Football fans' biggest gripes include FIFA, soaring ticket prices and Super Bowl-style half-time shows, according to new research. The study of 5,000 fans found 61% believe the sport has lost its way.
Fans priced out
The research revealed much of fans' frustrations stemmed from spiralling costs, with 88% feeling like ordinary supporters are being priced out. Alongside ticket prices, this included the number of subscriptions needed to watch games, as well as the Champions League not being free-to-air.
Many also complained about the number of kits released by teams each season, while others dislike colourful football boots.
What fans would change
When asked what they would do if they were in charge of the game, many said they would enforce cheaper tickets. The next biggest priorities were scrapping VAR, making more matches free-to-air and reducing the influence bodies like FIFA have on the sport.
When it comes to VAR, just 18% said they would keep it as it is, with the biggest issues being the time it takes, the game feeling too stop-start and it creating more debate than it solves. If participants were to make changes, they would introduce greater consistency, quicker decisions and even a time limit for reviews.
Half-time shows unpopular
Respondents were also unhappy with half-time shows. Only a quarter said they enjoyed this year's World Cup Final performance. Nearly three quarters (72%) felt negatively about the idea of bringing in such shows on a more regular basis, while 31% branded it "a terrible idea".
The research was commissioned by OLBG to celebrate the launch of the Marc White Fixes Football show. The Dorking Wanderers founder and manager said: "The feeling that fans are being priced out of football really stands out from the study. Following your club has become more expensive than ever, and supporters are noticing it. Football doesn't exist without fans, so it's important the game doesn't lose sight of that."
Top 20 gripes
White added: "Fans are the lifeblood of the game, but a lot of them feel football is drifting further away from the people who made it what it is. People still love football, they just want decisions to be made with supporters at the heart of them."
The top 20 biggest football gripes are: rising ticket prices, too much focus on money, players diving/exaggerating contact, VAR, FIFA, inconsistent refereeing decisions, too much time-wasting, too much football behind paid subscriptions, too much commercialisation, Champions League not being free-to-air, Super Bowl-style half-time shows, replica shirts too expensive, too many kits released, modern "systems-ball", Premier League decision-making, UEFA, fixture congestion, lack of atmosphere, too much merchandise, and matches being too physical.
