The TT Debate: Parachutes Threaten Football Future
By Deadly Submarine
April 29 2010
In the second item of a new feature on Total Tranmere which will see montly debating topics, we are this month asking you for your views on a nationwide issue which affects Tranmere Rovers as much as any other team and that is the issue of increased parachute payments for teams relegated from the Premier League........
In a new feature on Total Tranmere which sees us bring you a brand new debate every month, as we pose to you a question, or scenario, that is quite plausable to happen in the English game, for you to discuss on the message board.
This month, we're asking you for your views on a topic very much in the news in recent weeks and once again today, which will potentially have a huge affect on clubs in the Football League in the future as the Premier League plan to increase parachute payments to teams relegated from the Premier League into the Championship.
Clubs like West Brom benefit greatly from Parachute Payments
The increase in payments to relegated clubs, reported to be changing from £24m over two seasons to £48m over four seasons will mean a change to the way the money is distributed as a whole and this has upset the Football League and fans of clubs further down the leagues.
Speaking to BBC Sport, chairman Greg Clarke said.....
"The Football League are not in a position to accept it. We wish to clarify certain issues. There is certain unhappiness about a four-year parachute payment which some of the clubs think could distort competition. We've got to engineer a consensus."
There are fears that the changes to the payments will effectively create a second Premier League (but under the name of the Championship) whilst League One and Two clubs would receive only small increases, earning £325,000 and £250,000 respectively according to the BBC.
Teams from higher up the Leagues already benefit from TV Revenue
Whilst obviously most Championship clubs back the plan as the rich continue to get richer in football, the League One and Two clubs have grave concerns and rightly so but what do you as fans of Tranmere Rovers (or perhaps you're reading this and you're not a Rovers fan?).
This debate is an interesting one, and one that I'm sure will go on for sometime, until a decision is made one way or the other.
We're asking you to join in the debate as we're interested to hear what your opinions are on the issue.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
The number of footballers that start at 'lower league' clubs outnumber the players that come through the academies!
They are cutting there nose to spite their face!
This is an elitist decision made by an elitist group of greedy chairmen!
The recent proposal by the Bolton chaiman highlights this!
Two divisions of Premiership teams and no relegation to the football league! Gladly this was rejected!
When he took over the chair, Bolton were in the third tier of football!
I bet he wasn't proposing it then.
UEFA and the FA should step in and put a stop to these constant elitist proposals and protect football in all shapes professional and amateur!
The game is suffering enough!
I don't understand it though. Why should teams be given money for ultimately failing? If they can't afford these players, they should off load them, or better still not spend so much money on them in the first place. It's ridiculous. I can bet we won't get any money if we go down.
Just shows that football in this country is run by a bunch of clowns
Thats something the papers and media don't look at.
The system of how money is distributed throughout football, should be looked at again.
This should be done by an independant body,not the FA.
As with previous debates about funding, the FA have always favoured the Premier clubs especially the 'big four'
And have always been protectionest (Is that a real word?)and elitist
The lower league clubs have suffered enough and needs addressing!
It's a joke and a farce and until a football league team goes bust it will continue to go the same way.
