Do we overrate the championship?

[stan_bowles]

stan I would take a 10 pound rise. I think the 50 pound a ticket will be closer to the mark unfortunately

I can see them thinking 'they pay this much for the Championship,they will pay X amount to see Prem football'.

£55 for platinum down to £30 for bronze for example.

Especially when you look at what teams like Chelsea,Arsenal and the like get away with charging.

[qblockpete]

I find the championship the most competitive league and in comparison find the premiership quite boring. I wouldn't go out of my way to watch a so called big team at home to lowly premiership on SKY, but in this league anyone can beat anyone. Its obviously weaker with not the same calibre of players in the championship, but it is value for money and entertaining and what football is all about, very much how the old top leagues used to be.

I think the bottom 10 teams in the premiership don't have such a big gulf with the championship that they used to have, thats why you tend not to have them relegated automatically, after the first season of promotion. I think Newcastle and WBA are showing they were particularly strong last season and this season its more open. Its great the start we have had, but lets be realistic, a bad run is around the corner and that will show if we have the metal to see it through.

[BennyBoyRs]

I find the championship the most competitive league and in comparison find the premiership quite boring. I wouldn't go out of my way to watch a so called big team at home to lowly premiership on SKY, but in this league anyone can beat anyone. Its obviously weaker with not the same calibre of players in the championship, but it is value for money and entertaining and what football is all about, very much how the old top leagues used to be.

I think the bottom 10 teams in the premiership don't have such a big gulf with the championship that they used to have, thats why you tend not to have them relegated automatically, after the first season of promotion. I think Newcastle and WBA are showing they were particularly strong last season and this season its more open. Its great the start we have had, but lets be realistic, a bad run is around the corner and that will show if we have the metal to see it through.

That lowley Premiership side could be us soon.

[qblockpete]

I would go obviously, but don't see much attraction in being beat 3 or 4 away to man Utd or Arsenal, thats what I mean.

[80sCasual]

You also have to remember Premier League football looks classier because it's a completely different game, people seem to have more space in the Prem, even footballers have found it hard to change because they have got used to playing a different style, harder faster.
That's why there are many teams who gain promotion and come straight back down, they just can't adjust. It also goes the other way imo

[sirpiechucker]

Has anyone realised that only Celtic and Rangers get higher attendances than us in the SPL? Hearts and Hibs have yet to have 14,000 at any match this season. The SPL has a whole averages 3000 fewer fans per match than the Championship does. In Portugal other than the big 3 no other team averages the average Championship attendance (17,001 if you're interested). Even Juventus only averages 24,000 a match.

Anyway, I love the Championship for all of the reasons already mentioned. It's competitive, any team can beat any team and on the whole it isn't full of prima donnas. Ask any football fan what they hate about the game and they'll say it's the play acting and the arrogance of those who we are supposed to respect. I can't stand seeing the likes of Ashley Cole disrespecting the referee, or the overpaid foreigner with his hair in an alice band diving all over the place like they've just been shot by a sniper.

Of the 380 Premiership matches how many will actually be surprise results this season? 1 a week? Or maybe 1 a month? Of course you'll get the occassional 4-4 but generally it's the top clubs thumping the little clubs. Would I enjoy watching us get hammered every week? No. Would I enjoy watching us take on the big boys if I think we had a chance of success? Absolutely. It's a big if though. In this division, I can turn up, pay and more often than not walk away having watched us put up a fight and pulling off a result. Ask any Derby fan a few seasons ago or Burnley fans did they enjoy their time in the "The Greatest League on the Planet" most won't remember it fondly.

I'd love to go to Stamford Bridge or White Hart Lane and get an unexpected win but would one or two decent results make up for a thumping here, there and everywhere? Who knows? Ask me if and when we get there. Right now I'm enjoying the ride!

[W12_Ranger]

Has anyone realised that only Celtic and Rangers get higher attendances than us in the SPL? Hearts and Hibs have yet to have 14,000 at any match this season. The SPL has a whole averages 3000 fewer fans per match than the Championship does. In Portugal other than the big 3 no other team averages the average Championship attendance (17,001 if you're interested). Even Juventus only averages 24,000 a match.

Anyway, I love the Championship for all of the reasons already mentioned. It's competitive, any team can beat any team and on the whole it isn't full of prima donnas. Ask any football fan what they hate about the game and they'll say it's the play acting and the arrogance of those who we are supposed to respect. I can't stand seeing the likes of Ashley Cole disrespecting the referee, or the overpaid foreigner with his hair in an alice band diving all over the place like they've just been shot by a sniper.

Of the 380 Premiership matches how many will actually be surprise results this season? 1 a week? Or maybe 1 a month? Of course you'll get the occassional 4-4 but generally it's the top clubs thumping the little clubs. Would I enjoy watching us get hammered every week? No. Would I enjoy watching us take on the big boys if I think we had a chance of success? Absolutely. It's a big if though. In this division, I can turn up, pay and more often than not walk away having watched us put up a fight and pulling off a result. Ask any Derby fan a few seasons ago or Burnley fans did they enjoy their time in the "The Greatest League on the Planet" most won't remember it fondly.

I'd love to go to Stamford Bridge or White Hart Lane and get an unexpected win but would one or two decent results make up for a thumping here, there and everywhere? Who knows? Ask me if and when we get there. Right now I'm enjoying the ride!

Spot on SPC

[qprgary]

Although it would fill me with glee promotion will probably mean that i will not renew my ST.
Firstly the cost then there is the Sunday and Monday games which will i am afraid be too many from where i live to justify the cost.
The only way would be if i could joint own a ticket and alternate with another supporter on the games i could get to.
The championship is a far more level playing field than the prem but sadly the prem teams are only interested in financial gain and we will join that club when promoted.

[Aztattooedsean]

I am always so amazed at how much tickets cost over here in the UK on top of the membership fee it seems everyone has to pay just to hope to get tickets.

I just came from the first half of my vacation in Germany and I went to 3 Bundesliga matches and 1 Bundesliga 2 match.

Now it obviously had a lot to do with them still having standing terraces but it was only 15 Euro per match. My friend's season ticket in the famous sudtribune at Borussia Dortmund is only 187 Euros for the season.


I don't see any reason for someone to wish that QPR stayed down but it is a thing as a whole country that the UK hopefully turns around as I feel bad for you with kids as I can not see how you afford it if you go to a lot of matches per season.

[Hertford Hoop]

stan I would take a 10 pound rise. I think the 50 pound a ticket will be closer to the mark unfortunately

Would you really accept a £10 hike? I doubt it nor would many fans and nor should they. I for one would accept a very small increase otherwise we would have revolting fans

[Youvebeenrangered]

IMO Best 5 leagues in the world:

1, Premiership.
2, La Liga.
3, Seria A.
4, Bundesliga.
5, The Championship.

Player quality wise/Standerd of football, that would be my order of top 5 leagues...

The one great thing about the championship though is how open it is, on there day any team can beat anyone. The standerd is very good and imo.

The SPL makes me laugh. Awful awful league!

[W12_Ranger]

IMO Best 5 leagues in the world:

1, Premiership.
2, La Liga.
3, Seria A.
4, Bundesliga.
5, The Championship.

Player quality wise/Standerd of football, that would be my order of top 5 leagues...

The one great thing about the championship though is how open it is, on there day any team can beat anyone. The standerd is very good and imo.

The SPL makes me laugh. Awful awful league!

I'm sure the top leagues in Argentina and Brazil are pretty decent as well.

Personally I'd have the Bundesliga top of the tree followed by the La Liga, PL is very over rated IMO.

[Youvebeenrangered]

I'm sure the top leagues in Argentina and Brazil are pretty decent as well.

Personally I'd have the Bundesliga top of the tree followed by the La Liga, PL is very over rated IMO.

All the top argies and brazilian footballers have abandoned there home leagues..

Bundesliga really!?..

I cant see that but each to there own.

[stan_bowles]

All the top argies and brazilian footballers have abandoned there home leagues..

Most likely for the money gravy train in Europe than for the quality of football.

[W12_Ranger]

All the top argies and brazilian footballers have abandoned there home leagues..

Bundesliga really!?..

I cant see that but each to there own.

I'm pretty sure you can take a couple of top sides from Brazil and Argentina put them in the PL and they will more than hold their own. We are talking about 2 great footballing countries with massive populations don't be fooled by PL hype. Faurlin was a run of the mill player in the 2nd tier of Argentina and he wins the POTY in his first season for us, I don't think the gulf in standards are that different.

With regards to the Bundesliga the fan is No.1, the league has a financial morality about it we can only dream off in England and its the best supported league in the world with fantastic stadia. Germany is a great country to watch football, ask our friend who has commented on here today. I'm very envious off what they have. Just because Germany has the 4th best club sides in Europe, it means FA, it just goes to show they value their domestic game more than European glory. Which is a breath of fresh air IMO.