Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Everybody wants a piece of the TPL pie
After last season's success now everybody it seems want to jump on the Thai Premier League bandwagon. BEC Tero have of course long been involved with a Bangkok TV channel and a media group's acquisition of Muang Thong United has seen the team from the sleepy Muang Thong area of Bangkok on their way to becoming South East Asia's most glamourous football club.
Politicians are also getting involved with Chonburi and more recently PEA.
Now another media group is looking at Bangkok United. The team formerly known as Bangkok University rebranded themselves last season under the chairmanship of the Bangkok governor. The name change sets them up nicely to become the team of Bangkok should that be what people want.
My concern though is two fold.
First is motivation. Getting involved in a football club is no cheap thing and Muang Thong United are really raising the bar in this regard. Political types love to be associated with winners, they get to be photographed with peoples' heroes and bask in their reflected glory. Of course when they lose they fall off the map. For these people they see fans as vote banks and with old style patronage in politics not as reliable as before they are looking to secure people's ayes as efficiently as possible.
Companies are, hopefully, different. They want a return on their investment so they see investing in the team as important to secure that return. Like I said, hopefully.
My other concern is more practical. At the moment the pie just ain't big enough. Yes, last season champions Muang Thong United were drawing crowds of 15,000 ++ towards the end of the season. because they were winning. There is a whole generation of MTU fans who have seen their 'heroes' less than I have seen Oldham Athletic or APIA Leichhardt. Will they stick around when the going gets tough?
No one will flock to Bangkok United until they start winning things. Or look like they are going to win things. And even then is there enough interest in the capital to sustain 15,000 ++ crowds at both Muang Thong United and Bangkok United?
Thai football is riding a crest of a wave at the moment, ironically at a time when the national team, traditionally the only football team to garner any support, is struggling. Probably 2011 will see that growth continue. But expansion at breakneck pace is bound to see short cuts being taken, most especially in clubs haste to erect new stands, and one stadium disaster could see the whole deck of cards collapse.
Chonburi on the other hand have been taking a more long term view, almost Arsenal like. They were the first Thai team not just to make an impression in Asia but to try and build on that success making something more long lasting.
Politicians are also getting involved with Chonburi and more recently PEA.
Now another media group is looking at Bangkok United. The team formerly known as Bangkok University rebranded themselves last season under the chairmanship of the Bangkok governor. The name change sets them up nicely to become the team of Bangkok should that be what people want.
My concern though is two fold.
First is motivation. Getting involved in a football club is no cheap thing and Muang Thong United are really raising the bar in this regard. Political types love to be associated with winners, they get to be photographed with peoples' heroes and bask in their reflected glory. Of course when they lose they fall off the map. For these people they see fans as vote banks and with old style patronage in politics not as reliable as before they are looking to secure people's ayes as efficiently as possible.
Companies are, hopefully, different. They want a return on their investment so they see investing in the team as important to secure that return. Like I said, hopefully.
My other concern is more practical. At the moment the pie just ain't big enough. Yes, last season champions Muang Thong United were drawing crowds of 15,000 ++ towards the end of the season. because they were winning. There is a whole generation of MTU fans who have seen their 'heroes' less than I have seen Oldham Athletic or APIA Leichhardt. Will they stick around when the going gets tough?
No one will flock to Bangkok United until they start winning things. Or look like they are going to win things. And even then is there enough interest in the capital to sustain 15,000 ++ crowds at both Muang Thong United and Bangkok United?
Thai football is riding a crest of a wave at the moment, ironically at a time when the national team, traditionally the only football team to garner any support, is struggling. Probably 2011 will see that growth continue. But expansion at breakneck pace is bound to see short cuts being taken, most especially in clubs haste to erect new stands, and one stadium disaster could see the whole deck of cards collapse.
Chonburi on the other hand have been taking a more long term view, almost Arsenal like. They were the first Thai team not just to make an impression in Asia but to try and build on that success making something more long lasting.
# posted by Me @ 9:20 AM 
