Financial fair play

In Germany, 1,000 Borussia Dortmund fans walked out of the away end at Hamburger SV just 10 minutes after kick-off, in a crude but effective bid to voice their frustration.

In a few short moments, the entire away section of the stadium quickly emptied.


The source of their vitriol was not their side’s performance – they had been unbeaten in 31 games prior to this encounter – but the fact that, for the privilege of watching their side in the Bundesliga, they had been asked to fork out 19 euros, around BD9.

That is clearly the cut off point at which German football fans begin to feel they are being asked to pay too much; that is the point at which they opt to take action.

To put this into perspective this is approximately half of what fans watching Championship football in the UK are asked to pay, and a fraction of the prices in the Premier League. Sitting down to watch top level football in Germany is the equivalent of standing in the wind-swept terraces at a non-league match in England!

Germany is an interesting model for world football. It is one of the few nations where clubs generate a profit and yet can still produce one of the most competitive leagues – as witnessed by the success of their clubs in European competition. Somehow it manages to do that while charging fans a price most would consider reasonable in comparison to the Premiership and English Football League.

With Europe still experiencing tough economic times every penny of income generated will be more important than ever. 

Football clubs need to remember that its customer base has developed a more frugal mentality. Football is in danger of becoming an occasional treat rather than a regular weekend event.
Never has the right balance been more important.

Financial fair play will have an impact on dressing rooms across England in the next few years, as clubs ask themselves the question of whether they will pay £10,000 a week to an aging pro, whose best years are behind him, or give a chance to a promising youngster for a fifth of the cost.

But there must also be fair play at the turnstiles.

If every club in the Championship, the second tier of English football, charged £20, around BD12, to see every game, it is surely not be too naive to presume it would attract bigger gates. Those extra people will buy refreshments and programmes.

Done correctly, managed carefully, clubs need not lose money.

If things carry on as they are, English football fans may stage a walk out like their German counterparts. Or they might just stop turning up altogether.

And remember, you can catch all the action in Bahrain’s VIVA First Division for next to nothing, with tickets at 500fils to stand on the terraces to VIP seats at BD5. My sources tell me an inspired Al Malkiya are playing like Barcelona nowadays!