The article is good, but the sub-head really says it all:
“Behind the glitz and glamour of the Premier League, clubs are killing themselves to keep up”
I would imagine you could say the same thing about American sports as well, especially collegiate sports, where yes there are a few teams that make money hand over foot, but most don’t. Yet fans want them to spend and compete with “the big clubs”.
It’s also interesting from the promotion/relegation argument. As much as I am in favor of pro/rel in just about any sport, because it forces owners to be accountable for competing, (No tanking), and allows teams to drop down into something more competitive when it’s clear they can’t compete in their current league, (Think Kansas football, for example), we also have to acknowledge that the competition to make, and stay, in the top division, creates an incentive for clubs to spend money they don’t have. Let’s face it, do we really believe Bolton fans will be happy continuing to exist outside the Premier League when they’ve tasted that level a few times recently? Of course they aren’t. They want the club to spend, bring in talent, and get back to that level. Who could blame them for wanting that?
And now, they’re paying a huge price for it. They’ll be lucky to not get relegated even further down the EFL leagues, if they can even stay afloat to begin with.
Meanwhile, the “big clubs” are throwing millions and millions of pounds at star players and solidifying their place in the EPL for good. Newly promoted, and those seeking promotion, can’t really be expected to do the same, but the system makes it hard to satisfy fans when you don’t.
Leave a Reply