Translation to English of portions of Richard Scudamores article on the football "product"
Richard Scudamore wrote an article for the Guardian on the Premier League. I feel that a partial translation to English might prove informative.
Title: Great product shows the value of our ‘virtuous circle’
I think of the league as a product. This may tell you all you need to know. From here on when I say “virtuous circle”, read “money making schemes”.
The Premier League enters its 17th season off the back of, arguably, our most compelling competition yet.
3 teams finished within 4 points of each other; this is regarded as compelling. Please ignore that these teams have won the last 13 titles between them.
The clubs put on a great show - fantastic football in the finest set of club stadia in the world and the highest average top-flight attendances in England for more than 50 years.
Sky said that it was a great show, it must be true. Having fine stadia also means that the football must be good. High attendances is also good, we can constantly replace the people who no longer attend with other people, that business model worked perfectly for AOL.
On top of that we had an all-English Champions League final for the first time - testament to the strength of the Premier League and the standards being set week in, week out.
We had an all-English Champions League final for the first time. It shows what can be done if you spend a fortune on players and wages. It also helps to have 18 non-English players involved in the match.
It is no accident that Premier League clubs find themselves in this position, financially strong and performing well on the pitch. The collective selling of our media rights and the equitable distribution of broadcast revenue provides the stability to invest, while rewarding success.
It is no accident that Football League clubs find themselves in this position, financially struggling and performing badly off the pitch. Frankly, we don’t care.
Reconciling the interests of all 20 clubs is not easy. There is a significant differential in income as a result of the size of individual clubs: the matchday revenue of some dwarfs the entire earnings of others. This is exacerbated at the very top by the distorting impact of the Champions League revenue, something that must have an even greater impact in other European leagues. That is why the distribution model operated by the Premier League is so important to competitive balance. Every pound earned centrally has a redistributive effect. This makes it imperative that when we explore potential new opportunities, we do so on a league-wide basis.
We share all money, apart from the money we don’t share. The money we don’t share distorts things, even I have to admit that. Can I try to distract you by making a pointless remark about other leagues? Now that I have distracted you I’m going to try floating the 39th game idea again.
The more people want to watch Premier League football, the more others will seek to circumvent rights structures. This means not only potentially less money for clubs and players, but for youth development, flexible ticket pricing and community initiatives, all of which are critical to ensuring our continued success, and all of which rely on our ability to defend each constituent part of the ‘virtuous circle’.
I’m raising the spectre of piracy here. I have no actual point to make, it just may distract you again. Please try to keep a straight face while I claim that our aim in making more money is to fund youth development or flexible ticket pricing.
The Premier League, and English football, is in robust health.
The Premier League is scarily uncompetitive. When I say that English football is in robust health, I mean the turnover of about 5 clubs in the Premier League. Who cares about the England team, I know we don’t.
The Premier League clubs understand the importance of this model: investing in the acquisition and development of playing talent; keeping and attracting fans; new and improved stadium facilities, and an increasing amount of corporate social responsibility activity.
Please pay no attention to the fact that I didn’t mention a competitive league.
This ‘virtuous circle’ is the rationale that underpins everything we do. It starts and finishes with the football. Everything else - the fans, the sponsors, the broadcasters, even the community programmes - flow from that. And that is exactly how it should be.
Don’t forget that “virtuous circle” means “money making schemes”. As I say, “everything else flows from that.”
Hat-tip to Daring Fireball for the concept.