Friday Freebie: Can You Make a Non League Difference?
Games coming up to try something new
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We all are well aware football changes constantly and doesn’t stand still. Whether than be a change of tactics, formation, or way of playing the game is very innovative.
Similarly with playing styles, management techniques, coaching methods, but it doesn’t mean everyone has to conform to the same ideology. But you will find sides trying to play the same way from the very top down to the very bottom.
Not all change within the game has been beneficial for all, those listed above are take it or leave it scenarios and the choice still in the hands of the individual.
The NFL announced today a game to be played in Spain, along with Germany’s designated home team following hot on the footsteps of the three UK games. It’s no secret they want to move their brand around the world and open up new markets for them to keep progressing.
Now you might what that has to do with a non-league blog. Nothing in the context of the same shape ball nor the money and wealth it generates to pay very healthy wages to its players.
They dwarf the Premier League despite England’s top division generating more money than any other European League. But we also know they don’t plan to stop there, the rich as in life like to get richer, and the rest get left behind.
There is no doubt they will look to follow the NFL into playing games abroad, capture the market while it’s hot and reap the rewards. It’s been muted for a few years, the infamous 39th game some while ago didn’t get off the ground.
The European Super League looks like it’s within the Champions League currently, UEFA’s way of trying to ward it off for now knowing full well the big clubs will push and push until it finally happens.
Once again though, what does it have to do with non-league football? Well, the people of course. Not only do the elite clubs seem content to price everyone but the non-atmosphere creating rich out of watching a game live in the stadium, they want more of the cake with games everywhere bar its original birthplace.
That’s not to say a full season would move but with prices already keeping many away and add in flights or other transport to get to these games and many more will miss out.
We know ourselves from speaking to people around non-league grounds that many are either finding themselves priced out or fed up with a host of other problems such as VAR and constant moving kick off times amongst them.
That’s also never likely to change and while some accept games won’t be at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon, it is still the staple for the majority. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that non-league football has also moved forward, more professional in a semi-professional environment.
I know it’s been said many times before that non-league has plenty to offer everyone. They do wonders to get more people through the door, using international weekends to entice people in and to keep them coming back.
You don’t go expecting the football to be that of the elite levels, but I expect many go away thinking more positively than when they first set foot in the stadium.
And the more each season the game at the top gives people the hump with their decisions that benefit the few instead of the many, the non-league drum still needs to be heard.
With plenty of midweek football coming up over the next few weeks thanks to the bad weather of early January there are opportunities for you yourself to grab a friend and take them along, see how good your conversation rate can get to by the end of the season.
No doubt there will be something else over the summer that chips away at the very fabric at the game, and if those people have already had a taste, your non-league club might be gaining a few more.
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