The Americanisation of the Premier League

Hi All,

I am a third year Newcastle University student and I am conducting a dissertation into the Americanisation of the Premier League and whether there has been a change brought about due to the influence of the American sporting model. I have a number of questions which I would like to post:

1) Would you be in favour of leaving traditional Anfield for new modern stadium with the potential for greater revenues?
2) Under Henry and FSG (or more generally) has there been a move to target, and market the game, to more affluent, consumer based supporters at the expense of traditional fans?
3) Are football stadiums and crowds are becoming too similar and commercialised? e.g. ejection or decrease in attendance of partisan fans.
4) Would you be in favour of a return to standing and singing sections of stadiums to improve the atmosphere?
5) Has the Premier League lost competitive balance and become too predictable?
6) Given recent events at Cardiff and Hull, what are your attitudes towards a change of stadium/club name, club colours?
7) Has the Premier League lost touch with the local fans in favour of internationalising the game to chase further TV revenues, fans etc?
8 ) Do you purchase club merchandise? If so, how often, and what type of items?

Any responses would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Oliver

1)  At the end of the day we need a more capacity moving was an option but now we seem to be working on developing Anfield which for me is the best way forward.  It should be financially more viable and it also helps to maintain the history.  I don't like the idea of having a names right.  But it all comes down to competition and how we compete with our rivals.  To bridge the gaps against rivals we may have to compromise in some issues.

4)  I don't have a problem with standing.  I can't see myself opting for standing over a seat.  But still done in the right manner with the German style and the technology and scanning facilities can see it come back in.  But at the end of the day for me it is important that the Hillsborough Families have the final say.  If they're happy with the introduction of standing areas in Anfield then its fine by me.

5) I don't think there has any predictability in fact we are having one of the most competitive seasons in a long time.

6) I would definitely appose any change of colour or name or anything similar.  It would just not happen though here.  We are lucky as a club to prove that we can climb right to the top in world football.  So really it would be someone really daft to suggest doing any drastic changes of such at our club. 
7) I am not a local so not best fit to answer that.
Not much investment from myself a few shirts a year, maybe £100-200 a year.

1) Would you be in favour of leaving traditional Anfield for new modern stadium with the potential for greater revenues?
If that was the only way we could reach our revenue capacity then yes because I feel it's important for the competitiveness of the club. However it isn't the only way as the owners have decided this can be realised at Anfield which I'm delighted with.

2) Under Henry and FSG (or more generally) has there been a move to target, and market the game, to more affluent, consumer based supporters at the expense of traditional fans?
I wouldn't say there is any change in the traditional core base of supporters ie those who attend the matches. They will always be there regardless of the existence of marketing techniques. However they are quite visibly keen on tapping into markets in Asia and the US to improve the numbers of the consumer based supporter.


3) Are football stadiums and crowds are becoming too similar and commercialised? e.g. ejection or decrease in attendance of partisan fans.
Football stadiums for sure have become too commercialised with naming rights and various advertising hoardings being very visible and at times, especially with the introduction of electronic hoardings, very distracting when watching on tv. With regards to fans it's a difficult one considering that as a Liverpool fan, tradition is still the most important facet of our support and no levels of commercialisation will disrupt that. What it is like with supporters of other clubs I don't know.


4) Would you be in favour of a return to standing and singing sections of stadiums to improve the atmosphere?
I'm in favour of safe standing on the basis that it is extremely successful in Germany. I see no reason why it can't be introduced successfully in England. Of course this is contrary to the view of the Hillsborough families but this is my own personal view.

5) Has the Premier League lost competitive balance and become too predictable?
Absolutely not. This season has proven to be the most competitive I can remember at both ends of the table and it is all the better for it.

6) Given recent events at Cardiff and Hull, what are your attitudes towards a change of stadium/club name, club colours?
It is a disgrace. In an era of increased marketing and commercialisation it's important that our most traditional facets of the game are still in place. You risk destroying the soul and history of clubs by enacting changes like the owners of Cardiff and Hull have done.

7) Has the Premier League lost touch with the local fans in favour of internationalising the game to chase further TV revenues, fans etc?
I'm Scottish so it is hard to answer this one. I think local fans will feel that the focus has shifted and I would agree with them. The Premier League is certainly more interested in getting its support and money from every other part of the world and while they've pursued this they and probably the clubs themselves have or are in danger of losing touch of the very people who made the clubs and the very people who still have stories to tell.

8 ) Do you purchase club merchandise? If so, how often, and what type of items?
I'll buy the shirt but not much else. Match programmes if they count as well.

1. No, Anfield is our home like Mecca is for Islam. Our history, traditions, location lie at Anfield and I'd be against a relocation depending how much the greater revenue would be also the relocation being in Liverpool and not the surrounding boroughs of Merseyside.

2. Can't answer that.

3. The mass popularity in the European leagues have been attracted by those in North America, Asia, Africa and the rest of the world so football grounds are seen as a tourist attraction with ticket sales going up your local, lifelong supporter would be priced out of the game whereas as football grounds are tourist attractions, tourists are willing to pay the extra money to poach a ticket to then taking pictures on cameras, phones and IPads all game not taking part in the atmosphere etc which I worry about.

4. Most defiantly.

5. No, one of if not the best leagues in the world because it's not predictable, anything can happen unlike most leagues with just 2 or 3 teams battling it out whereas the Premier League has at least 5 or 6.

6. Clubs are free to do what they like with there clubs in regards to changing colour, stadium names etc but I'd be totally against that happening at Liverpool and so would every Liverpool supporter.

7. It's most certainly lost it's touch with fans from the UK and Europe that's for sure as when I was growing up it was mostly just English support, Scottish, Irish and Welsh, Norwegian and the rest of Europe now that the popularity of Liverpool and the Premier League has massively grew more tourists will jump on the bandwagon and glory support the successful ones which eventually kill the culture of it that's why European football fans are against modern day football.

8. As a child I collected every kit, programme, magazine everything but no longer do as I'm in my mid 20's.

Any responses would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Oliver

1) Would you be in favour of leaving traditional Anfield for new modern stadium with the potential for greater revenues?

No.

I would have to accept it if it was the only was we could increase stadium capacity in order to keep up with other clubs but it would have to be the very last resort for me and even then I'm not sure I could ever totally attach to a brand new stadium.


2) Under Henry and FSG (or more generally) has there been a move to target, and market the game, to more affluent, consumer based supporters at the expense of traditional fans?

Probably but I think that is the plan for most clubs, especially Premier League ones. At the end of the day if woners can get more people in on higher ticket prices and with potential to spend more moeny in the club shop and in the restaurant/food stand etc then they will do it. I don't think club owners really care about the traditional fan and it's only going to get worse from what I can see.


3) Are football stadiums and crowds are becoming too similar and commercialised? e.g. ejection or decrease in attendance of partisan fans.

In a word. Yes.

Again the commercial side of football has grown massively in the last decade, and maybe longer, and like my previous answer I don't see a stop to it anytime soon. The new stadiums are being built almost in and idenical style more or less and I'm sure every club in the Pemier League who has moved to a new stadium could say that the atmsophere has suffered because of it and the 'partisan' fans are now scattered in different sections of the ground etc.

4) Would you be in favour of a return to standing and singing sections of stadiums to improve the atmosphere

Difficult one to answer and to be honest there is no gurantee that a return to standing would improve atmosphere, although I'd guess it would help. I'm not sure club owners in this country are that bothered about the atmsophere and defintely not as much as some of us fans.

5) Has the Premier League lost competitive balance and become too predictable?

No.

I think the Premier League, as has been proven this season, is still one of the closest in terms of quality from top to bottom and I think is actually one of the most competitive in Europe.

6) Given recent events at Cardiff and Hull, what are your attitudes towards a change of stadium/club name, club colours?

100% against it and I'd like to think if it was ever mentioned in relation to our club then there would be much bigger fan protests than we have seen at those clubs. Quite simply if the owner wanted to change our club colours I'd like to think it wouldn't have a chance of happening due to supporter pressure. The only instance where it should ever be acceptable is if supporters vote unanimously for a change.

7) Has the Premier League lost touch with the local fans in favour of internationalising the game to chase further TV revenues, fans etc?

I think it has and again it ties closely with the increased commercialisation of football and clubs willingness to get the people in the ground who spend the most money. We see it with kick off times as well which are done to suit a TV audience rather than the supporter who has to travel to the game and the recent one at Bournemouth is a prime example of this.

8 ) Do you purchase club merchandise? If so, how often, and what type of items?

I have in the past but haven't bought anyting in the lat couple of seasons. I'm not 100% sure why I haven't but as of this season and the last I've bought nothing.

1) Would you be in favour of leaving traditional Anfield for new modern stadium with the potential for greater revenues? Yes.
2) Under Henry and FSG (or more generally) has there been a move to target, and market the game, to more affluent, consumer based supporters at the expense of traditional fans? Yes.
3) Are football stadiums and crowds are becoming too similar and commercialised? e.g. ejection or decrease in attendance of partisan fans. Yes.
4) Would you be in favour of a return to standing and singing sections of stadiums to improve the atmosphere? Yes.
5) Has the Premier League lost competitive balance and become too predictable? No.
6) Given recent events at Cardiff and Hull, what are your attitudes towards a change of stadium/club name, club colours? That had nothing to do with 'Americans' but they can stick sh*t like that up their hole. 
7) Has the Premier League lost touch with the local fans in favour of internationalising the game to chase further TV revenues, fans etc? Yes.
8 ) Do you purchase club merchandise? If so, how often, and what type of items? Occasionally, for presents.