Money-spinning and, for once, TV can't be blamed

After the gruelling Fifa tournament, marketing teams have signed top football players up for a tour of the USA as clubs want to satisfy sponsors in all parts of the globe, writes SUR columnist Rob Palmer

Rob Palmer / ESPN commentator

Malaga

Friday, 27 September 2024, 12:58

Front of house, top footballer after top footballer complain about the congested diary and exhausting schedule they're being asked to endure. In the club ... offices, executives are busily working on the tournaments and tours to pay their exorbitant wages.

The players of Real Madrid, Man City, Atlético Madrid and Chelsea have legitimate cases that they are being asked to work too hard for their pay. The owners of their clubs will counter that they need to spread the global brand if they are to maintain the exorbitant pay packets.

All of the above clubs will aim to be competing in the league until the final breath and hope to reach a European final at the season's conclusion. The players then head away on international duty and return to club colours to play in a new Fifa Club World Cup tournament in June and July.

Pep Guardiola has been the most vociferous about over-playing. Carlo Ancelotti joined his chorus. He was quoted as saying that "players and clubs won't participate in that tournament; one single Real Madrid game is worth €20 million - and Fifa want to give us that amount for the entire competition. Negative."

A few days later, the club said his words were lost in translation as he'll be leading his team to the tournament which runs from 15 June to 13 July. He'll be there with Pep and the other complaining coaches.

There has been an outpouring of sympathy for players and managers who never seem to stop working as they raise the concerns in the TV press conferences.

What they aren't highlighting is the fact that after the Fifa tournament, their marketing teams have signed them up for a money-spinning tour of the USA. "Meet the players and staff," promises the guff as Real Madrid head to Chicago, New Jersey and North Carolina, Chelsea have stopovers in New York, LA and Miami; Man City start their tour 10 days after the conclusion of the Club World Cup in the Carolinas.

I fear that the players will be grumpy and sleepy as they do a corporate "meet-and-greet".

For once, TV can't be blamed. Fifa haven't struck a deal for the tournament and appear to be organising games on the East Coast to make it more appealing.

Do the players have a case? Absolutely! They are being over-played; but the truth is that they are also being overpaid.

Maybe the future is a retainer with a "pay-as-you play" arrangement? Maybe they retire from international football to give themselves valuable rest?

Their agents will flatly refuse. They want wage guarantee and playing for the country is big for the individual brand.

The clubs will argue that they need to visit the fan bases in all parts of the globe and satisfy the sponsors, many of whom are US-based. I work for an American broadcaster and know the excitement when heroes hit their shores.

What is the solution? Don't shoot me for this... The owners would like fewer games. Scarcity means ticket prices can be raised. They also want to play in the lucrative US market, so they'd be receptive to domestic matches being played abroad.

So prepare yourself for a reduced domestic league with home games being played in New York and Chicago.

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