Football over the past decade: Money talks

The sport of Football has never been more popular, however it is the power and wealth of the game that has really developed over the last decade, with the Premier League in particular being transformed into a multi-billion-pound industry. The game is now played, viewed and run in a different way, with a major focus upon money making. Old fashioned grounds have now been revitalised into modern, all-seater stadiums, and all kinds of individuals are now attracted to supporting their favourite team in person. Football now has an involvement in some of the biggest markets around, with bookmakers and even casinos making the most of its growth, with betting markets and mobile roulette games available at the click of a button.

A whole host of investors from across the globe have invested into football over recent years, all hoping to get a slice of the action, with ticket, merchandise and transfer dealings all at an all-time high. Nowadays, clubs that ten years ago were nowhere near the top of the game are now fighting on all fronts for major trophies, with the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea benefiting from billionaire owners. In order to ensure that there is still somewhat of a level playing field, the Football Association has established a fair play rule, meaning clubs can only spend a certain amount during each transfer window. Football has now even found its way into the online betting markets, with placing a bet on the weekend’s action becoming a must have industry like classic online casino game roulette, the likes of which can be found at LadyLucks.

Today, seven of the twenty biggest clubs in the world are sponsored by Middle Eastern airlines, with Barcelona, Real Madrid, PSG, Arsenal, AC Milan and Manchester City all benefiting from such illustrious deals. However, it is not such good news for all clubs, with only half of the teams in the English top flight making an operating profit over recent years. Despite this, and thanks to the introduction of financial fair play rulings across Europe, there is now more investment at all levels of the game, with wealthy individuals and company’s hoping to capitalise on the ever-growing finances within the game.

There is little doubt that the experience of taking in a game of football live is now unrecognisable from the 60’s and 70’s, however although many enjoy the comfortable and modern methods of viewing, there is still a sense that something has been lost from the game in recent years. Some sets of supporters believe that they have been left behind, leading to new clubs being formed.

Source: 1000 Goals.