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Posts Tagged ‘Premier league’

It is hard to believe that the English premier league is almost 20 years old. It seems like only yesterday that Sky caused shockwaves when they announced the deal they had reached to broadcast all the games. Of course a big part of the shock was the price they were paying, which seemed astronomical at the time.

Nearly 2 decades on and the changes in football in England have been immense. The first change many people will recognise is the wages. The top premiership players now earn eye watering salaries of well over £100,000 a week. By any standards this is a stunning reward for their efforts.

The high wages have caused some fans some disquiet and it certainly has introduced a huge gulf between fans and players. But this is the way the Market works. If there was no money they couldn’t be paid at the levels they currently are.

The whole experience of attending football matches have been enormously improved in the last 20 years. With all the terraces gone, crushes are a thing of the past. Many of the leading teams such as Man United have massively improved their stadium. Others including Arsenal & Man City have moved to new purpose built stadiums.

One of the great and unexpected features of the premier league is the large number of clubs who have played in it. Small teams you would never expect such as Blackpool, Barnsley, Hull City and Swansea have managed it for a season. Other teams such as Wigan have not only got to the premiership they have actually stayed for several years and become established. This really is a great achievement.

With the advent of the champions league the money in football increased even more and this has attracted overseas businessmen who saw an opportunity. Nearly half the clubs have overseas owners with Man City currently setting the pace. Their cash injection from the Middle East has totally transformed the club and seems to have made them genuine title contenders.

Obtaining tickets for the leading clubs such as United, City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs and Liverpool is not as easy as it was. They all have supporters not only from all corners of the UK but the world as well. But it is well worth the effort as the players on display at those clubs really are some of the best in the world.

With the combination of smooth, excellent pitches, great players and a desire to entertain watching the top clubs is an experience that will stick in your memory for ever.