Comments on: Solution to Premier League’s Plans to Host Matches Overseas http://www.epltalk.com/solution-to-premier-leagues-plans-to-host-matches-overseas/1412 Daily News & Analysis of the English Premier League Sun, 22 Nov 2009 07:03:19 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: gman http://www.epltalk.com/solution-to-premier-leagues-plans-to-host-matches-overseas/1412#comment-4156 gman Mon, 11 Feb 2008 14:23:22 +0000 http://www.epltalk.com/solution-to-premier-leagues-plans-to-host-matches-overseas/#comment-4156 That is rubbish solution to the problem. Because firstly England fans won't allow them to lose their home game, and If you're only selecting one weekend then 10 teams will lose their home game and 10 other teams will not lose a home game (unfair) you would have to run two rounds of games to make it fair, and then that adds to the fatigue and once again more England fans will be sharpening their cleavers and their knives. The only likely solution (if you must insist on this overseas fixtures) is to firstly make these extra fixtures not count towards the league standings. And also make them outside of the regualr Premier League Season, therefore making this the equivalent of a LA Galaxy - Chelsea match, which brings in numerous fans from wherever they play. However here lies the biggest problem (which is kind of solved by making the game a friendly) home field advantage, ManU/Chelsea/Arsenal/Liverpool and maybe Tottenham (ie. the more popular squads) will all have (basically) home field advantage (unless they are drawn against each other) because I doubt anyone in South Korea will go and watch a Manchester United - Fulham match and come dressed in LG kits... it will all be vodafone and AIG. However this could be overlooked since its a friendly and doesn't count. And then what about if they draw a fixture like Wigan - Derby?? Who will go to that game? I mean I know some local leagues are awful, but it has to be a little bit better than a goalless Wigan - Derby friendly. So in summary, this cannot work, because teams will end up spending money for fixtures that they don't need. Maybe a better solution is to play one game (like the Community Sheld) where it will be a top club vs. a top club overseas (which I refuse to see as nothing more than a warm-up to the league) and then it will produce boat-loads of money. That is rubbish solution to the problem. Because firstly England fans won’t allow them to lose their home game, and If you’re only selecting one weekend then 10 teams will lose their home game and 10 other teams will not lose a home game (unfair) you would have to run two rounds of games to make it fair, and then that adds to the fatigue and once again more England fans will be sharpening their cleavers and their knives.
The only likely solution (if you must insist on this overseas fixtures) is to firstly make these extra fixtures not count towards the league standings. And also make them outside of the regualr Premier League Season, therefore making this the equivalent of a LA Galaxy – Chelsea match, which brings in numerous fans from wherever they play. However here lies the biggest problem (which is kind of solved by making the game a friendly) home field advantage, ManU/Chelsea/Arsenal/Liverpool and maybe Tottenham (ie. the more popular squads) will all have (basically) home field advantage (unless they are drawn against each other) because I doubt anyone in South Korea will go and watch a Manchester United – Fulham match and come dressed in LG kits… it will all be vodafone and AIG. However this could be overlooked since its a friendly and doesn’t count. And then what about if they draw a fixture like Wigan – Derby?? Who will go to that game? I mean I know some local leagues are awful, but it has to be a little bit better than a goalless Wigan – Derby friendly.

So in summary, this cannot work, because teams will end up spending money for fixtures that they don’t need.

Maybe a better solution is to play one game (like the Community Sheld) where it will be a top club vs. a top club overseas (which I refuse to see as nothing more than a warm-up to the league) and then it will produce boat-loads of money.

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