to our players we're getting behind with the rest of Europe, as you can see with the European results of Ajax the last couple of years.

we also got a problem that our youth players who are at the club since they we're kids want something new after 10 or 15 years, that's why their leaving so fast, at the age of 23(too fast)

Post by Dave on Jul 31, 2008 17:38:18 GMT

Post by merse on Jul 31, 2008 18:04:04 GMT

Post by rolf on Aug 1, 2008 7:14:03 GMT

Post by Dave on Aug 1, 2008 17:39:59 GMT

Post by jimd on Aug 3, 2008 12:00:00 GMT

Post by rolf on Aug 3, 2008 12:25:11 GMT