I agree with Ian Wright

[Peabody]

What he said tonight about the women's game was right, however reform of football as a whole needs to happen. The tv companies have far too much power. To Sky and BT us paying fans are a nuisance and not as important as their armchair fans. I do fully understand that not every fan can attend games but who suffers? How many times do we have kick off times altered and sometimes have miss games, yes the tv audience pays a lot of money to the tv for the privilege of watching a game but so do we who attend games, it no longer costs a couple of bob to get in. Without fans at games, the whole thing becomes less exciting the pandemic proved that. Germany has got it right and they treat those who attend games far better and they still televise games.

[rogerpbackinMidEastUS]

What he said tonight about the women's game was right, however reform of football as a whole needs to happen. The tv companies have far too much power. To Sky and BT us paying fans are a nuisance and not as important as their armchair fans. I do fully understand that not every fan can attend games but who suffers? How many times do we have kick off times altered and sometimes have miss games, yes the tv audience pays a lot of money to the tv for the privilege of watching a game but so do we who attend games, it no longer costs a couple of bob to get in. Without fans at games, the whole thing becomes less exciting the pandemic proved that. Germany has got it right and they treat those who attend games far better and they still televise games.

"A couple of bob" to get in ?

[Motspur Park]

For those that didn't see it, he talked about the barriers of attending games. Away fans need to be members of WSL or something like that. He also mentioned that the Arsenal v Man City game is scheduled for 7pm on a Sunday evening. He is right. It is pathetic but this doesn't just apply to women's football. TV companies have ruined matchday football and all fans suffer because football has sold its soul to the highest bidder.

[junior white]

All true, but if you reduce the amount of games on TV so more games kick off at 3pm on Saturday for instance then their would be less TV money, I believe we should more TV games around the world than any other league and that is where a lot of the income comes from. Income that the clubs want, without it they cannot sign the players or pay the salaries, how people will say thats a level field but the big teams are more worried about competing on the European level. It is now a vicious circle due to TV income and the big money in the game, sadly they now go hand in hand and whilst it is wrong no club or clubs would agree to something different if it reduces the income. Our club included.

That sadly is where football is, I do not watch womens football personally, so cannot comment from that side of things, but for the Premier league 90% of clubs need that income sadly.

Annoys me too

[hovewhite]

What he said tonight about the women's game was right, however reform of football as a whole needs to happen. The tv companies have far too much power. To Sky and BT us paying fans are a nuisance and not as important as their armchair fans. I do fully understand that not every fan can attend games but who suffers? How many times do we have kick off times altered and sometimes have miss games, yes the tv audience pays a lot of money to the tv for the privilege of watching a game but so do we who attend games, it no longer costs a couple of bob to get in. Without fans at games, the whole thing becomes less exciting the pandemic proved that. Germany has got it right and they treat those who attend games far better and they still televise games.

"A couple of bob" to get in ?

sat in the new stand v virreal next week £100 a lot of a couple off bobs for 1 game.

[RaySmith]

What he said tonight about the women's game was right, however reform of football as a whole needs to happen. The tv companies have far too much power. To Sky and BT us paying fans are a nuisance and not as important as their armchair fans. I do fully understand that not every fan can attend games but who suffers? How many times do we have kick off times altered and sometimes have miss games, yes the tv audience pays a lot of money to the tv for the privilege of watching a game but so do we who attend games, it no longer costs a couple of bob to get in. Without fans at games, the whole thing becomes less exciting the pandemic proved that. Germany has got it right and they treat those who attend games far better and they still televise games.

"A couple of bob" to get in ?

sat in the new stand v virreal next week £100 a lot of a couple off bobs for 1 game.

Peabody is right - when I began going to Fulham in the early 60's it was literally a couple of bob to go through the turnstiles - i.e. a couple of shillings, something like one shilling and sixpence for a child and two shillings and sixpence for an adult.

Of course, prices have greatly increased with inflation over the years, as have average wages, but  football prices have proportionately increased by about  five hundred percent - it's gone from being a cheap leisure pursuit, easily afforded by  nearly everybody, to something that you need to be pretty well off to afford.

Peabody is also  right to quote the example of the German model, where communities have a role in club ownership, and prices are kept to a reasonable level, with cheaper seats available for the less well off, and money having much less of a controlling  factor in their game.

Here, the top clubs are the richest clubs, and they are far more wealthy than the rest, with little regulation on where the finance comes from, it seems, with Russian oligarchs  (until the recent war) and other regimes using football as a means of sports washing, being freely able to own top clubs  .

[SG]

What he said tonight about the women's game was right, however reform of football as a whole needs to happen. The tv companies have far too much power. To Sky and BT us paying fans are a nuisance and not as important as their armchair fans. I do fully understand that not every fan can attend games but who suffers? How many times do we have kick off times altered and sometimes have miss games, yes the tv audience pays a lot of money to the tv for the privilege of watching a game but so do we who attend games, it no longer costs a couple of bob to get in. Without fans at games, the whole thing becomes less exciting the pandemic proved that. Germany has got it right and they treat those who attend games far better and they still televise games.

"A couple of bob" to get in ?

sat in the new stand v virreal next week £100 a lot of a couple off bobs for 1 game.

Peabody is right - when I began going to Fulham in the early 60's it was literally a couple of bob to go through the turnstiles - i.e. a couple of shillings, something like one shilling and sixpence for a child and two shillings and sixpence for an adult.

Of course, prices have greatly increased with inflation over the years, as have average wages, but  football prices have proportionately increased by about  five hundred percent - it's gone from being a cheap leisure pursuit, easily afforded by  nearly everybody, to something that you need to be pretty well off to afford.

Peabody is also  right to quote the example of the German model, where communities have a role in club ownership, and prices are kept to a reasonable level, with cheaper seats available for the less well off, and money having much less of a controlling  factor in their game.

Here, the top clubs are the richest clubs, and they are far more wealthy than the rest, with little regulation on where the finance comes from, it seems, with Russian oligarchs  (until the recent war) and other regimes using football as a means of sports washing, being freely able to own top clubs  .

And the programme was 6d - two and a half pence in today's money I think

[rebel]

The technology is here and now where fans can be at the event 'virtually'.

So in the future you will be able to hop from Craven Cottage to Old Trafford at a 'click' of a button during matches.   

[Lighthouse]

When football sold out to the tv they also sold out the fans. I have said before how as a young bloke I could afford tickets and travel to home and away games. Now I am priced out of football. Which is fair enough.

But sadly what football has become is a money grabbing, soulless stadiums, players who no longer mean much to the fans.

The simple enjoyments has been drained from the game. Without success we still kept supporting the clubs. Now we plan to see a game and find the date changed because of the tv.

It is no longer the game I spent hours following that dictated my thoughts for the day. No longer a game I can name every team and every squad. It is just a business. Good luck to it. But it isn't my game anymore and the tv wont care and nor will those who can afford to go to matches. The supporters have been led like cattle with rings in their noses and milked for all they are worth. But it is the game that is heading for slaughter.

[bobbo]

When football sold out to the tv they also sold out the fans. I have said before how as a young bloke I could afford tickets and travel to home and away games. Now I am priced out of football. Which is fair enough.

But sadly what football has become is a money grabbing, soulless stadiums, players who no longer mean much to the fans.

The simple enjoyments has been drained from the game. Without success we still kept supporting the clubs. Now we plan to see a game and find the date changed because of the tv.

It is no longer the game I spent hours following that dictated my thoughts for the day. No longer a game I can name every team and every squad. It is just a business. Good luck to it. But it isn't my game anymore and the tv wont care and nor will those who can afford to go to matches. The supporters have been led like cattle with rings in their noses and milked for all they are worth. But it is the game that is heading for slaughter.

aw lighthouse , I'm right with you on every aspect you quote . I am still able to go and have sky only but it's definately crossing my mind whether to keep it up . I have the option of being still connected to a club I played for back in the 70's being able to watch for free , and of course I do when The whites are away. It's going to be a big decision next season , having payed £1000to go back riverside this coming season I'm quite worried how much it will be next year higher up in the new stand .just for the record I payed nine pence yes 9d for my first game in 1956 but only went once until 1958 and it then was a shilling or dive between the man in front s legs and under the turnstile . Halcyon days eh.

[KJS]

For those that didn't see it, he talked about the barriers of attending games. Away fans need to be members of WSL or something like that. He also mentioned that the Arsenal v Man City game is scheduled for 7pm on a Sunday evening. He is right. It is pathetic but this doesn't just apply to women's football. TV companies have ruined matchday football and all fans suffer because football has sold its soul to the highest bidder.

And yet he is happy to be associated with the TV companies that pay his wages, total hypocrite🙄

[Peabody]

For those that didn't see it, he talked about the barriers of attending games. Away fans need to be members of WSL or something like that. He also mentioned that the Arsenal v Man City game is scheduled for 7pm on a Sunday evening. He is right. It is pathetic but this doesn't just apply to women's football. TV companies have ruined matchday football and all fans suffer because football has sold its soul to the highest bidder.

And yet he is happy to be associated with the TV companies that pay his wages, total hypocrite🙄

He never mentioned TV, that was me going of on a tangent. He was talking about reform, which, in a way is what I am talking about.

[AJW48361]

The Ladies Coach really taught Gareth how to handle a International Football team,No Subs scrambling to come to take Penalties.She made things happen.

[Motspur Park]

For those that didn't see it, he talked about the barriers of attending games. Away fans need to be members of WSL or something like that. He also mentioned that the Arsenal v Man City game is scheduled for 7pm on a Sunday evening. He is right. It is pathetic but this doesn't just apply to women's football. TV companies have ruined matchday football and all fans suffer because football has sold its soul to the highest bidder.

And yet he is happy to be associated with the TV companies that pay his wages, total hypocrite🙄

He never mentioned TV, that was me going of on a tangent. He was talking about reform, which, in a way is what I am talking about.

He didn't mention tv but he implied it and Gabby, the interviewer, made the connection and was uncomfortable with it. Wright was 100% correct. If he is cast aside and makes those comments from outside he will be accused of being bitter. Sometimes you have to argue from within to make your points and bring about change. I have no problem with anything he said and fully back his comments.

[Twig]

For those that didn't see it, he talked about the barriers of attending games. Away fans need to be members of WSL or something like that. He also mentioned that the Arsenal v Man City game is scheduled for 7pm on a Sunday evening. He is right. It is pathetic but this doesn't just apply to women's football. TV companies have ruined matchday football and all fans suffer because football has sold its soul to the highest bidder.

And yet he is happy to be associated with the TV companies that pay his wages, total hypocrite🙄

I take it you are having a pop without any knowledge of the actual facts? His criticism wasn't aimed at the TV it was aimed at the way the women's game is run and how it makes it more difficult for supporters to attend. But don't let ignorance get in the way of your opinions. Total hypocrite!

[SG]

The Ladies Coach really taught Gareth how to handle a International Football team,No Subs scrambling to come to take Penalties.She made things happen.

Yes she did. I'd happily swap and Gareth can look after the water bottles. I know this is a FFC board but we have plenty of NFR threads. I am amazed nobody has congratulated our Ladies unless I have missed it. I was delighted for them. Maybe says a lot about many of us.

[Arthur]

Last season, I watched our rearranged midweek game at Boro on TV when there was no prospect of my going to the Riverside. When I had Covid, I was still able to see us play Derby and Preston on TV. When the big storm meant there were no trains to transport me to London, our home game against Huddersfield was on TV. Midweek away fixtures at Birmingham, Blackburn, Swansea and West Brom that my work precluded me from attending were all on TV. When I couldn't afford to travel to Barnsley, I could afford the cost of a pass to watch us on TV.

Fixture alterations for TV aren't always a negative, far from it - or do critics refuse to watch Sky and BT as a matter of principle?

[Peabody]

Last season, I watched our rearranged midweek game at Boro on TV when there was no prospect of my going to the Riverside. When I had Covid, I was still able to see us play Derby and Preston on TV. When the big storm meant there were no trains to transport me to London, our home game against Huddersfield was on TV. Midweek away fixtures at Birmingham, Blackburn, Swansea and West Brom that my work precluded me from attending were all on TV. When I couldn't afford to travel to Barnsley, I could afford the cost of a pass to watch us on TV.
Fixture alterations for TV aren't always a negative, far from it - or do critics refuse to watch Sky and BT as a matter of principle?

I have already said that I understand the reason for tv football, I am just critical of their disdain for those that actually pay to attend games

[ffcne]

For those that didn't see it, he talked about the barriers of attending games. Away fans need to be members of WSL or something like that. He also mentioned that the Arsenal v Man City game is scheduled for 7pm on a Sunday evening. He is right. It is pathetic but this doesn't just apply to women's football. TV companies have ruined matchday football and all fans suffer because football has sold its soul to the highest bidder.

Sure Sky  only showing WSL it for a bit of box ticking.

[Arthur]

I have already said that I understand the reason for tv football, I am just critical of their disdain for those that actually pay to attend games

Aren't you directing your ire at the wrong target?

Football's governing bodies have control over their fixture lists. If live matches are being shown on TV at all manner of times and in ever-increasing numbers, it's because the P.L. and F.L. have accepted a sum of money for the companies' rights to do so.