The cost to fans is rocketing all the time. Players are being paid exorbitant salaries and fans are sick of it. A quote from the Daily Star:
An incredible two-thirds of football fans questioned in a survey believe that following the sport is a complete waste of money and are considering switching to rugby instead. Eight out of 10 fans feel players' wages are "offensive", while 67% are bored of the 'big four' clubs dominating the Premier League. (Daily Star)
Add to this the cost of kits which even now seem to be appearing twice a season with some clubs. Add the cost of travel to and from the grounds and you do not have much change from a weekly wage. The last time I took my daughter I had nothing left out of £100! And we went by car. OK this included food, couple of pints and a programme for daughter.
Fans are either abandoning the game altogether, attendances are plummeting at many grounds, or they are starting up a whole new team elsewhere.
Here at Manchester United we are slightly different but for how long can we afford to pack into OT by the 79000 every game? Reason dictates that fairly soon we are going to be outpriced.
Look at Manchester City. Whatever your feelings this is a club in the middle of the biggest division in the world; the envy of many. Yet, their gates are falling weekly. Other clubs outside the "big time" are folding. Gretna, in the Scottish Premiership, had an attendance of 512 for a top flight game!!
Football is dying under the weight of its finances.
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