TV Killing Football?

From Channel 4.co.uk
There is some bad news for Serie B clubs today with attendances drastically down on last year.

Statistics just released reveal that gates in the Second Division have dropped by a third on last season, with some clubs losing more than 50 per cent of their home support.

Worried fans draped flags from the stands this weekend to draw attention to the rapid decline in tifosi numbers. "Serie B is dying," read one banner at Ternana.

The first half of the season has seen average attendance of just 6,303 - which is 34 per cent less than 2003-04.

Poorly equipped stadiums, pay TV, high ticket prices and midweek games have all been blamed.

The problem of falling crowd figures is a phenomenon which has struck nearly every League in Europe this season, but the decline has been so rapid in Serie B that there is talk of a crisis.

The teams who played in Serie A last year are amongst those particularly feeling the pinch.

Perugia have lost 44 per cent of spectators this season, Modena 51.6, and Empoli a staggering 53.6.

But even those clubs who were promoted to Serie B this year have not enjoyed a relative rise in gates.

Arezzo’s attendances have gone up by 11.9 per cent, whilst Crotone, Catanzaro and Cesena have recorded an increase of around just 7 per cent.

There have been some success stories though. Piacenza’s run of form has seen their gates rise by a third, and big clubs like Genoa and Torino are also enjoying healthy crowds.

So is it really hitting home now that TV is killing football? Is everyone getting so much football now that they are becoming sick of it?

The introducion of pay tv's have began controversies between ultras and directors of their clubs. With pay tv's clus generate money and managers tend to favour more these companies as sky instead of their own supporters.
Normal supporters may prefer to stay at home to see a match (especially if he lives far away) then travelling to the stadium.

However the advantage of these pay tv's is that people like me can watch every Milan game.

PS this can also be included in the ultras threat

Can fans of Serie B teams get all of their teams games on pay tv?


This "TV Killing Football" report came out about the Premiership as well, although the difference in attendance is due to Leeds going down and no big team coming in to replace them...

True I have heard it before in talks of the Prem. But it can also been seen. Aston Villa now no longer sell out, unless the big 3 are in town. Have you ever seen a boro game lately? Chelsea are not evening selling out where as 3-4 years ago you couldn't get a ticket for love nor money. Admittedly that last one also has to do with outrageous prices...
But it can been seen all over Europe, attendances are falling. With this on the way down, the transfer market long since fallen down is teh football buble well and truely birst or what do you think?

In fact, this may not be due to television coverage of football, but due to overkill of football coverage. You know, all of it, football matches, interviews, opinions, past matches, analysis, reality shows related to football, old senile ex-players commenting on everything from the state of the game today to the state of footballers' hairstyles.
Football, football, football. Too much of it on TV.

We just need our weekend matches, without all the "expert" comments and analysis, and we'll be happy.

Aston Villa could never sell out, and things will remain that way until they replace Deadly Doug with someone who understands that mediocre investment = mediocre team

As for Boro and Chelsea, they are both punching well above their weight because of super-rich chairmen

I was worried about the FA Cup match between Sheffield Utd and Villa though, Utd only got 14,000 in (they average 18,000 in the league) and as they had drawn a Premiership club they would probably have drawn well over 20,000 if the game hadnt been televised...

With this on the way down, the transfer market long since fallen down is teh football buble well and truely birst or what do you think?

When the TV deals are renegotiated i think things will become fairly clear. If things are bad then the big teams who draw the most viewers will be in a strong enough position to negotiate individual deals. If that happens it will widen the gulf between the elite few who compete for silverware and the remaining clubs.

The money men will look at this as another step on the road to a European Super League, something that hopefully wont happen but does seem a case of when rather than if. I think that there are still enough "football people" in the game, people who understand the rivalries and intricasies of the game well enough to leave things as they are. However if too many Abramovich's and Glazers get involved with the game then things could really take a turn for the worse thus, buy shares in Utd, save football for the fans

We just need our weekend matches, without all the "expert" comments and analysis, and we'll be happy.

exactly

we dont need to be told whats happening by failed managers and proffesional pessimists, just show us the games

have to agree, with pretty much everything thats been said. it is football saturation, i dont care what andy "no league is even close to the prem" grey has to say about anything and peter schmicael who ever said he was any good in front of a camera. one of the best things in the last few years is sky football chioce, 50mins highlights with no bull. thats why i love watching games on setanta, straight in here is your match end of story, kind of the ryanair of sport channels.

ex rent a quote pros are killing it just as much as existing pros. why does gary neville constantly have to remind the world of his view? who asked him in the first place!

Originally Posted by Franco6

The introducion of pay tv's have began controversies between ultras and directors of their clubs. With pay tv's clus generate money and managers tend to favour more these companies as sky instead of their own supporters.
Normal supporters may prefer to stay at home to see a match (especially if he lives far away) then travelling to the stadium.

However the advantage of these pay tv's is that people like me can watch every Milan game.

PS this can also be included in the ultras threat

You said pay tv's alow you to watch every Milan game. What pay tv service do you have? Please let me know. Thanks