Storyline: The soul of English top-flight football is being torn out, leaving behind a heartless sport that’s void of true passion and supporters.
Since its inception in 1991 the English Premier League has been rising exponentially. But early season viewing ratings this campaign have seen Sky Sports viewers drop by a fifth. Having said that, global appeal is still stronger than ever with an audience of over four billion worldwide in the 2015/16 season.
Courtesy: carlsberggroup.com
So this begs the question: Why are Brits turning away from the sport it loves dearest?
Football has been described as an art and theatre. But it’s also synonymous with big money and greed. Twice every twelve months we have millions and millions of Pounds drilled into our heads as the transfer window opens and closes. It has become clear that fans are becoming alienated with this market and its vastly growing sickly figures.
Money has become centrefold to the EPL. Clubs are criticised for not spending vast sums on overseas players. For example, in 2014/15 Burnley spent very little and promoted their squad based on meritocracy, not transfer value. They were relegated.
Since 2013, when the EPL received a huge injection of cash (as the US bought into the English phenomenon), the main reason for smaller teams to maintain EPL status was a huge £60 million incentive. Engagement was not for prestige or for ambition to be the best, but for cash.
Courtesy: indianexpress.com
Across the globe this isn’t talked or cared about. The focus is on the title race, which is increasingly about who can buy the most expensive players and who can sell the most shirts. And transfer prices have been rising at an astonishing rate. In the last six years we have been seen summer transfer totals going from £444 million to about £1.5 billion.
You may argue that Leicester City’s miracle title win in 2016 debunked all of this. But that story wasn’t a rags-to- riches story. It was riches to greater riches story. Leicester spent £20 million on players in its first season back in the top division. Then, in the summer of the 2015/16, Leicester spent £35 million on players.
These spends compared to their championship season in 2012/13 when they spent less than £1 million on players is unparalleled. With the staggering increase in the role of money in English football, fans are quickly becoming disenchanted with a sport that is now more like big business. And with more games being aired on Sky and BT it is becoming increasingly hard for people to afford to even watch football in all its glory.
The soul of English top-flight football is being torn out, leaving behind a heartless sport that’s void of true passion and supporters.
*****************************************************************
Sources
http://www.transferleague.co.uk/season-spend-comparison/transfer-windows/transfers-spend-by-season-comparison
http://www.transferleague.co.uk/leicester-city/english-football-teams/leicester-city-transfers
http://www.eurosport.co.uk/football/premier-league/2015-2016/the-global-game_sto4853526/story.shtml
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/oct/24/sky-sports-bt-sport-people-switching-football-off
