Competition is bad for business

[N'ZMAV]

Skidmark is a shit head. Game 39 blah blah blah...

[Billy Walker]

These really are appalling comments in my view.   When Man Utd won the league back in '93 I always felt it was the outcome the Premier League and Sky TV favoured.  It's simply not a fair competition and its integrity has been watered down with every passing year ever since.

The ironic thing is that Scudamore does not seem to appreciate that the competition itself (not the clubs) should be the attraction.  I fear both he and the media will not allow Man Utd to go through the ups and downs that Villa, say, have had to endure since '93 - and that simply is not good for the game nor is it good for the supporters who shell out good money every week thinking their club is taking part in a genuine and fair sporting competition.  The game needs a revolution!

[Happy MON-days]

He's talking through his arse as well.  An unsuccessful Man Utd means those glory hunters who have decided to follow them will just follow the current biggest/highest/wankiest/ club.

If that club is Bayern/Barcelona/R.Madrid/PSG/Juventus, then they'll stop watching the Premier League and Scudamore gets sacked when the next round of global TV deals only generates half the money of what we have now.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

It makes you wonder what would happen if one of our `global brands`ever got themselves into a Glasgow Rangers situation. Would they be made to start again in the 4th tier ? Taken out of the Premier League for at the very least three seasons with resulting losses to `the best league in the world`of many many millions.

[BC54 VFC]

As other posters have said, it is the qualification 'generally' that stinks. Perhaps now the FCA are doing such a good job in cleaning up the banks, IFA's (RDR) and now the pensions and insurance sectors their remit could be widened to include the Premier League!

[Villa in Denmark]

Apart from the obvious, the not so hidden message that the premier league is a product rather than a competition is the bit that should really have people manning the barricades.

Unfortunately as it's the millions of gloryhunter around the world that pay his and his cronies wages why would he ever give a shit about sporting ethos.

At some point maybe they'll realise that the whole charade is a particularly ineffective way of transferring money from around the globe into the back pockets of half decent footballers and their agents.

Still as long as they can take their cut why worry.

[Villa in Denmark]

It makes you wonder what would happen if one of our `global brands`ever got themselves into a Glasgow Rangers situation. Would they be made to start again in the 4th tier ? Taken out of the Premier League for at the very least three seasons with resulting losses to `the best league in the world`of many many millions.

Oh please let this be Chelsea after Ambramovich gets his assets frozen.

Never be allowed to happen of course. Too important to "the brand".  Manchester x 2, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and maybe Spurs, would never be allowed to fail. The PL would view them like the government viewed the banks.  Too big and important to be allowed to fold.

If it was us or Everton / Newcastle maybe Sunder they might try and make sure we didn't fall too far. Easy to patronise about proper club, great history etc. Make a good backdrop to the top table.

Norwich, Southampton and so on would be dropped into the Blue Square Premier (or whatever it's called these days) quicker than you could say administration.

[pauliewalnuts]

Apart from the obvious, the not so hidden message that the premier league is a product rather than a competition is the bit that should really have people manning the barricades

It has been that for two decades now, though.

Don't get me wrong, I loathe Scudamore and the entire Premier League way of thinking, but he's talking about what is effectively his job - getting people to pay as much money as possible for the rights to screen what is effectively a football beauty parade.

Competition doesn't even come in to it.

[bob rowe]

Man U bias is nothing new as we all know. Back in the late 60s they & Peterborough were found guilty of under the counter payments to the parents of schoolboy players. M U were fined £20,000, peanuts to them, but Peterborough, who were about to be promoted to div2, were docked enough points to relegatr them to div3. Protecting the brand even then.

[Villa in Denmark]

Apart from the obvious, the not so hidden message that the premier league is a product rather than a competition is the bit that should really have people manning the barricades

It has been that for two decades now, though.

Don't get me wrong, I loathe Scudamore and the entire Premier League way of thinking, but he's talking about what is effectively his job - getting people to pay as much money as possible for the rights to screen what is effectively a football beauty parade.

Competition doesn't even come in to it.

I completely agree.  I just think I've ever seen it expressed so nakedly before.

You can see it in the way transfers are reported, it's got nothing to do with football, it's monetary porn, where it's only about who can display that they're the biggest ******, by spending the most.

Sadly more an indictment on society at large than football.

[curlytailavfc]

so if we lose today were helping the economy

[rob_bridge]

He's talking through his arse as well.  An unsuccessful Man Utd means those glory hunters who have decided to follow them will just follow the current biggest/highest/wankiest/ club.

Ah yes but his worry will be they start supporting Real Madrid, Barcelona or Bayern Munich or as they are glory hunters all 3, concurrently.

[Meanwood Villa]

Man U bias is nothing new as we all know. Back in the late 60s they & Peterborough were found guilty of under the counter payments to the parents of schoolboy players. M U were fined £20,000, peanuts to them, but Peterborough, who were about to be promoted to div2, were docked enough points to relegatr them to div3. Protecting the brand even then.

I never knew that story, just read up on it. Incredible, Peterborough were told they were being demoted no matter what in November! So played over half the season knowing it was pointless. Crazy.

[Billy Walker]

Man U bias is nothing new as we all know. Back in the late 60s they & Peterborough were found guilty of under the counter payments to the parents of schoolboy players. M U were fined £20,000, peanuts to them, but Peterborough, who were about to be promoted to div2, were docked enough points to relegatr them to div3. Protecting the brand even then.

I never knew that story, just read up on it. Incredible, Peterborough were told they were being demoted no matter what in November! So played over half the season knowing it was pointless. Crazy.

What is the origin of this bias though? Prior to World War Two they were relative also-rans.  How did they get themselves into this position where the media and the powers that be will keep them in the limelight, earning big money regardless of their performance? 

[aj2k77]

Do we get a bonus for helping the Premier League brand today?