Mass hysteria greets the Liverpool football team when they arrived in Hong Kong last week. Tickets were rumoured to be at USD$2000 each in the black market to watch David Beckham played for 12 minutes and Chelsea, having a stroll in the park.
The success of English Premier League has created millions and millions more fans.
If each and every fan pay a dollar more a month, (which we are doing through Starhub cable subscription), ESPN and consequently the football clubs get more money to play around with.
Investors from US, Russia, even Thailand and Hong Kong see the profit potential and started buying clubs. With more money sloshing around the game, demand on performance of the team, players and managers increases.
Higher transfer fees and salaries will chase after the precious few talents capable of helping the respective clubs to win trophies!!!
From the substitute-bench-warmers to the superstars, getting salaries from GBP10,000 to GBP130,000 per WEEK, lack of patience for results will be the order of day.
About GBP90 mio has been allocated to clubs in lower divisions over 3 years to maintain a conducive base to develop young talents. That means some job security at least to some people eg. the old chap who maintains the field (or "pitch"), the young rookie cleaning up the dressing room, equipment, boots etc etc.
Therefore no matters how busy or importance a football team schedule may be, it is definitely appropriate to come over to Asia at least once a year to thank their paymasters.
For me, the new season will be starting soon. My weekend nites will be back to NORMAL again.
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