If you were a businessman, what would you call a consumer who remains loyal for life, buys exorbitant amounts of your product and services, and hardly ever complains no matter how you treat him?
In the business world, that consumer would be a dream come true. But we know him better as a typical football fan.
When football fans sing “City ’til I die” in Premier League grounds each weekend, there must be some football chairman who rub their hands together with glee and inwardly think of its club supporters as suckers. Week in, week out — no matter how poor the team’s results — football fans splash large amounts of cash, pay in advance each summer to buy season tickets, pay to be on waiting lists and queue up for the club’s new football shirts.
And how, for the most part, these fans are mistreated and unappreciated.
Las Vegas has the same appreciation for most of its best customers.
Some actual analysis might be interesting.
Do premier league clubs actually make money? What's the (estimated) net income for the teams in the league? How much has the value of those teams increased year on year?
I would guess that owning a sports team, especially in the premier league, which provides no profit sharing or salary caps, isn't a free ride and I wouldn't be surprised if more than a few clubs lost money.
It's true that owners take full “advantage” of their fans support – one could certainly argue that they abuse it. Fans for their part expect, owners to pony up the cash for new stadiums and players on a regular basis.