The Hypocritical Game 39

Lost amongst the back page stories of doping in cycling, the money involved in football and a number of transfers involving young(ish) English footballers, is the resurfacing of the Premier League’s “Game 39”.

The idea has changed since first mooted several years ago — but the concept remains the same.
Premier League teams play an additional game, somewhere in the world, with points awarded for it just like the other 38 league fixtures they compete in.

Fans and supporter groups immediately hated the idea. Managers and coaches immediately jumped on the all-too-familiar ‘too many games’/winter-break bandwagon. Commercial Managers loved the idea — quietly — of there being the possibility of breaking into a new market.

The most bizarre part of the concept for me, is the very hatred that supporters groups extol on it.

They’re more than happy to see their club travel to Thailand or China in July for a pre-season friendly or two. Some are happy for their club to jet off to the USA or Australia for a post-season tour.

No arguments there at all, from fans or coaching staff alike.

So why the fuss over making the game an official one? Or at least officially endorsed, just like the recent Barclays Asia Trophy that my beloved Stoke City competed in alongside compatriots Arsenal and Everton.

To top the hypocrisy off further, Tottenham Hotspur recently announced that their new stadium could play host to a number of NFL games once built — alongside the games already scheduled to be played at Wembley.

If the massive franchises of the NFL welcome the opportunity to break new markets, why can’t we..?