Quote:
Originally Posted by moon
I was referring to Chelsea, Man U, Arsenal and Liverpool being able to continually buy players.
You referred to teams in the NHL that dominated by drafting and trading which is a lot easier for fans of other teams to deal than the fans of other teams in the EPL that know even with good player development they might have one year to compete before those same players are going to one of the top clubs.
That is why fans in NA were able to deal with their domination over what occurs in the EPL.
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It's a completely different situation in football though, and something that fans have been brought up with. I was used to transfers for money and was surprised to find that it was all about trades and drafts here. That was a completely foreign concept to me all those years ago. Fans of those 'other' teams understand the situation and will deal with it as it is all about supporting their team. A Middlesbrough fan realistically knows that they will not be winning the Premier this season. However, they still have the chance of cup glory and beating the likes of rivals, Newcastle, and any of the elite 4, and not being relegated. That is huge for them. It does not detract from their support of the team, it enhances it. Some people like supporting the underdog or 'little' club.
Personally I lived in an area where I could support and attend two different teams at entirely different levels. It was great. I've supported both Tranmere Rovers and Liverpool for over 30 years. Tranmere used to be in the old 4th division so it was all about fighting relegation and gaining promotion, along with cup battles against the big teams. Liverpool, of course, are on a completely different level. They've always won things and I've followed them in Europe on numerous occasions. I enjoy supporting both teams equally, just for very different reasons. Sure, Tranmere lost good players like Jason Koumas and, Canadian, Iain Hume to bigger clubs but that revenue is a godsend to a club like the Rovers. The fans really do support the jersey and club. Players will come and go but the club remains the same. I've seen Tranmere make the league cup final and considered it a bigger triumph then some of Liverpool's. I supported the team in the Layland Daf cup at the old Wembley stadium and celebrated as much for that win as I did when Liverpool won the European Cup against Real Madrid in 1981. In a sense Tranmere's seemed like a bigger victory given their limited budget and status.
Fans of smaller teams relish supporting them. It's a part of their culture and life. It's who they are. They are not jealous of the elite clubs. They hate them of course and want them to fail but that is a completely different thing. Also, the past has shown that not all the big spending teams always have success. The Mancs spent like crazy for years and years but still went 26 years between titles.
It is different to North American sports and I understand why it may be hard to grasp or understand; just as drafts and trades are a different concept for most football fans.