Lord Sugar Tackles Football

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Football needs a dose of hard business reality. For the good of a game that entertains so many, there needs to be some very, very big actions taken.

The BBC & Alan Sugar have compiled a documentary showing the financial turmoil the Premier League is in now. He shows how 14/20 clubs are in the red and shows the main culprit for the millions of expenses, the wage bill.

It's available on iPlayer right now

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0113f7h/Lord_Sugar_Tackles_Football/

Which means it's only available in the UK at the moment, unless anyone knows how to view it outside the UK?

[Fulham Broadway 16,966]

Watched this and some interesting facts came out eg the dramatic increase in foreign players in the Prem League since its inception form 5% to 70 %, and how Sky have had control of it and no one else in nearly 20 years meaning not one Premier League game has ever been shown live on Free to Air television.

Sugar himself was responsible when at Yidville for the steep rise in players wages and personally made a fortune from it. Now he's getting paid by licence payers to make a programme about it

He is in no position to judge or criticise, and as it happened he offered no solution whatsoever. So all in all a complete waste of time.

(just like that other Sugar crap The Apprentice -a load of sad, desperate individuals fawning to the vertically challenged jumped up barrow trader on a higher chair,who they laughably call ''Lord Sugar'' or ''Sir Alan''. The blokes an arrogant cunt and I'd like to smack him in the chops. The Apprentice is car crash TV, or Big Brother in suits.)

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Definitely agree FB!

I started laughing when he talked about calling Sky to up their offer on ITV. How different things would've been had ITV been successful hey?

I also find the whole not free-to-air thing a bit sick. Even Spain shows El Classic on free-to-air! (afaik anyway). I'm personally waiting for the financial bubble in football to burst. That's when we'll really see the true return of passion over money. It's commendable what those mid-table clubs (Blackburn, Bolton, Wigan ect) did in introducing their own regional salary cap, but it'll only truly work if there's an entire European one, otherwise players will become more greedy.

Also laughed at the ploy to endorse Platini

[kwylino 329]

I watched it when it was broadcast. i just spent the pro platini good bit calling platini A cunt.

But agreed LDN itll be interesting to See the financial bubble to burst in football

[Fulham Broadway 16,966]

Definitely agree FB!

I started laughing when he talked about calling Sky to up their offer on ITV. How different things would've been had ITV been successful hey?

I also find the whole not free-to-air thing a bit sick. Even Spain shows El Classic on free-to-air! (afaik anyway). I'm personally waiting for the financial bubble in football to burst. That's when we'll really see the true return of passion over money. It's commendable what those mid-table clubs (Blackburn, Bolton, Wigan ect) did in introducing their own regional salary cap, but it'll only truly work if there's an entire European one, otherwise players will become more greedy.

Also laughed at the ploy to endorse Platini

Yes it was Sugar who persuded Sky to outbid ITV. With Spain and Italy, Germany showing Free to air games, it seems wrong that the only way you can watch our league games on TV is to subscribe to Murdochs channel and give him a few more £billion.

Its a vicious circle, subscribing to watch it means the players are paid more which means they can charge more for admission and price out the loyal fan.

[chrismada9 1,948]

Yes it was Sugar who persuded Sky to outbid ITV. With Spain and Italy, Germany showing Free to air games, it seems wrong that the only way you can watch our league games on TV is to subscribe to Murdochs channel and give him a few more £billion.

I'm guessing that's why BBC or ITV can't broadcast any games from the Premier League, or all of the Champions League matches, because Sky has enough money to swipe them off their feet, and take everything from them!!

[Fulham Broadway 16,966]

I'm guessing that's why BBC or ITV can't broadcast any games from the Premier League, or all of the Champions League matches, because Sky has enough money to swipe them off their feet, and take everything from them!!

Too true CJ. They were initially due to be screened by ITV but Sugar persuaded Sky to outbid them as it was a potential goldmine. the rest is history, Sky realise that it's a licence to print money and will never let it go now...

[chrismada9 1,948]

It's because we pay yearly for our subscription to Sky, which is potentially where they get their money from... because BBC and ITV are both free services, they don't get as much revenue! If only there was be a potential billionaire to come and buy BBC or ITV. Then they could give Sky a run for their money at least. That's wishful thinking right there though!