Expensive “loyalty” dents world’s most popular sport

[webfact]

 

By Tulsathit Taptim

 

When Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard visited Thailand many years ago for a friendly game with the Thai national team, he said two things that probably can combine to form the crux of the Pimrypie controversy. Firstly, he remarked that when they landed, he couldn’t wait to see the faces of new Liverpool players who were first-time visitors to the country, because they all would be taken aback and blown away by the craze shown by Thai fans, who were about to make them feel like rock stars.

 

The other thing that he said was very sensitive, and club officials urged Thai journalists to play it down. Prompted by a reporter, he said he knew that many Liverpool fans were poor kids who could only wear “fake” club shirts and he truly sympathized with them. It was a comment that tells a thousand words.

 

Sport loyalty in today’s world is costly, but Gerrard, as the virtual club ambassador, was torn between the commercial side of football that involved a lot of copyright and expensive products and the existence of supporters who watched illegal torrents and own counterfeit accessories not because they wanted to, but because they could not afford the real ones.

 

Blend the craze with the high costs and the Pimrypie incident was inevitable. Who wouldn’t want see Liverpool clashing with Manchester United in Bangkok? Yet the tickets were _ and still are _ so costly that even middle-class fans, let alone the poorer ones, have decided to shun them with clenched jaws.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/expensive-loyalty-dents-worlds-most-popular-sport/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-06-30

 

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[Mac Mickmanus]

6 minutes ago, webfact said:

Sport loyalty in today’s world is costly, but Gerrard, as the virtual club ambassador, was torn between the commercial side of football that involved a lot of copyright and expensive products and the existence of supporters who watched illegal torrents and own counterfeit accessories not because they wanted to, but because they could not afford the real ones.

A football player earning 5 000 000 Baht a  week , encouraging Thai kids who earn 3000 Baht per week , to buy genuine football shirts for a weeks wages , to help him continue to earn 5 Million per week 

[Nigeone]

The Thai organisers are the issue here. Yes Liverpool and Man U will have been guaranteed a 'appearance' sum but I'm sure the invite and contact came from the Thais . Its going to be a big rip off sadly for the supporters as they are only going to get a few stars , maybe 2 or 3 , and the rest squad or fringe players . Thats the way it works in early foreign pre season games with players reporting back late after other commitments . Taken from Liverpool Forum

2nd July – Back for pre-season training

12th July – Friendly v Man United in Bangkok

15th July – Friendly v Crystal Palace in Singapore

no way there getting any amount of 'stars' in Thailand playing in that first game and probably both .

Edited June 29, 2022 by Nigeone

[RichardColeman]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Who wouldn’t want see Liverpool clashing with Manchester United in Bangkok?

Well, me for one. 

[richard_smith237]

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

A football player earning 5 000 000 Baht a  week , encouraging Thai kids who earn 3000 Baht per week , to buy genuine football shirts for a weeks wages , to help him continue to earn 5 Million per week 

Selective confirmation bias much ???? 

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

he truly sympathized with them.

 

 

 

[mikebell]

1 hour ago, RichardColeman said:

Well, me for one. 

I wouldn't & I'm a Utd fan (65 years served.)

[Retiredandhappyhere]

Eventually, there will have to be a halt to the ridiculously high wages paid to the top stars and also to the transfer fees paid for them.  Of course, a top limit for both would have to be initiated somehow on a European or World scale to make it work and be fully policed. 

 

Personally, as a lifelong Football supporter, I think the way the current style of playing has moved from that of the exciting Christiano Renaldo to much passing sideways and backwards (and sometimes even forwards), often at walking pace,  will soon deter supporters from paying so much money for what are often boring low-scoring performances by extremely high-paid performers.

[arithai12]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Who wouldn’t want see Liverpool clashing with Manchester United in Bangkok?

I wouldn't watch them if they played under my balcony.

Well, maybe the cheerleaders (assuming they exist).

[shackleton]

I will watch the game hopefully  live on Thai TV  

Will be in Bangkok in July  hospital appointment 

[Gillyflower]

58 minutes ago, arithai12 said:

I wouldn't watch them if they played under my balcony.

Well, maybe the cheerleaders (assuming they exist).

If they are gorgeous looking young males perhaps for me.

[Liverpool Lou]

6 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Who wouldn’t want see Liverpool clashing with Manchester United in Bangkok?

Well, me for one. 

Me too.  There's millions of us.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, arithai12 said:

I wouldn't watch them if they played under my balcony.

Well, maybe the cheerleaders (assuming they exist).

I would, just to seagull them from the balcony.

[kingstonkid]

If they want to do something for PR then they need to get the players into the poorer areas giving clinics

 

Most professional teams try to do that when they travel.

[John Drake]

What sort of man wears another man's name and number on his shirt?

[deathstardan]

I posted this on another thread a long time ago, about the Liverpool vs Man U match.

 

I went to the liverpool vs Thailand game, in 2015. It was 800 Bhat if I remember correctly.
Same stadium. I still have the ticket. 

 

So,4,000 Bhat for the cheapest ticket now,  seems crazy.

[hotchilli]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

Blend the craze with the high costs and the Pimrypie incident was inevitable. Who wouldn’t want see Liverpool clashing with Manchester United in Bangkok? Yet the tickets were _ and still are _ so costly that even middle-class fans, let alone the poorer ones, have decided to shun them with clenched jaws.

To be honest I hope the whole thing is a flop and half the stadium is empty.

This was going to be a train wreck right from day one.