Written by Toronto John
The angst around the telecasting of matches made me think of something that I had not realized previously.
My Cherries journey started just about 5 years …. November 2015. It was a Saturday morning, golf season was at an end. I was channel surfing and saw a listing on TSN or Sportsnet, Premier League soccer, AFC Bournemouth. TSN/SN are sports packages which are typically included in a cable TV package here.
I was curious, knew Bournemouth had a team but wasn’t aware that they were in the Premier League. Started watching mid-way through the first half, thought “this is pretty good”. At the half, the announcers said that AFC Bournemouth was a really good story, don’t expect them to stay in the Premier League but put on a good show/play good football. Kept watching, and was floored as this first match of my Cherries “career” turned out to be the classic 3-3 v. Everton.
From that point, I was hooked, and remain so to today. But, it occurred to me ……….
If the Premier League was not on “free TV” back then, I almost certainly would never have come this way. And, even if that match had been a free “teaser” but I had to pay for ensuing matches, I still would have been unlikely to become a supporter.
Since then, we had one year of DAZN ($150 for all Premier League games) and now this AFCBLive/DAZN combo for about $400 for what looks like “most” Championship games.
Conclusion
Isn’t fate/chance a weird thing to get me to this point? Really a case of the butterfly flapping its wings.
Conclusion 2
I wonder how many other erstwhile “Torontos” will never get the opportunity to become a supporter because of the greedy Leagues/broadcasters that now dominate sports.
Your say…
Monmouthred wrote…
In a way, though we can’t have it both ways. The Premier League sell overseas rights, and the companies clearly have every right to put that in pay packages.
EFL similarly sell games albeit at much-reduced levels, and of course, this season is very different until fans can go back. – Join the conversation, click here.
