Skip to main content

The loss of atmosphere

Oliver Kay had an interesting article in The Times on Saturday about the loss of atmosphere at Premier League grounds. He points out that it is not just a question of crowd noise, but the feel one has when one enters a ground. My sense would be that it is very corporate, as so many things are in so many aspects of life today. There is then an attempt to offset this by marketing measures to create an artificial bond between club and fans (probably seen by the club management as customers).

Kay points out that broadcasters all over the world are investing billions in a product they are told is played in a uniquely passionate atmosphere. The fans and the atmosphere they generate are an integral part of 'the show' (itself revealing language) according to Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore. However, Kay comments that it all feels rather disingenuous when the gap between club and fans is bigger than ever.

He notes that the revenue-driven approach of the last decade has had the inevitable effect of diluting atmosphere. Corporate hospitality accounts for a growing number of seats and there the focus is likely to be on the food, the drink and the networking as much as the match. Many clubs sell travel experience packages: prices range from £279 to £735 for Manchester United against Liverpool on March 10th including a night in a Travelodge.

Kay points out that clubs brag about the number of social media interactions they have, but there is an artificiality about such interactions. The underlying dilemma here is that the drive to make money may undermine some if the things that help to sell 'the product'.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Fulham requires big funding from owner

After lengthy delays, Fulham’s shiny, new Riverside Stand has finally opened, creating “a unique Thameside destination with first class facilities for supporters and partners on match days, as well as for the wider community year-round”. This ambitious project has increased Craven Cottage’s capacity by around 4,000 to 29,600, while it has also taken advantage of the club’s fantastic location and wealthy catchment area by including two Michelin star restaurants, a rooftop swimming pool, corporate hospitality and event space, all benefiting from views of the Thames. Chief executive Alistair Mackintosh observed, “Fulham is the sort of club that can have a business class or first class and have fans that turn left on a plane.” Indeed, there is also an exclusive members club – with a football season ticket as an optional extra. It’s fair to say that “the times they are a-changing”, as this is a long way from the traditional pie and a pint. However, in a world where clubs face the tw...
Post a Comment
Read more

Threat of financial calamity removed from Baggies

West Bromwich Albion had effectively been in decline ever since the club was sold to a Chinese consortium in August 2016, paying a figure north of £200m to buy former owner Jeremy Peace’s stake. Controlling shareholder Guochuan Lai’s ownership was fairly disastrous for the club, but his unloved tenure finally came to an end after Bilkul Football WBA, a company ultimately owned by Florida-based entrepreneur Shilen Patel and his father Dr Kiran Patel, acquired an 87.8% shareholding in West Bromwich Albion Group Limited, the parent company of West Bromwich Albion Football Club. This change in ownership was urgently required, due to the numerous financial problems facing West Brom, including growing high-interest debt and serious cash flow concerns, following years of no investment from the former owner. Indeed, West Brom’s auditors had already rung the alarm bell in the 2021/22 accounts when they cast doubt on the club’s ability to continue as a going concern without making player s...
1 comment
Read more

A poor financial record, but new hope at Everton

I recently saw an amusing video online in which a group of Everton fans were rebuked in jest for being hopeful.  Football fans in general tend to swing between excessive optimism and excessive pessimism, but for many it seems that moaning is in their bloodstream (Spurs fans probably take the trophy).  However, Everton fans have had plenty to moan about on and off the pitch.   Let’s hope that a new era is about to begin for this grand old club. Everton’s 2023/24 financial results covered a fairly momentous season, when they ended up 15th in the Premier League, though they would finished three places higher if they had not received an 8-point deduction for breaching the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Regulations (PSR). It was a worrying time for Everton fans, as the club faced a “perfect storm” of issues, including large financial losses, an ever increasing debt burden, a challenging stadium build and the tortuous sale of the club. There were eve...
Post a Comment
Read more