No such thing as a level playing field

Vic Hopes, NCISA

Recently Delia expressed her continuing concerns about the funding of football in the UK.

It is often said that the Premiership is the best league in the world and therefore the most watched on TV, mainly via SKY.

Many of us have a go on the lottery and yes, we all want to win the jackpot, preferably on a rollover and to be the only winner! Greedy or human nature?

So where there is mega money to be had, do we all want more than our fair share? However, for “Mr & Mrs Average” this does not always bring the imagined happiness - as has been well documented in the media.

It's the same with football clubs striving to win promotion to the Premiership and that “crock of gold”.

For too many clubs that season of glory is swiftly followed by relegation and, in some cases, years in the wilderness. Teams that were built up on the shifting sands of SKY money are quickly broken up to reduce the wages bill.

Many of us can't see it changing unless the Euro Super League rears its head again. Would that be a bad thing?

There is another downside to SKY on its current charging rates to pubs. You can't beat a good night out at the pub to watch football on SKY, have a drink, a chat and maybe a spot of supper!

Recent excursions to pubs in and around Norwich have proved to be a fruitless search for football on TV as publicans have opted out of SKY due to the recent “exorbitant hikes” in rental charges. Up to �2,000 per month has been quoted!

Now, it takes a lot of pints and drinkers to cover that cost, so publicans are saying enough is enough and pulling the plug on SKY.

Added to this publicans have other problems such as the smoking ban, high rents and rates, and cheap drink available in supermarkets so it is little wonder many pubs are struggling.

There doesn't appear to be anything resembling a level playing field in football today.