This week saw jubilation for thousands of fans as Stevenage, Peterborough and Swansea won promotion to a higher tier of football. Swansea will join Norwich and QPR in reaping the huge financial benefits of playing Premier League football, estimated to be around £90million, though of course none of this will end up in the fans’ pockets.
But what about their fans? What is the benefit?
As a Leicester City fan, it is easy to assume I am just bitter that we missed out on the playoffs this season, but I have experienced the delight of winning at Wembley and feeling the emotion of a promotion (and relegation) season. I know how those fans are feeling right now. But the question that occurred to me as I showered this morning is, is it in the fan’s best interest to get promoted to the Premier League? Why do we all strive for it?
There is certainly no financial benefit for the fan when their team reaches the hallowed land, QPR have increased their ticket and season ticket prices by up to 70% in real terms*, a trend followed by a large section of the Premier League clubs according to this article in The Mirror. The only club that seems to be doing a good deal is Blackburn Rovers, so there really is no financial incentive for the average fan. Plenty for the chairman though.
What about the quality of football? Well here it all boils down to how you define quality. Is it defined by the quality of the player on the pitch or, as I am inclined to believe, by the quality of the entertainment that the game and season can provide? Football is an entertainment industry, although it plays by its own rules in terms of emotion and commitment, so I have to plump for the second option. This season has seen the tightest finish in the Premier League for years, so I can’t argue the entertainment value there; however the Championship was as tight and has been a roller coaster for years. Above all else I go to watch a football match to see my team play well and hopefully win. The chances of this happening should we get promoted are a lot more slim than they are in the Championship.
I don’t buy the oft fought argument that the Premier League is the best division in the world either, any more. The best players in the world play in Spain now, this was more than evident in the Champion’s League Final this last week. The points haul for Manchester United, the Premier League winners, this season wasn’t enough to finish 3rd in the last few seasons, so the quality is certainly seeming to drop off.
So if it’s all the same to you, I’d prefer to watch us play well and be competitive in the Championship.
So what can it be? The elation and emotion of being promoted, particularly through the roller coaster of the playoffs, can’t be denied. I can’t help feel though that the shine will be taken off somewhat when the first payment for your shiny, new, 50% more expensive season ticket hits your account on the same day as you watch your team fold over and lose 3-1 on a wet Tuesday evening in front of 12,000 Wigan fans.
Talk about living the dream.
Oh and of course, don’t forget how much control Sky will have over your club. Forget about the 3pm Saturday kick off time. Last season, Manchester United didn’t kick off a game at 3pm on a Saturday until 2nd October. After that, they only kicked off at the historically standard time 8 more times. When Sky tell you to jump, in the Premier League, you just bend over and do as Scudamore and Murdoch command.
Of course, should Leicester City be promoted this coming season then I will be there with the best of them renewing my season ticket and being confident that we can be the next team to defy the odds and not come straight back down. For 50% more money.
