Representatives of QPR 1st Supporters’ Trust, the LSA, We Are the Rangers Boys and qprnet.com met with representatives of the Premier League at Loftus Road yesterday to discuss ‘The Premier League, TV and the future of football’.
The meeting took place in the wake of the biggest ever TV deal for Premier League.
The Premier League’s director of policy, Bill Bush and head of supporter services, Cathy Long wanted to know what were the issues supporters were raising. The meeting was hosted by QPR’s customer services manager Andy Rees.
Issues raised included:
Changing dates and times for games – dictated by tv companies and by Champions’ League and Europa Cup games. The problems for supporters were outlined, particularly in relation to train and, for some, airline tickets. Cathy Long said the PL was looking at negotiating a deal with a train ticket company. It was also suggested the PL could explain better the complexity of game scheduling.
Some of the new money coming into the game from the TV deal should be used to
- Freeze or reduce ticket prices
- Extend the away supporters scheme (with discussion between clubs and supporter groups on how this can best be done)
- Pay all staff and contractors the Living Wage – so lower paid people working for clubs see benefit from the TV windfall and not just highly-paid players and agents
The need for more resources for lower level football so that more local players will get into the professional game, and action to get more children into playing football
Problems of people standing at games; particularly the problems this causes for children and older people.