Post by rickyqpr on Feb 20, 2020 13:35:41 GMT
Was just reflecting on how complicated football club supporting is today.
When I first started supporting QPR, it seemed so simple.
Play well, win, get promotion, play poorly get relegated. Watch the football, worship the players, go home, watch Match of the Day / the Big Match......it was football.
But that game is unrecognisable today.
Today, the average club supporter is expected to understand and accept:
Basic commerce / player valuations
Budgetary controls and the importance of cash forecasting and P&L forecasting
Complicated financial regulations and ramifications of any breech
Wealth of the owner is irrelevant
Stringent ownership controls that see teams being expelled from the league anyway
Manager and coaches change at least one a season
Players have zero loyalty to a club and hold all the contractual power.
The likelihood and impact of points being deducted for a range of ever growing reasons and at any point in time
Complicated football rules e.g off -sides, passing back to the keeper etc.
The impact of technologies (VAR) and the endless delay in decision making
Yellow & red card and the consequential suspensions
Inconsistent substitution rules regarding the different leagues and cup matches
Celebrity referees
TV companies tell you when to watch your team with ever more baffling timings and selections
Play-off games with huge financial ramifications associated with promotions
Ramifications of singing inappropriate songs
The consequences of refusing to sit down in your seat,
The dangers of bringing bottled water into the stadium
That it is necessary to stand silent for 2 minutes or applaud before every game.
Think I preferred it when it was simpler!
I am sure others can add to the list!
When I first started supporting QPR, it seemed so simple.
Play well, win, get promotion, play poorly get relegated. Watch the football, worship the players, go home, watch Match of the Day / the Big Match......it was football.
But that game is unrecognisable today.
Today, the average club supporter is expected to understand and accept:
Basic commerce / player valuations
Budgetary controls and the importance of cash forecasting and P&L forecasting
Complicated financial regulations and ramifications of any breech
Wealth of the owner is irrelevant
Stringent ownership controls that see teams being expelled from the league anyway
Manager and coaches change at least one a season
Players have zero loyalty to a club and hold all the contractual power.
The likelihood and impact of points being deducted for a range of ever growing reasons and at any point in time
Complicated football rules e.g off -sides, passing back to the keeper etc.
The impact of technologies (VAR) and the endless delay in decision making
Yellow & red card and the consequential suspensions
Inconsistent substitution rules regarding the different leagues and cup matches
Celebrity referees
TV companies tell you when to watch your team with ever more baffling timings and selections
Play-off games with huge financial ramifications associated with promotions
Ramifications of singing inappropriate songs
The consequences of refusing to sit down in your seat,
The dangers of bringing bottled water into the stadium
That it is necessary to stand silent for 2 minutes or applaud before every game.
Think I preferred it when it was simpler!
I am sure others can add to the list!