Comments on: Stop the Robbery! http://lyon.theoffside.com/competitions/ligue-1/stop-the-robbery.html News from Olympique Lyonnais Football Club Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:59:55 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: joejoejoe http://lyon.theoffside.com/competitions/ligue-1/stop-the-robbery.html#comment-4248 joejoejoe Wed, 31 Oct 2007 21:28:31 +0000 http://lyon.theoffside.com/competitions/ligue-1/stop-the-robbery.html#comment-4248 Oops. It's Freddy Adu. I never get that guy's name right. Oops. It’s Freddy Adu. I never get that guy’s name right.

]]> By: Jan http://lyon.theoffside.com/competitions/ligue-1/stop-the-robbery.html#comment-4228 Jan Wed, 31 Oct 2007 18:49:58 +0000 http://lyon.theoffside.com/competitions/ligue-1/stop-the-robbery.html#comment-4228 I thought Shazback posted some insightful links in the comments to an earlier post: http://lyon.theoffside.com/people/jean-michel-aulas/the-battle-for-tv-rights.html#comments So I wonder whether this whole 'blame it on the taxes' argument is valid, based on those changes to the law. The Bundesliga gets around €440m a year from the TV rights deal, which is by far the lowest of the big five leagues. Pay-TV isn't very popular in Germany. But Germany has the second largest TV market in the world (second to the US obviously) and the Bundesliga has the highest free-TV presence of all leagues. This equals massive exposure of sponsors and thus the Bundesliga generates more revenue from sponsorship deals than the rest of the big five. So the Bundesliga has alternative income sources. Otherwise Bayern Munich couldn't live in a country with a laughable TV deal and still be one of the richest clubs in the world. So the league has some financial muscle to keep talent. Another important aspect though: the Bundesliga and German FA had some homework to do considering their youth work. So for a long time there wasn't any particularly interesting talent on the German market, that could be taken away. Only recently the youth academies started to churn out promising players. And whether the Bundesliga can keep the majority of those players isn't clear yet. So maybe the same thing that happens to Ligue 1 will also happen to the Bundesliga in the future. I thought Shazback posted some insightful links in the comments to an earlier post:
http://lyon.theoffside.com/people/jean-michel-aulas/the-battle-for-tv-rights.html#comments
So I wonder whether this whole ‘blame it on the taxes’ argument is valid, based on those changes to the law.

The Bundesliga gets around €440m a year from the TV rights deal, which is by far the lowest of the big five leagues. Pay-TV isn’t very popular in Germany. But Germany has the second largest TV market in the world (second to the US obviously) and the Bundesliga has the highest free-TV presence of all leagues. This equals massive exposure of sponsors and thus the Bundesliga generates more revenue from sponsorship deals than the rest of the big five. So the Bundesliga has alternative income sources. Otherwise Bayern Munich couldn’t live in a country with a laughable TV deal and still be one of the richest clubs in the world. So the league has some financial muscle to keep talent.

Another important aspect though: the Bundesliga and German FA had some homework to do considering their youth work. So for a long time there wasn’t any particularly interesting talent on the German market, that could be taken away. Only recently the youth academies started to churn out promising players. And whether the Bundesliga can keep the majority of those players isn’t clear yet. So maybe the same thing that happens to Ligue 1 will also happen to the Bundesliga in the future.

]]> By: Greg http://lyon.theoffside.com/competitions/ligue-1/stop-the-robbery.html#comment-4227 Greg Wed, 31 Oct 2007 18:00:47 +0000 http://lyon.theoffside.com/competitions/ligue-1/stop-the-robbery.html#comment-4227 What, Ara? Hairy women? Wah wahh wahhhhhh. Before you go nuts, I'm Portuguese and so is my wife. But seriously, I thought the same thing when I saw Inara's commentary on this. I also said basically the same thing on some other blog around here but I can't find the post to link it. Therefore I can not prove that I am as intelligent or insightful as you. Just take my word for it. ;-) What, Ara? Hairy women? Wah wahh wahhhhhh. Before you go nuts, I’m Portuguese and so is my wife. But seriously, I thought the same thing when I saw Inara’s commentary on this. I also said basically the same thing on some other blog around here but I can’t find the post to link it. Therefore I can not prove that I am as intelligent or insightful as you. Just take my word for it. ;-)

]]> By: Ara http://lyon.theoffside.com/competitions/ligue-1/stop-the-robbery.html#comment-4226 Ara Wed, 31 Oct 2007 17:34:37 +0000 http://lyon.theoffside.com/competitions/ligue-1/stop-the-robbery.html#comment-4226 Portugal has the same problem as France. Portugal has the same problem as France.

]]> By: Ush http://lyon.theoffside.com/competitions/ligue-1/stop-the-robbery.html#comment-4224 Ush Wed, 31 Oct 2007 16:27:10 +0000 http://lyon.theoffside.com/competitions/ligue-1/stop-the-robbery.html#comment-4224 Well Bayern did win the CL in 2001. But if I'm not mistaken, doesn't Bayern have some sort of government backing similar to Real Madrid? I guess it's a case of capitalising on youth and not big names. Boca Juniors beat AC Milan, Porto won the CL. Arsene Wenger was never one to spend that much money. Another thing I believe is that in England, alot of fans enjoy watching crap football. Viewers would pay money there to watch garbage, sky sports seem to be showing more championship this season than premiereship.(No offense to any English fans who do like the beautiful game!) Well Bayern did win the CL in 2001. But if I’m not mistaken, doesn’t Bayern have some sort of government backing similar to Real Madrid?

I guess it’s a case of capitalising on youth and not big names. Boca Juniors beat AC Milan, Porto won the CL. Arsene Wenger was never one to spend that much money.

Another thing I believe is that in England, alot of fans enjoy watching crap football. Viewers would pay money there to watch garbage, sky sports seem to be showing more championship this season than premiereship.(No offense to any English fans who do like the beautiful game!)

]]> By: Greg http://lyon.theoffside.com/competitions/ligue-1/stop-the-robbery.html#comment-4222 Greg Wed, 31 Oct 2007 15:11:02 +0000 http://lyon.theoffside.com/competitions/ligue-1/stop-the-robbery.html#comment-4222 Lars Hirschfeld is officially my new porn star name. Lars Hirschfeld is officially my new porn star name.

]]> By: Inara http://lyon.theoffside.com/competitions/ligue-1/stop-the-robbery.html#comment-4221 Inara Wed, 31 Oct 2007 14:24:15 +0000 http://lyon.theoffside.com/competitions/ligue-1/stop-the-robbery.html#comment-4221 English clubs do get more money - the bottom clubs get the same amount as Lyon! In Spain and Italy, clubs negotiate their own TV deals, so the top clubs in the top 3 leagues each pull in around 100m+ per year, double of what Lyon get (and keep in mind Marseille get less than Lyon). Germany get barely any money from TV deals (though their taxes aren't as stifling), but if you look at their results in Europe in the past seven years, you'll see why. Germany have been doing even worse in Europe than France. And other than Bayern, what other team has a chance at winning the CL? None. YET Germany have an easier time retaining their youth players. Why? It's a vicious circle. A team needs money to get good results because that allows them to keep their best players and have a deeper bench. Yet without good results, French clubs won't get much money. English clubs do get more money – the bottom clubs get the same amount as Lyon! In Spain and Italy, clubs negotiate their own TV deals, so the top clubs in the top 3 leagues each pull in around 100m+ per year, double of what Lyon get (and keep in mind Marseille get less than Lyon). Germany get barely any money from TV deals (though their taxes aren’t as stifling), but if you look at their results in Europe in the past seven years, you’ll see why. Germany have been doing even worse in Europe than France. And other than Bayern, what other team has a chance at winning the CL? None. YET Germany have an easier time retaining their youth players. Why?

It’s a vicious circle. A team needs money to get good results because that allows them to keep their best players and have a deeper bench. Yet without good results, French clubs won’t get much money.

]]> By: Ush http://lyon.theoffside.com/competitions/ligue-1/stop-the-robbery.html#comment-4219 Ush Wed, 31 Oct 2007 13:38:40 +0000 http://lyon.theoffside.com/competitions/ligue-1/stop-the-robbery.html#comment-4219 Inara : I'm pretty sure the English TV deals are giving more money to the clubs than any other leagues. For instance, the bundesliga has no tv rights agreement. It's not hard to see why they go to England with the money the likes of Chelsea offer. Lyon and Marseille are getting opportunites to excel in Europe, they have to take them. Inara : I’m pretty sure the English TV deals are giving more money to the clubs than any other leagues. For instance, the bundesliga has no tv rights agreement. It’s not hard to see why they go to England with the money the likes of Chelsea offer. Lyon and Marseille are getting opportunites to excel in Europe, they have to take them.

]]> By: Bruno http://lyon.theoffside.com/competitions/ligue-1/stop-the-robbery.html#comment-4218 Bruno Wed, 31 Oct 2007 12:58:59 +0000 http://lyon.theoffside.com/competitions/ligue-1/stop-the-robbery.html#comment-4218 Lars Hirschfeld, Rosenborg keeper is Canadian. Lars Hirschfeld, Rosenborg keeper is Canadian.

]]> By: Ush http://lyon.theoffside.com/competitions/ligue-1/stop-the-robbery.html#comment-4217 Ush Wed, 31 Oct 2007 12:27:27 +0000 http://lyon.theoffside.com/competitions/ligue-1/stop-the-robbery.html#comment-4217 joejoejoe : Good point, and Ireland have John O Shea (Manchester United), Ste Finnan (Liverpool) and Aiden McGeady (Celtic) in the CL. joejoejoe : Good point, and Ireland have John O Shea (Manchester United), Ste Finnan (Liverpool) and Aiden McGeady (Celtic) in the CL.

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