More Money More Problems?

Is the game gone now that it's a multi-billion business?

Football is up there with the greatest art forms in the world. It provides a great deal of entertainment to well over four billion fans globally. As you would expect, marketing the art that is the sport to such a large target audience results in huge earnings. For the most part, this is a good thing. Think about the number of people who benefit financially from the growth of the football business. There’s a plethora of avenues for making a living through football, and the impact it has had on people’s lives is immense and undeniable. But are there possible downsides to the sport becoming more of a business? I think so.

Firstly, it seems like commercialization has been prioritized at the expense of club traditions. Bigger and wealthier clubs with worldwide branding tend to overshadow smaller clubs, which find it difficult to stay true to their local heritage and culture. This happens because smaller clubs want to remain competitive and therefore may opt to adopt a more generic, marketable identity that appeals to a broad audience, sometimes sacrificing their regional uniqueness and cultural nuances. This in turn leads to a disconnect between a club and its local fanbase, as they may feel alienated. Smaller clubs may also feel pressured to modernize their stadiums and facilities in an attempt to try and keep up with bigger counterparts, often leading to financial strain. This modernization can sometimes strip away the unique, historic essence that made their grounds special. In severe cases, these clubs often get liquidated if they cannot generate enough revenue to stay afloat.

Player welfare has become a secondary thought to the football organizations. The amount of games being played in today’s game is ludicrous, to say the least. This is evident in the number of injuries happening as seasons go by. Just last season, there was a total number of 4123 injuries in Europe’s top five leagues. And sure, you could argue that footballers earn a fortune and therefore shouldn’t complain about the amount of games they play in, but if we’re being honest, financial compensation isn’t a worthy trade-off for one’s health. The situation has become so dire that players are having to be rested at the start of the season because of injury scares or fatigue. We have also seen just how often players get treated like commodities. Their wellbeing and career development take the back burner whenever their market value is concerned as clubs stop at nothing to make profits.

The fans are probably the most afflicted by the commercialization. To piggyback on the point above, the overall quality of the games has significantly dipped. The packed schedule means that players have to participate in games at least 3 times a week. The obvious lack of rest just means that games aren’t going to be as entertaining as they ought to. This is not ideal for the match-going fans who have to pay a lot of money and time to travel and attend games. It also doesn’t help that ticket prices, merchandise, and broadcasting subscriptions are becoming increasingly expensive, making it even harder for average fans to afford to support their teams. Every so often you see clubs selling limited edition merchandise like anniversary kits or collaborations with high-end brands. Ironically, the clubs always have a special story to tell with the merchandise that is often very pricey. These stories are essentially the selling points of the merchandise. They are intended to prey on the fans love for the club and FOMO (fear of missing out), ensuring that the fans keep on spending money in order to feel like they belong.

Football becoming more commercial definitely has its upsides, but it is crucial to find a balance that preserves the diversity, heritage, and community connections that the sport was intended to bring. The finances being pumped into the sport should aim at making the art form that football is more entertaining without having to wash it down with meaningless ‘improvement measures.’.

Hope you enjoyed this read.