For years we have sang that we would follow the Hammers no matter where they were playing, and now it seems the Premier League want to put that to the test. A proposal is being examined where an additional Premier League match (the 39th game) would be played between two clubs abroad on a weekend in January. In simple terms, West Ham can play Blackburn Rovers in Delhi on a Saturday afternoon, to make the sport ‘global’ and to implement this before any other national league does.
For this proposal to come at a time when relationships between players and fans are possibly at their worst illustrates the contempt with which the money men of the Premier League hold the fans – the very same fans who ensure they are money men in the first place. Alienated by players more interested in cars and girls than giving 100% for their team, the Premier League are now seeking to widen the gap between fan and club as well. Great idea.
Fans just about keep their heads above water with the cost of matches as it is, with a family trip to an away ground being £100+ trip for most people. All for 90 minutes of entertainment. But It does not even seem to matter whether the fans who go week in week out are prepared to travel to far flung places, as the League seem pretty confident of filling the grounds with locals instead. For those fans who pride themselves on ‘every game’ however, this is going to be a real stretch.
And what of the games themselves? Okay, Man Utd v Arsenal is rightly a worldwide experience, but how many locals are going to turn up for Derby v Bolton in Chicago? And once they see that the Premier League is not all 3-3 draws and end to end action, surely they will soon get bored and move on elsewhere. This prospect rings especially true when you consider the top clubs will be seeded to play at different venues – so the games that attract the most International interest will still occur in the UK. Therefore you have to ask, what is the point?
As for the idea that the English League needs to do it before someone else does, that is simply ridiculous. I’m a marketer, and I don’t spend my company’s marketing budget on sponsoring the monkey zoo in Indonesia, just because one of my rivals might do. The reason La Liga does not play its games in Ulan Bator is that no one is interested in Gimnastic v Malaga, they just want Barcelona v Real Madrid every week.
I can see an argument for showcasing a clash between the top two clubs or even the FA Cup Final – events they are truly international that can be showcased and act as great ambassadors for the English game. But taking a game away from all bread and butter fans, messing up timezones of all players, making some travel further than others, opening them up to various security threats and all with the aim of making more money from a sport which has already alienated millions with its ‘them and us’ attitude, well, it’s not right and for the first time it would really pelase me if the fans were actually put first.
How small minded are you?
Surely being a 'Marketer' you can see the benefits of exporting your products in to untapped markets and expanding marginal interest areas? Then again, Marketers are not renown for their gifts of inspiration.
The idea of Derby Vs Bolton in Ulan Bator would likely create a huge amount of local interst, even if it was only short term. It also allows
the ongoing growth of clubs as a global brand.
As a West Ham supporter, I would not be happy with the likes of Liverpool and Man U further exploiting Eastern markets we simply don't touch. By going there and playing football, we have a chance to grow the West Ham fanbase and be seen as a club alongside the Chelseas and Arsenals of the premiership. If, as you seem to think, the future of West Ham is as a hometown club with a fanbase in the East London/Essex area then you will be watching League 1 footie in a few years!
To suggest external markets are only interested in showcase events, is simply myopic. Who in London thought that the NFL game held at Wembley would be over subscribed by 300%? It didn't matter that the teams playing were not well known in the UK, and few foretold the SB glory of the Giants or the almost historic ineptitude of the Dolphins, 100,000 people paid good money to go watch.(At least the corporate sponsors and Entertainment accounts of the City Banks did) Needless to say Octobers Chargers Vs N'Orelans game will be sold out, and if I get the chance, I'll be there. Even if neither are my team. If I didn't already have one, I'd probably choose one of them as my team and buy a hat, or a T-shirt, or something.
So if the venues are in the right locations like Hong Kong, Sydney, Cape town, Rio et al, they will be huge successes.
So put away your blinkered view and let the Premiership get on with expanding the market and making money, which at the end of the day is what it's all about.
Over Land & Sea ....hopefully to a beautiful winter getaway destination
Posted by: Bloody Limey | 08/02/2008 at 15:02
I agree with the original blog. Don't be fooled by the talk of great exposure for the Premier League in other countries. It's just that they've run out of ideas to make more money. It's reckoned that the revenue stream for the Premier League is stagnating, as opposed to it's performance, say 8 or 9 years ago. Clubs already moan about too many matches and having to have large squads to cope with the fixture list.
Posted by: edi hammer | 08/02/2008 at 15:49
Really bad idea.there,s allready too many games every season.we,ve got to protect our international players where there is allready a club v countery issue.
How could these stupid, greedy men and their allready filled wallets decide over the loyal fans and managers???.Even the Japs don,t want it.Embarising,isn,t it so wher,s our pride?Hope all fans and managers stand against this stupid idea.
Posted by: Denis Mcallister | 08/02/2008 at 16:57
Bloody Limey - 'Marketeers are not known for their gifts of inspiration' - hmmm, would have to disagree but that's not the point. The point, and this is from experience, is that if I saw revenue streams falling, I wouldn't run out and open in a load of new markets and hope that papers over the cracks. I'd try to understand from the consumer why the revenue is not what it used to be and how this can be changed. I've already got a loyal base of customers who are failry price inelastic, do I alienate them by moving my market overseas and have the costs of new customer acquisition or do I look at my current customers and see how I can improve? Think you know my answer...
Posted by: Simon | 08/02/2008 at 17:21
I think it is a great idea. For those who won't be able to go, and I understand that will be the majority, all 10 games will be televised back here in the UK.
There will always be people who oppose it but I say bring it on.
Posted by: Andy jamieson | 08/02/2008 at 19:03
I grew up on the terraces of Upton Park in the 60's and 70's. Every home game.
I now live in Sydney Australia. Nothing about the UK that I miss more than being in the stands at Upton Park. I watch all the Hammers games on TV every week if they are shown. Along with a heap of other games too! Every 2 years I visit my family in th UK and always do it so that I can get to watch a couple of games at West Ham.
So what do I think of the Prem Leaugue coming to Sydney? Yahoo...?? Yipee...?
No, I think it is a bloody joke and a tragedy for the league. The game is losing it's integrety and it is all about money. I heard the Spurs chairman talking about this to BBC 5 live and he was talking about "soccer". Give me a break. That is what I have to hear it being called over here.
Why not just give football some NFL outfits, start letting players use their hands too, widen the goal posts so we get basketball scores then market it more in the US and Asia.
Play all games overseas and just sell the TV rights to UK viewers.
Let Sydney FC join the Premier League too. And a Japanese team etc etc.
Oh dear....give me a break. the game I love is losing something here.
Posted by: david | 09/02/2008 at 00:25
Hello there!
My name is Slavik from Ukraine, I represent
Public organization "Karpaty" (www.gokarpaty.org ),
which organize an international tournament for football supporters
"Eurofan" in Lviv, Ukraine.
Maybe you would be interested to put together an amateur
fan football team to represent supporters of West Ham at the tournament in Ukraine?
Below I give you detailed information about the tournament.
On 25-28 June 2009 we will be holding the international tournament for
football supporters
"Eurofan 2009" in Lviv (Ukraine) for the 3rd consecutive year.
Current list of teams confirmed their participation looks like this:
Liverpool (England), Zenit (Russia), Chievo Verona (Italy),
1.FC Koln, Schalke 04 (both - Germany), Ostrovia (Poland),
Wales supporters team, Rangers (Scotland), Atletico Madrid (Spain),
Heerenveen (The Netherlands), AEK Athens (Greece),
Rapid (Austria), Bohemians (Czech Republic),
Karpaty (Ukraine) and the Team of Ukrainian showbiz stars.
That's already 15 out of necessary 16 fan teams.
I have to be honest with you, I have also sent similar invitations to a few other
European fan clubs, and the first fans' team confirming its participation
will be entered into the final list of participants.
I hope it will be the West Ham supporters' team as I personally root for West Ham
United for about 10 years (I am also known as the main performer of
"I'm forever blowing bubbles" in Lviv :)).
Few months ago I tried to contact different West Ham fan groups but never got a positive answer unfortunately...
Tournament rules: 11-a-side teams, match consists of 2 times (each
lasts 30 minutes).
During games we arrange live comments and music (speakers are placed
around the ground,
DJ and commentator work with microphones).
Number of substitutes is not limited.
We arrange accommodation for 15 people for 2 nights in a comfortable
hotel (half board) - it is on us.
The 3rd night for those 15 persons and accommodation for extra members of
your delegation is on you (for one person one night in hotel costs 12-15 Euro).
Also we arrange and pay for an excursion tour around our city with an
interpreter.
After the tournament we organize a celebration party with booze, meals,
prizes and mementos for all tournament guests (everything is on us).
Also all interested team members will be able to watch live shows of a large
rock festival in Lviv (one ticket valid during all day - 29 June - will cost about 10 Euro).
We collect 100 EUR from each participating team for our overhead expenses.
The “Eurofan” tournament is a unique event not only in Ukraine, but in
all Europe.
Representatives of European organizations for football supporters like
FARE, FSI, KOS are invited to monitor the tournament.
As you may know, Lviv will be one of host cities for Euro-2012.
Our city is regarded the cultural capital of Ukraine.
It has quite interesting old architecture and resembles Vienna,
Krakow or Paris to some extent.
Herewith we officially invite an amateur football team consisting of
supporters of glorious West Ham United FC
to take part in the "Eurofan-2009" tournament.
In case you are interested -
please let me know about your decision
as soon as possible:
e-mail: gokarpaty@gmail.com
Also I attach poster and photo from the last year's tournament.
Besides if you decide to participate, there are at least 2 travelling options:
1. fans of FC Koln (Cologne, Germany) go to Ukraine by bus with
fan team of Schalke and
may take up to 20 persons of another fan team in their bus.
Cost of travelling from Koln to Lviv and back is 90 EUR.
2. flight from London to Krakow (Poland) by a low-cost airlines and
then you can hire a bus from Krakow to Lviv (our city is located not
far from the Polish border).
For example, fans of Liverpool have chosen this option and if you decide to
participate - you might travel together...
This is also
for your evaluation.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Best regards, Slavik.
Posted by: Slavik | 30/04/2009 at 07:21
Has anyone got a spare ticket 4 tonights game against Portsmouth and let me no how much u would like 4 it 07943056679 jim
Posted by: Jimmy | 26/01/2010 at 13:19
Does anyone know about a boat going to the Fulham game on Boxing day? Or does anyone know of any other West Ham fan's going to Fulham?
Posted by: Eddie | 16/12/2010 at 21:23