Fulham Football Clubs natural home... which league I mean... ?

[General]

I get the question and we're averaging out as a middle premiership team to a top championship team but in my mind there's no question where I'd rather be and that's in the premiership pushing for our place there and for growth.

[fcfulham55]

I would prefer to win the championship every other year in this enjoyable league. While I sleep in a coma the season's we spend in the premier league.

Just can't stand dominating sh1t teams like west ham last year, conceding 2 goals from 2 shots in an otherwise game lacking entertainment.

[The Rational Fan]

Once you strip out the PL TV money and hyper-wealthy owners, there are probably barely 10 clubs whose natural revenue streams (gate receipts, merchandise sales etc) would keep them in the top flight. Certainly Liverpool, Man Utd, Man City, Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal. Probably West Ham and Everton. Maybe a few others if you're being generous.

I'd have us in the group below that, overlapping the first and second tiers. We've as much right as half the current PL clubs to be at that level, but could just as easily find ourselves in the Championship.   

West Ham doesn't have enough natural revenue (around £65m) to keep them in the premier league, but they do have enough natural revenue to match parchaute payments teams to get out of the championship, that is even without TV money they would be a yo-yo team.

Natural revenue allows a team to buy an extra player (or two) that can give them an extra victory, it's that extra victory that could open the flood gates of EPL TV Money. Just think if we had Hector that corner against WBA may not have happened, then WBA would be 58 points and a Fulham would be 58 points too. Although, if Rodak was in goal it would have been saved too.

If we had 5,000 extra premier seats last season, that would have given us an extra £3m gate receipts and £2m sponsorship in the premier league and half that in the championship. Realistically that would have allowed to buy Hector in our premier league season and pay him off over two or three years, we probably would have still got relegated but would be topping the table now.

TV Money gives a club enough money if spent well to basically maintain your position in the table, but gate receipts, sponsorship, player sales and owners money can help a team get a position higher (or cover the mistakes purchases and injuries that will occur). Our new 30,000 stadium will make a big difference if we get promoted before parchuate payments end, hopefully enough of a difference to finish 17th in the EPL.

[love4ffc]

Once you strip out the PL TV money and hyper-wealthy owners, there are probably barely 10 clubs whose natural revenue streams (gate receipts, merchandise sales etc) would keep them in the top flight. Certainly Liverpool, Man Utd, Man City, Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal. Probably West Ham and Everton. Maybe a few others if you're being generous.

I'd have us in the group below that, overlapping the first and second tiers. We've as much right as half the current PL clubs to be at that level, but could just as easily find ourselves in the Championship.   

If you moved the top five to a super league of Europe, where would we stand? That would open up a few more spots in the Prem which in my short time (15 years) would put us about where we are at the moment. I actually enjoy the Championship more than the Prem because the Prem is in fact two leagues. You have the Manchester teams, the scum, Liverpiddle and Arse. The rest are typically also ran's. It'll always be that way as long as the top tier can stock up every potential player and send them out on loan until they are needed. Look at Hector. Can anyone say that at 27 he wouldn't have had a number of good years in the Prem with a mid or lower tier team?

Agree with these two statements.

For the record I currently see us a potential yoyo team.  Not to say that we won't go up and stay up but I do think it's getting harder and harder to do so without serious cash from Fulham's current benefactor/owner.