Not long ago clubs were used to be in neighborhoods, players used to be paid reasonable salaries and revenue used to be generated from ticket sales. Today the whole spectrum has changed Clubs are moving out from neighborhoods and building stadiums in tax lucrative areas, players are paid astronomical salaries and clubs are generating revenues from T.V. rights, sponsorship and sale of merchandise.
The Galacticos culture has spawned an era where clubs value players more for their commercial utility than their presence on field. Tickets are priced so high that it is almost out of reach of middle class and working class football fans. Worst of all it has made the game more predictable than ever before as the rich are getting richer by taking away from the poor clubs.
Influence of money in football in Asia
With the growing economies and increasing prosperity East and South East Asia has become one of the most lucrative market for football merchandise. Today bigger clubs in Europe are having players from these countries to have a strong base in their respective countries.
The off season friendly matches list has been growing rapidly and players are getting lesser rest comparatively.
South America
The South American countries are traditional suppliers of quality players to higher European clubs. Today it has taken new dimension great clubs in the region it seems has only one aim - how to make technically efficient players and earn fat money in transfers.
The scouts of the big clubs are now having a permanent base in the continent and clubs like Chelsea has made a different department to handle such situation.
North America
Soccer is not the main game in US and it faces a stiffer competition from already established sports like Baseball, Basketball and American Football there. For last several years major clubs are trying to break the states market as it is the most lucrative market in the world.
Africa
In the last decade African football has come a long way. After the glittering performance of Cameroon in Italia 90 the focus has shifted to African countries. Clubs like Ajax has opened their own academies to nurture talent in Africa. It seemed like a South American business model just that the grooming also is done by the European team.
Europe
Most money of the game comes from the continent as it is here the game is followed like religion. It is here people are identified with which club they root for. On a football stadium we have Tony Blair who is a Newcastle fan and Alistair Campbell who is a Blackburn fan.
The growing money in the game has most affected the European game. Today the top clubs are getting richer, paying more salaries and buy players at will. The surprises has become thing of past, no more we are having upsets like Wimbeldon winning 87 FA Cup, Ajax home grown players winning championship at the strength of their youth system.
Now we had only four teams winning the premier league since its inception in 1991, Clubs like Chelsea backed by oil money of Abrahamovic go and buy any player at any price. This disparity has resulted in increasing gulf between the rich and the poor of football world and leading to more predictable results and lesser excitement.
The dream of 11 players synchronized in thought and action by a creative manager to win major championships has been blurring faster than ever before.
Anand Mann writes marketing and human resources management articles, journal and columns for Knowledge Weekly.
