These days a ticket to a football match could cost you anything up to ?60 a game. It has recently been reported that soccer fans are finding the ticket prices hard to take and are having to make financial sacrifices to pay for their next season ticket, with a study revealing that one in four Premier League football fans had already started saving up to renew their seat at leading grounds. Two out of five fans revealed that they were having to make serious financial sacrifices to renew their ticket.
It has been suggested that football games have turned from being a working class game into a poncy corporate event ? overpriced for everything from the ticket, to the drinks and food sold, to the merchandise available. Nobody wants to see the fans put out though ? this would ultimately lead to end of football as we know it today. But football is made what it is through the support of the fans, and without them the teams would be nothing. Some solutions are being offered by some clubs which will hopefully gather pace and be implemented by the Premier League clubs.
FC United, a non-premier league club has offered a 'pay what you like' season ticket scheme, in which they suggest you pay ?90 minimum for your ticket. It is hoped that this will boost revenue for the club without having to raise ticket prices. This business model was first implemented by the band Radiohead who let fans buy their music online for whatever price the individual fan deemed fit.
In 2008 ? 2009 a season ticket for FC United cost ?140 and the hope is that those who can afford to pay more will do so, thereby subsidising those who can only afford to pay the ?90.
To people who don't 'do football' this idea would seem ludicrous ? won't everyone just pay ?90? Hopefully not - football is a sport that instils such loyalty, with fans wanting to do the best for their team, so logic would suggest that they will pay whatever they can afford. The teams general manager, Andy Walsh believes that premier clubs, in rising their prices without consideration of their fans' ability to pay are thinking only of themselves ? thereby harbouring exclusivity, not inclusivity which is what football is meant to be all about. Clubs should also be aware that while some fans will pay 'whatever it takes' to follow their club ? for example Arsenal, Stoke and Sunderland fans, other club supporters are more likely to give up their ticket.
FC United are not unrealistic ? while Radiohead offered fans the option of downloading for free, this would not be practical for a football club, hence why they have stipulated the ?90 minimum payment. However, it has been stated that fans who cannot afford even that level of financial commitment should contact the club. Everyone else is asked to bear in mind the ?140 price tag of last seasons ticket, and use that as a benchmark, whilst bearing in mind that even at that price the club made a loss. This really does leave it in the hands of the fans, who do enjoy feeling that they are having an input and impact on their club.
If you would like to buy the football fan in your life a season ticket but can't quite stretch to it, why not buy them retro football shirt from retrofootieshirts? (see below for URL)
As we draw ever closer to the 2006 season, teams are beginning to get a pretty good idea in regards to their rosters, and fans are starting to get a clear idea about which football tickets will be worth obtaining based on the schedule. Since the coaches and GM's generally don't ask us for input on their rosters, we'll give the fans a helping hand on who they should go see by ranking players at different positions in the NFL. Today's analysis will concentrate on the quarterbacks.
1. Tom Brady
Is there any doubt about who the best QB in the NFL is in 2006? The guy is the perfect QB. He plays hurt, he plays smart, he has a good arm, he's accurate, and as any football fan who hasn't been living under a rock for the past five years knows, he wins. It's hard to argue with three Super Bowl wins, especially when two of them came courtesy of a last-minute drive down the field. Honestly, who else would you want under center with the game on the line?
2. Peyton Manning
Manning has just about everything you could ever want in a QB. He's smart, obsessive in regards to his work habits, knows opposing defenses as well as any offensive coordinator in the NFL, has a good arm, and he's accurate and durable. Other than Brady, there's no one better in the NFL. However, there's one "flaw" in his game that won't be eradicated until he does something about it - he doesn't win big games. After the meltdown against Pittsburgh in the playoffs last year, perhaps we saw why - he's not a great leader. Leaders don't call out their teammates. Until he wins a big game, he'll be the Karl Malone of the NFL - great stats but no hardware.
3. Donovan McNabb
McNabb had a disastrous 2005 season, what with his abdominal injury that ultimately forced him to shut it down and the ongoing fiasco with Terrell Owens. He still has it all - he's a good leader, he's tough, has a great arm, is intelligent and throws pretty accurately. However, it appears that once again he's being saddled with marginal talent at WR, so he'll have to use all of those talents to bring Philadelphia back to prominence.
4. Brett Favre
He may be about to turn 37, but few other players in the league move football tickets the way Brett Favre does. Even fewer have his arm. Favre may not be on this list but for some issues with others you're about to see, but he is still as talented as any QB in the game, and people who know will tell you he hasn't lost it. He played horribly last year, but had a deplorable level of talent to work with and a coach who had lost touch with the team. If Favre plays disciplined football, he'll prove all of his doubters wrong in 2006. If he plays well enough, he may even return in 2007.
5. Matt Hasselbeck
Hasselbeck seemed to put all of his talents together last season. He has a good arm, is accurate, plays with discipline and is a good leader. He is becoming a coach on the field, and it seems that every QB who spends time with coach Mike Holmgren reaches his potential - see Montana, Joe, Young, Steve, Favre, Brett - and Hasselbeck is on his way to building a long-term career as one of the best QB's in the game.
6. Honorable Mention
There are three QB's who would be on this list, but we need to see how things come together for them before they move up. First is Carson Palmer, who could eventually be the best in the game, but his horrible knee injury is still not fully healed, and may not be for quite some time. Ben Roethlisberger is another, but we won't know about him until we see him take a few hits after an awful motorcycle accident. The third is Trent Green, who needs to adjust to a new coach and a new RB, but he's always been one of the most overlooked QB's in the game, and his ability always gets rabid Chiefs fans to snap up their football tickets early.
Both Gen Wright & Jay Nault are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Gen Wright has sinced written about articles on various topics from Terrier Dogs, Acne Treatment and Lose Weight. Stop paying for overpriced replica football shirts and grab yourself a from www.retrofootieshirts.co.uk. Gen Wright's top article generates over 1220000 views. to your Favourites.
Jay Nault has sinced written about articles on various topics from Entertainment Guide, Recreation and Sports and Entertainment Guide. By Jay Nault sponsored by http://www.stubhub.com/ . StubHub sells : http://www.stubhub.com/ concert tickets, theater tickets and more to just about an. Jay Nault's top article generates over 9140000 views. to your Favourites.