Amidst the turmoil of the downturn, questions have already variously been raised about the level of player salaries, the nature of sport sponsorship deals, the level of accumulated debt in sport, the costs of taking part in events, entry prices for fans and so forth. Are we therefore in a period where sport needs to become more socially responsible? Is sport facing the need for a paradigm shift in the way it functions?
I think so - and for fans it's not just the cost of entry prices to top events; remember, we live in Rip-Off Britain. Recently I bought a ticket online for the Cheltenham Festival. Face value £35 but I'm hit with a £1.50 booking fee and £5.00 postage costs - total £41.50 - that's more than 18.5% in surcharges. At the event itself I don't get to sit down for at least six and a half hours and prices are well above the norm - Guinness £3.60 a pint (London prices), a run-of-the mill burger £7-£8. I'm badgered to buy a race card (£3) and Cheltenham radio (£7) but I resist. As if that's not enough, roughly a week before the event, Cheltenham Racecourse send out a glossy magazine free of charge (usually £4) because sales are markedly down and they're desperate to make the numbers up - the mag is one long *hard* sell. Traditionally in racing it's said the bookmakers fleece the punters but organisers risk killing the goose that lays the golden egg...
ReplyDeletePhew! Sorry about that - rant over :-)