Television rights - individual overseas rights deals.

[dave.woodhall]

As in the early 1990's the 'top five' will breakaway and as a start negotiate a overseas television deal. As these games are the 'cherry in the pie' they will be paid a fortune....

The only way it is going to happen is if the PL allow it to happen.  The PL still hold all the cards if they want to forcefully play them.  Collectively, the remainder of the clubs are a strong unit.

5 clubs screening only games between themselves is only 5% of all matches in a season.  If the PL were to schedule their matches so that 4 of the teams were playing each other at the same time, the interest from TV companies would be reduced as it is live games that draw the audience.  Also, if they were to say, sorry your matches are at 3pm on a Saturday, this could throw a further spanner in the works.

People say that they would pull out of the league and form a European league.  For a European league to work it would probably only consist of 16 teams and there would be a lot of competition for places from all over Europe.  This would possibly mean only 2 or 3 at most would be involved.  For the teams involved it would be great for the supporters as a novelty but who is going to be able to afford to follow their team away from home on a regular basis.  It will end up with matches played infront of home supporters only with the away team's supporters watching it on TV.  Can you see, say, Man Utd supporters putting up with this for long.

What, Man United supporters watching on TV? I think they'll cope.

We talk about the heart being ripped out of the game now.  When it starts to affect the hardcore Man Utd fans that actually go to away games, they will react to it like we are now.  It is one thing to do it by choice but another if something is taken away from you.

The hardcore United supporters are vastly outnumbered by the Bangkok et al Reds, who aren't interested in fairness or competition; they just want to watch United win every game on TV. Matchgoing supporters are the least important part of the marketing strategy. 

[Risso]

The hardcore United supporters are vastly outnumbered by the Bangkok et al Reds, who aren't interested in fairness or competition; they just want to watch United win every game on TV. Matchgoing supporters are the least important part of the marketing strategy. 

Matchday revenue accounts for 35% of Man U's income, only slightly behind their TV income, and more than their commercial income.  One of the reason's they're so successful is that they've increased ALL of their revenue streams hugely.  In fact, they are less less reliant on TV money than most other teams in the Premier League.

[dave.woodhall]

The hardcore United supporters are vastly outnumbered by the Bangkok et al Reds, who aren't interested in fairness or competition; they just want to watch United win every game on TV. Matchgoing supporters are the least important part of the marketing strategy. 

Matchday revenue accounts for 35% of Man U's income, only slightly behind their TV income, and more than their commercial income.  One of the reason's they're so successful is that they've increased ALL of their revenue streams hugely.  In fact, they are less less reliant on TV money than most other teams in the Premier League.

Plenty of room for improvement then.

[Redman]

Where's that Liverpool fan that used to post on here when you need an alternative view?

Could be me?

Ayre's comments were calculated. There was a reason why he stuck his head above the parapit. In my opinion, it's about FFP.

Liverpool have lost their champions league place to clubs with anti-competitive business models that would now be deemed in breach of UEFA's FFP regulations. Unless FFP is enforced, the only way Liverpool can compete is to be anti-competitive themselves.

One way of doing that might be through an independent TV deal. I don't believe Ian Ayre or anybody else at Liverpool wants that but it's a timely reminder to the Premier League and to UEFA that if it was an issue they chose to force, they would have a case.

Another way might be to announce a benchmark-setting stadium naming-rights deal that would effectively allow Liverpool to circumvent FFP just as Manchester City have. If UEFA need an incentive to ratify such a deal and the Premier League need an incentive to support it, Ayre might have just given them one.

[Ryu]

In fairness redman I can see people at Liverpool really wanting their own TV deal. Aren't they on record saying how they resent sharing the money red sox make with smaller teams in baseball?

[Redman]

In fairness redman I can see people at Liverpool really wanting their own TV deal. Aren't they on record saying how they resent sharing the money red sox make with smaller teams in baseball?

I haven't heard anything about that.

All things being equal, I believe FSG would want to go it alone but not at the expense of the competition. They don't seem to be cold-blooded capitalists like the last lot. I'm not saying they don't want a return on their investment because they do. But they want to earn that return by competing fairly and succeeding.

[Dante Lavelli]

Redman,
From a personal perspective, as a liverpool fan, are you for or against the idea?
I suppose I should also say as a seemingly fair minded football fan too.

What is the general consensus amongst the other Liverpool fans?  Do their views mirror what we are saying, or are we just bitter?

[garyfouroaks]

There was a reason why he stuck his head above the parapit. In my opinion, it's about FFP.

I disagree. Ayres, in my view, was articulating the misguided  hopes of a Liverpool Board with no knowledge of Europe, England or football and only one UK domicile Director, over promoted as a placeman, and I wonder who that is?

Liverpool are deluded. Individual rights are profitable to the very elite- those winning things, and competing at the highest level. Liverpool have not won the title for two decades, and nothing for five years. That is not what your fan in a hut in Sierra Leone or a bar in Kuala Lumpar wants  to be part of. Exactly how many subscriptions are there to LFC TV (loss making) from the Far East?

FFP does not help Liverpool. Man U/City, Arsenal and Chelsea will do at least as well (Mansour will get the chance to pay $1bn for Abu Dhabi’s TV rights). Proportionate to their peers it gives them no competitive advantage. It may generate extra revenue giving FSG a bigger profit on sale – but that’s about it.

In time, the top clubs will squeeze more money out of their global appeal. Whether Liverpool will be one of those clubs is seriously open to doubt. Short term the other won’t vote for it, longer term we will probably see  the very best European Clubs playing more games against a developing South American game (Just watch Brazil go in the next ten years) and probably franchised teams in the likes of New York, Sydney, Cairo, Bejing etc.

The chances of Villa being part of this road show are negligible, the chances of a sub-strata competition taking in the likes of Celtic/Rangers, Ajax/Feyenoord, Porto etc including the bunch under the the PL Top Four are quite high.