Karl Marx rose from the dead in George A. Romero-like fashion yesterday. He walked out of from his resting place in London’s Highgate cemetery, took a quick look around to survey the scene in and the first thing he did was to retract his famous words, “Religion is the opium of the masses.”
God had well and truly died in this green and pleasant land.
“Football is the opium of the masses,” he told himself.
Karl also found out that what was once the preserve of the English working class, top-flight football, had now become a plaything of bored billionaires and weekend entertainment for the bourgeoisie.
However, the opiate was so strong and powerful, the working class, who grew up loving their clubs and the game over found it difficult to quit what was becoming a very, very expensive habit.
They were first to be exploited because of their love for the game and then eventually excluded, Marx surmised, sagely.
He walked into a lovely Hampstead Heath cafe and picked up a copy of yesterday’s Guardian. There was the confirmation he needed staring back at him in the sport section.
Recently promoted Queen Park Rangers, the plaything of Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore, rewarded their fans’ loyalty and passion by increasing match day tickets prices to £47–£72.
Season ticket prices increased by an astonishing 40% (Factoring the EPL has six less home games than the Championship, in real terms the increase is 67%)
To justify the price-gouging of their fans, QPR said in a statement: “The board are keen to stress that the prices are in line with other London-based Premier League clubs and are encouraged by early sales figures following the release of season tickets earlier today.”
It was all too much for vice-chairman Amit Bhatia, part of the astronomically rich Mittal family, who own 33 percent of the club. He resigned.
The Guardian spoke to Paul Finney of the Independent R’s website: “It’s an absolute disgrace and, yet again, underlines the total contempt the owners of QPR have for the fans. Flavio Briatore’s dream is a ’boutique’ club, which has an exclusive feel to it and is the place for wealthy people to be seen.”
I’ve heard of boutique stadiums, but a ‘boutique’ club. What is that? you ask.
Well, this is how it will work.
You drive to the stadium in your flash European car, give the keys to the African refugee who will park the car, go to the bar, order your complimentary prawn sandwich and cocktail of choice, take the complimentary straw and use it to put some Charlie up your nose, get to your seat in the 30th minute, watch a bit of football, half time, get another drink in, another line, feeling great, try and pick up the WAGs’ friends, not your lucky day, sit back down in the 70th minute, watch a bit of football, oh, we’re losing 1-0, no point hanging around to see if the team can level, leave ground in the 80th minute, get African refugee to return your car, drive back home to the wife.
Boutique fans for a boutique club and all this can be yours at Loftus Road in the not too distant future.
Sure you’ll pay through the nose, but at least you won’t have to deal with the lumpen proletariat in Briatore’s world. They can make do with a satellite dish.
P.S I would like to dedicate this piece to AFC Wimbledon. The supporter owned club gained promotion to the Football League. Six promotions in nine season after the club they supported was broken up and sold to Milton Keynes. Wimbledon manager Terry Brown “As much as anything, it’s good to give the FA a bloody nose”. Congratulations!
Art Sapphire is the pseudonym for Athas Zafiris, and is on Twitter @ArtSapphire
Kasey
Guest
@Jiggles, I have no idea how the pricing is for the cheapest seats or how poorer fans afford to attend games. the Premier League games I've ben to have been on holidays so I considered it a "Holiday expense" and at GBP 25-35 I didn't really care even when the dollar was at a low US60c(and associated crossrates for ENG) in 2005 I just ponied up and took my seat. We really are lucky here that sport is as affordable as it is. My season ticket for Adelaide United (15 games last year was AUS $400(Western Grandstand) whereas the cheaper option was more like AUS$300 to sit behind the goals or in the Manton St stand. Where I think it really hurts or will hurt in the long run is the passing on of the tradition of attending live games from parent to child. Part of the thing that makes football so special is its atmosphere and with fewer fans in the stands I cant see that atmosphere being continued. A whole generation of kids appear to be being raised on watching football only on Sky, If this doesn't worry the Premier League clubs then they are as silly/shortsighted as the Tradie that advocates for fewer apprenticeships so (s)he can save a bit of money. It seems to be a very English problem as the Bundesliga has thus far retained an average ticket price closer to 5Euro than the 30-40Euro price of the Prem. Of course German stadia alo have standing areas(convertable to seatsing for UEFA sanctioned games) but as soon as anyone says the word standing, someone always pipes up with "Hillsboprough" as if this one issue(standing) was the only reason 96 people went to the football and failed to come home that night rather than the multitude of reasons(poorcriminal neglect wrt policing effort, poor standard of the terrace in Sheffield etc)
David V.
Guest
English football reflects its society- morally bankrupt, which is largely the product of its cultural and moral sickness dating back to the 60s and largely accelerated by Thatcher and Blair.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
oddly enough if I was to choose a team to become a boutique club I think QPR would fit the bill. The name just seems to work (though Crystal Palace has to be a close second). Even Loftus Road sounds, well, lofty. Now try turning Millwall into a boutique club; there lies a true challenge
Brendon
Guest
While this clown might "own" the club, teams are not like companies. Owners cannot dispand them and ultimate control lies with the governing body. While the idiots think Briatore has a right to whatever he wants (he doesn't) its this type of short term thinking that gets clubs, and competitions, into trouble. What happens when QPR is no longer trendy and the boutique status of the club goes? What happens after the 1st year rush of being promoted after a long time fades? What happens if QPR gets relegated again? Do you think the "boutique" status of the club will remain if they go back down to the League Championship? No way in hell. Its not trendy or fashionable to sit watching League Championship games. So if this idea backfires and Briatore dumps the club there will be no supporters left. When a club gets relegated its the hardcore, traditional fans that prop it up - not trendy people looking for a boutique club. Of course prices are going to increase after getting promoted back to the Premier League. Virtually all reasonable fans expect that. Salaries are going to be a lot higher and the club needs revenue to collect and with Loftus road being one of the smallest stadiums in the EPL demand is going to outstrip supply.But to try to turn a whole club into a "boutique" thing with no business plan behind it other than that is what the owner fancies is a recipe for disaster.
dasilva
Guest
If you look at my post I did say that many times. "If they can’t afford it. Too bad, life goes on." "Sport is entertainment and I don’t think people can complain about how unfair the world is because they can’t afford their fix of entertainment" "If they lived and breath football for many generation and can’t due to financial consideration then so be it." "It’s a fact of life that people can’t afford things that they want. It’s up to society to ensure that all people have their needs fulfil but it’s not societies job to ensure that all people’s wants are fulfil as they are infinite" These are all variation of the same theme All the other points are made are used to justify why I believe that's should be the case
Why didn't you say this to begin, that is all you really needed to post today. Thank you.
dasilva
Guest
I'll simplify it then People who can't afford to watch Football is not a major problem in society and I don't have much sympathy for people who can't afford it.
dasilva
Guest
By the way, I'll just state that I maintain that same belief to the anti-siphoning list as well which I do not agree should exist
I give up...the more you post the less you make sense...
dasilva
Guest
I don't care much for tradition Art and I don't believe it's society responsibiltiy to preserve it for the sake of it (by the way, I view Computer game as modern form of art and not something to be sneared at.). culture (and hence tradition which I view is culture over time) is the product of individual choice not some sort of mystical element that has to be preserved. let's look at the arts. In England rock music and music itself is an intrinsic part of English culture and some may argue just as much as football itself if not more. After all this is the land that produce the Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Who etc. This is the land where people sing a "you'll never walk alone" a rock hit during a football match. However, there are people who can't afford CDs, there are people who can't afford an electric guitar and continue on the rock tradition that England helped advance etc. people can't afford music lessons etc. SHould we bemoan that fact that people can't participate fully in an important English cultural event. It's a fact of life that people can't afford things that they want. It's up to society to ensure that all people have their needs fulfil but it's not societies job to ensure that all people's wants are fulfil as they are infinite If they lived and breath football for many generation and can't due to financial consideration then so be it.
pedantry is not my preserve, dasilva - but you comparing a fan or generations of fans who live and breath a football club that their situation is comparable to not being able to afford a computer game. well I don't need to say much else
dasilva
Guest
I think you are arguing semantics really and it's beside the point calling it luxury, non-essentials etc. It's certainly ain't essential to daily living isn't it. WHen I mean luxury, I don't mean expensive products. I mean non-essential products. Anything outside food, water, shelter, clothing, health care, education is a luxury item. If you want to be pedantic, I'll rename it as non-essentials Society has an obligation to ensure all people have these essential items. They do not have an obligation to ensure them watch a football match. If they can't afford it. Too bad, life goes on. It's like complaining that you can't afford to watch a live gig, can't afford to buy your favourite record, can't afford computer games. Sport is entertainment and I don't think people can complain about how unfair the world is because they can't afford their fix of entertainment
Thanks for the heads up, JVGO. Now, where's my helmet ;)
dasilva - "a luxury item that traditionally working class people can afford but a luxury item nevertheless" Are you going to tell me the millions who packed the terraces throughout the UK like sardines for the better part of the last century were indulging in a luxury item. No idea.
PaddyBoy
Guest
Liverpool isn't anymore, they got bought out (the only way clubs clear their debts in European football).
PaddyBoy
Guest
Do such classes exist? Wow.
JVGO
Guest
ArtSapphire, Woe betide anyone anytime anywhere who stands in the way of the death ride of capitalism and other forms of corporate insanity, they will send their troops to come and get you.
Derby County FC
Guest
Stop living in the past. Football at top level for the working classes in England died years ago. The average street sweeper or non skilled worker can barely afford one or two games a season (with kids etc) let alone a season ticket. Get used to it, old school is dead long live the £.
Jiggles
Roar Guru
Just out of interest Kasey – how do fans from lower socio-economic groups afford games? Are cheaper seats a lot cheaper? I have been lucky to go to a few premier league games and championship games in England, however I was always a guest of someone and therefore wasn’t forking out for the tickets, hence I have no idea on costs.
Kasey
Guest
In 2010/2011, the 6 priciest season tickets of the 92 League Clubs were: 1. Arsenal(Prem) GBP1825 2. Spurs(prem) GBP1695 3. Chelsea (Prem) GBP1210 4. Ipswich (Champ) GBP1001 **this IS NOT a typo this gets you the best seat in the house = sect D of the cobbold Stand @ Portman Rd. 5. Newcasle(Prem) GBP 975 6. ManYoo (Prem) GBP931 And for for comparisons sake: Sale Sharks (Rugby) GBP700 NEPatriots (NFL) GBP586 LALakers (NBA) GBP 2173 Real Madrid(LaLiga) GBP 1487