Martin Calladine

...differently to football?

It certainly provokes a strong visceral repulsion among many fans. I suspect that with cricket it's because, at least in part, that there's just fewer first class teams and the international game, at least historically, was top of the tree. Or maybe people just relate to cricket...

You know you're a true poster when your honest opinions are indistinguishable from bait.

It's encouraging that Saudi sportswashing is proving to be nothing more than a massive and unsustainable boondoggle.

I look forward to reporters asking MBS: "If, as you say, this is not sportswashing but investments for the future of the Saudi economy, then why do they lose so much money?"

I think overseas fans will happily pay a premium, as UK NFL and MLB fans do, and not feel too raw about being exploited.

I think it's possible to grow the league abroad - sharing the joy - while charging foreign fans more.

True, but to a degree that's an objection to every decision that's made in football currently. I still believe the principle is right even if, as so often is the case, it's in the hands of the worst people to take it forward.

Three things there, and hard to cover them all in this format. But I think, given everything else going on, the impact on local fans and overcrowding is relatively small. Bigger battles to be fought on those fronts.

As for gouing fans abroad: many would love the opportunity to be gouged!

I agree they're different, but with the global profile of the PL, I think it's increasingly a difference of degree rather than something stark and immutable.

100%

Access would certainly be a huge issue - definitely the biggest practical objection. And one for which I have no good solution.

I totally agree about the structural and strategic differences, but does that change the joy for overseas fans?

Surely an NFL team losing one of its eight home games a year is a big deal? Bigger than a PL team losing one of 18 home games (excluding cup games)?

I understand of course that there's something special about seeing a team playing in its community. But what if the other part of your scenario - strong, vibrant, high quality leagues elsewhere around the world - isn't likely on any real timeline?

We've had some very productive conversations over a long period, and I hope we will again. And I do recognise that you feel passionately about this, but, respectfully, you're being a dick.

"It's a very Tory position frankly."

Oh, please.

...fan ought to respond to that and expand.

We can fight it all we want (and we should in some respects - you've heard me use that exact language about the financialisation of sport) but I think we can also recognise that the Premier League became the world's favourite league a long time ago, and that our notion of what it means to be a...

This is actually the most positive response I've had so far.

I don't see that a couple of games a year in what, by definition, will be markets already crushed by the big European leagues is going to make anything much worse in the wild west of club football.

Yeah, I do get that. All I can say is that I still experience the magic of NFL games here, even if it's not quite the same as in the US.

All I can say is that it's nonsense that I really believe.

My mentions so far.

It's going about as well as expected.

I understand that from a profit maximisation perspective, but I'm arguing from a "share the love" perspective.

Temples of Boomer Esiason – fandom, shattered bones and long-distance sporting love After thirty years, I’m going to see my team. For the first time…

I recognise this will be among the least popular of my already wildly unpopular set of opinions and I understand that I ought to delete my account.

I wrote this a while back about being an overseas fan and finally getting to see the team you love play.
theuglygame.wordpress.com/2016/09/16/t...

Fair enough. Although having seen the excitement about El Classico in Vegas a few years back, I suspect that a real game would be next level.

I'm not sure that one game abroad for half a dozen teams meaningfully impacts any of the above.

The Premier League has grown rich off the back of millions of fans like him round the world.

Don't they deserve to see a game too?

And how good Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole were together; that telepathic understanding.

And Eric Cantona's majesty. And Giggs' FA Cup semifinal goal.

He has a lifetime of diligent, faithful support. How dare anyone say he's not a real fan.

I was in Viet Nam earlier in the year and I had a tour guide who wanted to talk football. And when I asked him who his team were, he said Manchester United. He'd been a fan for 30 years. All he wanted to do was talk about was the Champions League final against Bayern.