AIBU to worry football’s biggest matches are no longer for everyone?

[LoungeSalamander]

I appreciate MN isn’t fertile ground for football lovers but I suppose there’s a wider issue at stake.

When I was younger, I got into sport primarily through watching it. Football was frequently on TV and most importantly, the “Crown Jewels” were always broadcast on terrestrial TV - FA Cup Final, Champions League, World Cup, etc. This led me to try out those sports myself, as a player and as a live spectator.

It’s just been announced that the Champions League Final won’t be free to watch in the UK for the first time in the modern era. You can only get it if you’re a TNT Sport customer.

Am I being unreasonable to be concerned that these events are increasingly reserved for the people who can afford to watch them, rather than genuinely open cultural events that we can all enjoy?

I’ve watched football long enough to see its transition from the “working class ballet” to something a lot of families or even individuals just can’t afford any longer, especially at the top end. Or am I a dinosaur and have to accept that this is the way it is; if you want this stuff,
you have to pay for it.

TV coverage of sports these days is fantastic.

Get yourself a big 4K OLED telly. I watch F1, football, NFL, a bit of darts at Xmas. Recently been getting into the golf.

It is far superior than going to watch in the Stadium. I've been to the British GP and although there is an atmosphere and good things to see you can't see hardly anything of the race.

Live football is a bit shit compared to TV coverage and the NFL coverage from the US is just fantastic.

Beer and food is cheaper, you can make it yourself and it actually tastes good instead of paying silly money at the venue for a pint.

The sofa is comfortable and relaxing.

Telly - it's the way forward.

I find it annoying - it wouldn’t be so bad if all football was on one streaming service, but it is all over place and you end up paying for several different streaming services.

🙄🙄

It is all about money now, but it still depends on how you prioritise your spending.
A lot is pay per view or a subscription.
I prioritise a streaming service depending on what I want to watch and shop around for deals.
I remember the results being read on TV and aged 12, the Hillsborough disaster was one of first real life events that made me cry. Silently after I'd gone to bed.

Our sky sports package is extortionate but mainly chosen for football, tennis and F1...and theres still a lot we cant see because its on tnt!

I mean so many people don’t even watch live tv anymore.

So football is cashing in where it can. Got to get that money in to over pay ball kickers.

My team are on on Wednesday. I'm damned if I'm paying TNT 31 quid, I'll just walk 5 mins down the road and spend that money in the pub. Supporting a local business 🤣

It doesn't surprise me.

I almost feel lucky that my local team is a league 1 team where season tickets are on the cheaper side and getting a ticket for a game if you don't have a season ticket isn't difficult.

Big teams have made that impossible for their fans because making money is more important.

The Champions League final should be on the protected list whenever an English (or Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish) club reaches the final.

And the Europa and Conference. There are English sides in all 3 finals.

Uefa are apparently 'unhappy'. But not enough to do anything. I suspect it may be sorted by the Champions League final but for us in the Europa, I'm not expecting anything.

The World Cup is still on the protected list and international football is always interesting, although being in North America this year the kick-off times are awkward.

The price for that appears to be that for this tournament, there will be compulsory three minute "hydration breaks" in each half - even if it's 17 degrees and raining. Coincidentally, three minutes is just long enough for an ad break which will help the US TV stations, even if it does seem like a lengthy amount of time to drink a cup of water.

YANBU. I always felt so sorry for my grandad who was a life long Liverpool supporter, went matches home, away and abroad when he was physically able. Looking at the match fixtures and league table was a great pleasure of his. He used to have to listen to the match on the radio because trying to work a Sky box was too much for him.

I feel the same. We support our local low division club and happily contribute there but I really can't justify the cost of the Premier League matches. I remember 15 years ago being able to get tickets for £15 to see my local premier League club play, now it costs £25 for a third division club.

The tickets prices are going up because players salaries are going through the roof. I think the 100 million transfer fees we are seeing for the best players are absurd. And the weekly salaries are astronomical, no one needs to be earning that kind of money per week. Even with half their current salaries premier league players would be living an amazing lifestyle. I'm all for slashing salaries and brining ticket and merch prices down too.

YANBU. I haven't any interest in football but it annoys me when big companies act like this, pricing ordinary people out of things they harmlessly enjoy.

I hope it backfires on them, people refuse to pay and they lose money on what they've paid to FIFA or whoever it is.

Scottish matches are VERY rarely on free TV. That's why we got a dodgy box. It's also 52 quid for the cup final this weekend, so that would be £200 just for tickets for us, supporters bus another 70, then food/drinks, probably another 60. I'll be watching at home with a box of beer, £10 at most!

Yes. Back in the day you could watch all the matches on Sky Sports . Now you also need to have TNT to see all PL matches. It gets very expensive. I had a feeling the CL would end up pay to view altogether but at least last season the final was free to view.