money in football essay

By David Lue, Sabreena Merchant, Jeffrey Nash, and Ethan Settel

Money, it’s a gas Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash New car, caviar, four star daydream Think I’ll buy me a football team -Pink Floyd

It’s everywhere in the sport, whether you like it or not. It’s on the jersey, in the stadium, in the heads of the players, and in the hands of the owners. If football is a religion, then to many, money is god. Each week, millions of dollars change hands between clubs and players, fans and ticket offices, and sponsors and clubs. Professional football does indeed live up to the capitalist ideal; that if there is money to be made, someone will find a way to make it. While money is involved in almost every aspect of the game, there are a few specific areas where the influence is especially strong: In stadium naming rights, jersey sponsorship deals, and player transfer fees and sponsorships.

“It is the world’s most watched league and the most lucrative – attracting the top players from all over the globe” [1]

It probably makes the most sense to start any conversation about money in football with the league that makes more money than any other. On February 20, 1992, English Football League’s first division clubs resigned, and in May of that same year, formed the Premier League. The main motivation behind the merger was to take advantage of the lucrative television deals promised by Sky TV. In 1992, Sky TV paid £191 million for 5 years of Premier League television rights and in 2007, Sky and Setanta paid £1.7 billion for 5 years of rights. [2]  But the television deals were just the start; in 2001 Barclaycard paid £48 million for naming rights of the league, and in 2007 they renewed the deal for £65.8 million. In short, the clubs’ decision to form their own league paid huge dividends.

The path to the Premier League began years earlier, starting at the end of amateur football and the beginning of professionalism. The maximum wage was abolished in 1961 and in 1963 the transfer system became far more lenient [3] . As the player movement and wages became more and more flexible, English Football became more and more of a free market and basic capitalist principles took over. Football was changing, and there was money to be made.

Stadium Naming Rights

Historically, stadia in England were named after the neighborhood in which they were constructed. Old Trafford, White Hart Lane, Stamford Bridge, etc. do not have a corporate moniker attached to them. As money became more and more a part of the Premier League, however, stadium naming rights became one avenue through which clubs could amass even greater fortunes.

In 2004, Arsenal signed a deal with Emirates Airline to name their new stadium at Ashburton Grove the Emirates Stadium. Emirates paid the club £100 million for 15 years of naming rights on the stadium and 8 years on the jersey. Arsenal, of course, was thrilled with the deal, claiming that “the combined value of both elements of the sponsorship is by far the biggest deal ever undertaken in English football.” [4]  The club’s former chairman, Peter Hill-Wood, was more skeptical, admitting that he may have preferred to name the stadium after an Arsenal legend “but things have changed in football and this is a wonderful offer we have received – the biggest ever in English football. We must move on.” [5]  In other words, Hill-Wood had no issues funding one of the most modern stadiums of all time with bags and bags of oil money.

Things had definitely changed in football, Clubs were modern corporations, and their stadiums were their headquarters, the commercial face of their business. James Walvin writes in his book:

“The major English clubs transformed themselves in the 1990s, developing a host of facilities never before seen at football grounds; restaurants, museums, supermarkets – even hotels – all clung to the stadiums like lucrative barnacles…  Football had become an alien land for its own supporters. For those with money invested in the major football clubs, however, 1990s England proved to be a land of plenty.” [6]

Television provided great exposure for any business that didn’t mind spending a few million pounds to get their name out. Millions of people watch football every Saturday and Sunday, and every single one of them is a potential customer. All modern American sports, with the exception of the Masters, gain exorbitant amounts of money for advertising time during the multitude of television time outs during a game. Advertising prices for the Super Bowl this year on NBC were $3 million for 30 seconds of air time. [7]  In football, there are few chances for advertisers to place TV commercials (only half time provides a chance for actual in-game commercials). Because of the continuous flow of football, business found an even more effective place to advertise, the player’s chest.

Jersey Sponsorships

“Today, every soccer player is a playing advertisement.” [8]  -Eduardo Galeano

Perhaps the most prominent form of advertising in football is the name on the front of a football jersey. Carlsberg, Fly Emirates, AIG, Samsung; these companies have all lent their names to some of the biggest clubs in the Premier league, and for many fans, naming the sponsor on the front of the shirt is easier than naming the starting 11. Fans who buy jerseys not only support their team, they are helping to advertise the company on the shirt. In most cases, the sponsor’s name is far bigger than the club’s name on the shirt, in fact “many young fans identify ‘authentic’ club shirts by the correct sponsors’ name” even more than the team itself. [9]  But what the sponsor’s name on the shirt does best is to provide the company with advertisement whenever a player takes the pitch. The millions of fans who watched Arsenal play Manchester United in last years Champions League (sorry, Heineken Champions League) semifinal spent ninety minutes staring at AIG and Fly Emirates. “In 1996-1997 Manchester United earned almost as much from merchandising as from gate receipts. Their teams could play in an empty stadium, and the club would  still  make millions of pounds’ profit.” [10]

Clubs stand to make millions of pounds each year from jersey deals alone. With so much money to be made, it seems hard to believe that any club could resist the allure of putting a name on the front of the jersey. This seems slightly strange to most Americans, as none of the major professional leagues have sponsors on their jerseys (except of course for the maker of the jersey). Notre Dame football is especially well known for not even putting the name of the player on the back of their jersey, citing the importance and history of the team over the individual. Barcelona FC has historically taken a similar stance by refusing to put a corporate sponsor on its jersey. Barça has in fact taken an even higher road, in the past by donating the front of their shirt to UNICEF in a deal that paid the United Nations’ charity over one million pounds each year, and now by providing a space for the Qatar Foundation, which devotes its time and money to improving education, science and research, and community building. [11]  Although both are seemingly charitable organizations, Barcelona will receive $232 million over the course of five years from the Qatar Foundation. Formerly, Barcelona could have claimed a higher moral standing by refusing to cave into the money conscious nature of contemporary soccer during their stretch of championing UNICEF on the front of their jerseys. Today, however, in a global football atmosphere where each team tries to make as much money as possible, moral standing does not retain the gravity of the almighty dollar.

Transfers and Individual Sponsorships

In June of this year, Real Madrid, already famous for spending £45 million 8 years earlier on Zinedine Zidane in a record breaking transfer free, broke their own record by purchasing Brazilian Kaka from AC Milan for £56.1 million. [12]  Not to be outdone… by themselves, Real Madrid then purchased Portuguese phenom Crisitano Ronaldo from equally spend-happy Manchester United for £80 million. [13]  This is quite an impressive leap from the first three-digit transfer fee in 1893, when Scottish forward Willie Groves moved from West Bromwich Albion to Aston Villa for £100. This type of money just goes to show how much football has changed since its early days. Many players have gained super-celebrity status and their playing ability is not the only asset they have to offer a team. Some players are so famous, and so recognizable, that just their presence on a team is enough to attract fans to the stadium and earn money for the team. For example, when in 1975 the world famous Pele joined the New York Cosmos of the now disbanded North American Soccer League, the team felt an immediate change: “The impact of Pele’s signing was seismic. Before, they had given away tickets with Burger King vouchers and bumper stickers. Now, they had to lock the gates when the ground reached its 22,500 capacity.” [14]

Pele singlehandedly turned around a struggling franchise in a market that was thought to be uninterested. David Beckham performed a similar feat 30 years later when he joined the Los Angeles Galaxy of the MLS. [15]  Beckham did for the Galaxy what Pele did for the Cosmos, and when he finally made his debut, he did so in a sold out stadium [16] . While Pele was known for his outstanding skill, possibly the best ever, Beckham was known almost more for his looks.

Beckham isn’t the first example of a football player to gain widespread fame off the pitch, and he definitely won’t be the last. What makes Beckham special is the widespread media coverage and mania over his arrival in the United States. Posh, Spice Girls phenom, and Becks were celebrities in a town full of them. Billboards of Beckham clad in Armani underwear sprung up around LA, TV cameras followed him around and the public ate it up. What Beckham provided the Galaxy was a guaranteed stream of revenue. Fans wanted to see him play, buy his jersey, and they would pay top dollar to do so. Sponsors recognized the increased audience and saw an opportunity. When Beckham joined AC Milan on loan in 2008, Milan owner and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi seized the opportunity and placed similar billboards around Milan [17] . Superstars like Beckham earn more money than the rest not just because they play better, but because they generate revenue just by being on the field.

While money does play quite a large role in football, in the end, the game itself is still at the forefront of the sport. Many of the teams could very well play to an empty stadium and still make money, there indeed is a reason football is so profitable. The beauty of the game itself and the way it captivates an audience is what makes it so special. Without the game, there would be no money to be made. While Real Madrid paid over £200 million for their ‘Galacticos’, they did play wonderful football, and fans tuned in. The fact of the matter is, fans can stomach the massive amounts of money spent and earned in the sport when they witness the results. The Premier League is host to some of the greatest teams in the world and the football it entails is arguably the most entertaining. While owners invest in clubs as a business, it is hard to believe that they too are not captivated by the play they witness every week. Money may be the god to football’s religion, but the fans are the followers, and if there is no faith in the game, than there is no money to be made. Thus in the end, the game itself is all that really matters.

[1]  http://www.premierleague.com/page/History/0,,12306,00.html

[2]  http://www.premierleague.com/page/History/0,,12306,00.html

[3]  Walvin, James.   The Only Game: Football in Our Times . (London: Longman, 2001), 119, 135

[4]  http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/3715678.stm

[5]  http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/3715678.stm

[6]  Walvin,  The Only Game , 201

[7]  http://www.mediabuyerplanner.com/entry/34367/nbc-pops-super-bowl-ad-price-10-to-3-million/

[8]  Galeano, Eduardo.  Soccer in Sun and Shadow . (New York: Verso, 1998), 95

[9]  http://www.footballshirtculture.com/2006082443/sponsorship/football-shirt-sponsorship.html

[10]  Walvin,  The Only Game , 207

[11]  http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2006/sep/13/barcelona

[12]  http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=653569&cc=5901

[13] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/5503288/Manchester-United-accept-80m-bid-for-Cristiano-Ronaldo-from-Real-Madrid.html

[14]  http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2005/jun/10/sport.comment

[15]  http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/6248835.stm

[16]  http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/6910451.stm

[17]  http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/dec/19/david-beckham-silvio-berlusconi-milan-la-galaxy

32 thoughts on “ The Money ”

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There is so much money in fooball today it’s a bit to far. I had the joy of talking to a certain striker, he played for Chelsea in the 80’s.

I love Liverpool football academy and would love to attend the academy but..!!!

Staggering how much money is floating around in football. The wage bills http://betfc.co.uk/leagues/premier-league/ show just how much is being spent on the the top players every single day

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Great post. It`s sad to see that even stadium names have been sold to big companies, but still, FIFA or UEFA think this is fine.

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The amount of money involved in this beautiful game is reaching new heights every season with millions of pounds flowing between clubs.

my name is dieu merci kapongo i want play football please brother i’m fast brother my old i ‘m 17 please i’m hangry

I’m Mr Devitt and I’m a scout at Leeds United. We’re looking for a pacey number 9 and you fit the bill. Come to Elland Road on Saturday at 9am and we’ll have a look at you.

Los Galacticos jajaja #halaMadrid

Even though he made good money in his day it was nothing compared to todays wages. I got the impression that he felt a bit hard done by. I dont blame him the footballers of old usually had a day job as well. These men are now gods on £100k pre week plus.

One thing I found interesting and learned in class today was that Messi makes more money from advertising than he does from actually playing soccer. This is a super important fact to keep in mind when looking at money in Europe as he plays for the Spanish Club of Barcelona. I also think the idea of stadium naming rights is interesting, especially how it turned into a strategy for clubs to be able to obtain more revenue. At the end of the day, money really is power and with soccer being so captivating, especially in Europe is is no shock that there is much money to be given and obtained through the soccer industry.

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great site man..you provide the informative knowledge about the soccer.i am very much glad to visit this site.its very much informative site.thanks fore sharing it.

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I hope in this modern football world, the financial fairplay rule will be the solution to make it a better competition. The more I see, the more I realize that money can buy any player in the world, so the big team is getting bigger, while the competition will be ruled by few teams only.. That’s not fun, right?

You are right! Soccer was a poor’s sport. Now it is a way that some poors can because rich! It destroyed honorship and patriotism. And it is slowly becoming an elite’s sport… This is exactly what happenned to hockey too! Money is polluting arts and sports and I think this is sad for our humanity…. :'(

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There is so much money in fooball today it’s a bit to far. I had the joy of talking to a certain striker, he played for Chelsea in the 80’s. Even though he made good money in his day it was nothing compared to todays wages. I got the impression that he felt a bit hard done by. I dont blame him the footballers of old usually had a day job as well. These men are now gods on £100k pre week plus.

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Money, money, money: is that what’s causing all that ails sport?

Professor, Human Factors, University of the Sunshine Coast

Disclosure statement

Paul Salmon receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

University of the Sunshine Coast provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU.

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Elite sport appears to be broken. Scandals covering a wide range of untoward behaviours continue to be uncovered. In recent years these have included the FIFA corruption affair , widespread doping in cycling and athletics, match-fixing in football and cricket, and the NFL’s Deflategate .

What is perhaps most telling about the state of elite sport is that the untoward behaviours are not limited to athletes alone. Rather, there are allegations of corruption throughout sports systems – including entire teams, coaches, management, doctors, sponsors, governing bodies and even governments.

When systems fail in other areas, such as the safety-critical domains, we look at the entire system for contributory factors. A key component of understanding how systems drift into failure is to identify who is in the system, what they do, and how decisions and actions interact with one another. This gives us a picture of how adverse events are created.

More often than not multiple people and organisations are involved, and there are powerful levers at the higher levels of the system. Two such intertwined drivers of behaviour are financial and production pressures: the need to make a profit and the need to produce better outputs, more of them, and at a faster pace.

Financial pressures

Financial and production pressures play a key role in the problems ailing sport. Worryingly, when they are prominent, it seems that inappropriate behaviour from athletes, teams and coaches at the lower levels is not only enabled and tolerated but in extreme cases is actively supported.

It is clear, for example, that issues such as doping are driven by far more than just athletes’ desire to win. The corporatisation of sport and financial interests of a diverse set of organisations means that winning is big business – for many. In elite cycling, for example, the financial rewards associated with victory were so powerful that a win-at-all-costs attitude was adopted – nothing was off the table in terms of achieving an edge.

Many within the system accepted doping as normal practice and a requirement to be able to merely compete, let alone be victorious. It is alleged that those complicit included , for a period, the majority of competitors, soigneurs, doctors, therapists, coaches, team managers, directors and even sponsors. At the higher levels of the system, it is alleged that governing bodies were aware and even took measures to evade the issue.

The financial rewards for all in the system were too great to rock the boat – the network of people and organisations was tightly bound together by financial incentive. Financial gain likely lies at the heart of most of the sporting scandals in recent history.

Putting on a show

Intertwined with this is the need to create bigger and better sporting spectacles. Contests have to be bigger, better, faster and more entertaining. Tumbling records and seemingly inhuman feats create spiralling financial rewards for everybody involved. Just as winning is big business, sporting spectacles and heroes are too.

This form of production pressure is undoubtedly prevalent at the higher levels of sports systems, where governments and governing bodies will go to great lengths to enhance the spectacle and fan base in pursuit of greater financial rewards.

Similarly, sponsors are driven by the financial rewards associated with greater exposure. This creates a powerful incentive to turn a blind eye to untoward behaviours when the peloton is reaching greater speeds, when athletes are smashing records, or when the global audience reaches billions.

In cycling, the cancer survivor returning to dominate its biggest event attracted a completely new audience. It was too good a sporting story for all involved to actively shut it down.

What can be done?

The fix lies in the same theories that tell us how systems fail in the first place – fundamental change is required, rather than component fixes.

Improving drug controls might stop one drug, but driven by the same financial and production pressures, another new and undetectable drug will emerge. Allowing the use of performance-enhancing drugs to create a more level playing field won’t work either. The financial rewards are so powerful that the playing field will simply never be level – those with more financial power and a need for bigger returns will find better ways of enhancement.

In cases of corruption, removing corrupt governing body officials may work for a while, but eventually the massive financial incentives will create new corruption, either at the same level or elsewhere in the system. With component fixes, sports systems will be able to adapt, driven again by the same pressures.

So what might fundamental change in sport look like? The reason that fundamental change is not often forthcoming is because it is tough to conceive and implement.

As a starting point, perhaps the very nature of sporting systems and contests needs to be examined. What, we could ask, is the purpose of elite sports? How has this drifted to where we are now?

Certainly the big business aspect should be scrutinised. Are the financial incentives appropriate and, more to the point, are the financial rewards distributed appropriately? Are they fed into sports at grassroots level, for example?

Removing or capping the financial incentives for all involved would provide a significant shift in how elite sports systems operate. In a post-confession meeting between Lance Armstrong and Christophe Bassons (the cyclist effectively outcast by cycling for his anti-doping stance), Armstrong told how his decision to start doping was driven by managers’ threats to oust him following poor performances.

Driven by financial interests, the same threats are no doubt offered across most elite sports. Without such powerful financial drivers, discussions may be less about ending an athlete’s career and more about getting the athlete to where they want to be through training regimes and coaching. The incentive may shift back to what it should be – for the love of sport and the contest, not for the love of money.

• Lance Armstrong
• Drugs in sport
• Deflategate
• 2015 FIFA arrests

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Relation Between Money and Football Research Paper

With the increasing popularity of football as a game, the business aspects of the game have also undergone many changes. Today, the game is dictated by economic compulsions, and money is a dominant factor that has affected the conduct of players and their recruitment. It is only obvious that a game where so much money is involved will also have to bear the brunt of the adverse effects of money affecting game policies and conduct. Further, as most critics opine, money has also destroyed the genuine interest in the game, and players have become mere celebrities in search of money.

The conduct of the game has become much more complex these days, and recruitment processes have been witnessing a sea change in attitude. The most visible effect of money power in the game is how it affects the recruitment processes of the game. In the English league, clubs have been spending millions to sign up a player in the hope that the player will turn the fortunes of the company for the good. This has, in turn, given to many controversies and genuine doubt as to whether so much money that is flowing in the recruitment process is doing any good for the game. The need to know whether recruiting international players after spending so much money assumes importance because of the sheer amount of money that is involved in the game.

Recent newspapers have carried reports of how clubs are spending millions to attract talent into their folds. Often clubs compete among themselves to sign up a player, which in turn gives rise to a price war for a player. For example, It has been reported that West Ham United had spent GBP17 million to win England striker Darren. The club considered the catch as a big one considering the fact that Darren was also being eyed by Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. It must be noted that in the last season, he was injured and only scored 12 league goals for Charlton. Here it may be seen that the mere celebrity status of a star is being used as the basis for spending huge amounts of money. Similarly, the spendthrift ways of Chelsea are well known. Rumors say that the club has recently signed up players for as much as GBP120,000 as a week. [Beckham Ends Reign in Spain with La Liga Title, 2007]

The involvement of huge sums of money in the game is a direct consequence of the popularity that the game has achieved in recent years. Clubs have been gaining a lot from sharing income from broadcasting rights, and this income has been driving their profits and policies. For example, research shows that the winners of the premiership title will receive GBP50 million in the 2007-08 season. This is a huge increase compared to the GBP30.4 million that was paid to Chelsea in 2005-06. Even smaller clubs will receive GBP10 million more than the GBP17 million that Sunderland received last season [Eason, 2007].

The income generated by the clubs has been increasing. Research shows that general income has increased among clubs in the UK. For example, according to Deloitte and Touche, in the 1999-2000 season, the 92 league clubs of England and Wales generated more than one billion pounds of income, which was an increase of 13% compared to the previous season. The trend had been set at that time, and the incomes of clubs have been steadily increasing thence.

Evidence suggests that those clubs that spend more also get the best talent. It is a common observation that top paying clubs often end up in the top spots of ranking. While this is true of bigger clubs and leagues, the cases of smaller clubs and leagues are different. Here more than money, it is the involvement of coaches and team members that matter. Research shows that in the FA Premier League in 1999/2000, three clubs paid more than GBP40m in wages, and they were Chelsea, Manchester United, and Liverpool. It is generally believed that money has an effect on improving the competitiveness of clubs. Statistics show that spending on transfers within English football has increased by more than 50% over the last five years, mostly because of non-English transfers. [John Williams & Sam Neatrour, 2002]. This shows that clubs are willing to import players at a higher cost to win. Winning has become so much important these days and make or mar the prospects of clubs.

However, there are, of course, exceptions. Statistics also show that there could be a correlation between lowering costs and success. For example, Chelsea’s summer spending was going down from GBP110 million in 2003 to GBP91 million and GBP53 million before rising again to GBP66 million in 2006. However, Manchester United’s costs have been consistently increasing from GBP25m in the 2004-05 period to GBP55 million in the 2007-08 period. However, when we consider the total wins of both the clubs, it may be seen that Manchester United Won 1 premiership 1 and 1 Carling Cup during this period. However, Chelsea Won 2 premierships, 1 FA Cup, and 2 Carling Cups. [Mourinho: Roman can keep his money, Chelsea are no spent force, 2007]

It may also be argued that clubs that spend huge sums of money will not always see success. This is because there are many reasons that a player will not be able to maintain consistent levels of play. For example, Chelsea had to incur a huge loss 12 months ago because of the underperformance of Michael Ballack, who was signed on a free transfer but was paid GBP130,000 a week. Similarly, Andriy Shevchenko, who cost GBP30 million from AC Milan, did not perform well for the team. Chelsea has since then learned reason and has cut its spending spree in order to control costs and boost performance.

Research also shows that the movement of a huge amount of money is not beneficial to the development of the game. Previously, players who had signed up with a club could not leave the club and were under its ruling regarding transfers. This meant that players had to have the approval of a club if they wanted to move from one club to another. This also meant that clubs negotiated the deals for a player and got a share of the fees that it negotiated for the player. With the Bosman ruling coming into effect, players are in a position to keep their wages, and their relation with the club has become more professional than obligatory. While on the positive side, this allows the player to dictate his own terms in business, the flip side is that the club will not receive any money. If, in the previous case, the money would have been used to train younger players, now it means that such money is simply not available. Another drawback of the new system is that players will be hired on a long contract, and if they grow to be promising players, they can be deployed by the clubs in other clubs. In an overall scene, this is bad for the game because it will lead to an uncontrolled flow of money and will lead to players being considered as mere generators of money [James Lowrey, Sam Neatrour and John Williams, 2002].

The influence of money in English football is significant. Research has shown that there is a direct correlation between money spent and success in football.

Works Cited

• Beckham Ends Reign in Spain With La Liga Title. About.com: World Soccer. 2007. Web.
• Lowrey, James., Neatrour, Sam., and Williams, John. The Bosman Ruling, Football Transfers and Foreign Footballers. Centre for the Sociology of Sport. 2002
• Eason, Kevin. Why English elite should soon be right on the money. Times Online. 2007. Web.
• Mourinho: Roman can keep his money, Chelsea are no spent force. Times Online. Web.
• Williams, John., and Neatrour, Sam. Fact Sheet 10: The ‘New’ Football Economics. Sir Norman Chester Centre for Football Research. University Leicester. 2002. Web.
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Opinion: Is money ruining football? It depends

By Iwan Hopkins

Article Summary

Another week, another scandal in Premier League football. Though most controversy this year has revolved around the hotly contested VAR, this time it’s a financial matter.

Manchester City have lost an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport over a UEFA investigation into a potential breach of Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.

The investigation was launched after the German newspaper Der Spiegel  leaked a number of documents alleging that City had misled UEFA to make it seem as though they were complying with FFP rules.

They were previously fined £49m in 2014, for a similar breach in the rules. However, this time could be much more severe, with many newspapers reporting about a potential Champions League ban .

While that seems like quite a severe punishment, however, it is worth noting that City did not really feel the effect of those missing millions, with it proving to be a mere drop in the ocean. The mancunian side have since gone on to splash the cash following the arrival of Spanish coach Pep Guardiola.

Since 2008, eight clubs have spent over £1 billion on transfers, and half of them are English. Considering the fate suffered by Bury  at the beginning of the season, a club that needed £2.7m to survive, the disparity is massive.

It is not just the Premier League sides that are flexing their financial muscles. Salford City (owned by Peter Lim and United’s famous ‘Class of ‘92’) have financial clout which is clear for all to see. Their record signing, Adam Rooney, sent a sign of intent to the other non-league clubs of the time. The Scotsman decided to leave Aberdeen, and European football, behind, for a pay rise at a team who were yet to break into the football leagues at the time.

So, after all these negatives, how can the ridiculous amounts of money be justified?

Simple, really. Just observing the quality of football on display shows why these guys get paid the big bucks.

Last year was the first year that four teams from the same nation made it to the two major European finals. Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Arsenal are no strangers to spending big money, and it paid off mightily for them.

The story is similar when looking at Salford City. Before 2014, they had 35 season ticket holders and were hardly a household name. Now, they’ve seen promotion after promotion and finally found their way to the football league.

So yes, of course, the amount of money in football is obscene. Of course, it is a massive negative for small clubs with ambitious owners, like Bury. However, if you support a club that gets lucky and sees investment, the possibilities are endless.

• Salford City

Iwan Hopkins

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — American Football — The Influence of Money on Professional Sports Loyalty

The Influence of Money on Professional Sports Loyalty

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Words: 507 |

Published: Dec 12, 2018

Words: 507 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Works Cited:

• Ashford, D. (2007). Henry Moore: Art and Life. Yale University Press.
• Carey, F. (1988). Henry Moore. Tate Gallery Publishing.
• Moore, H. (1988). A Shelter Sketchbook. Lund Humphries Publishers Ltd.
• Newton, E. (1945). Henry Moore: Sculpture and Drawings 1921-1948. Thames and Hudson.
• Penrose, R., & Golding, J. (1981). Picasso: Sculptor/Painter. Museum of Modern Art.
• Phaidon. (2013). 10 Works of Art That Capture the Spirit of London. Phaidon Press.
• Picasso, P. (1960). Bullfight Scene. Ink on paper, 480 x 623 mm. Museu Picasso.
• Tate. (2004). Henry Moore: Woman Seated in the Underground. Tate Britain. Retrieved from https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/moore-woman-seated-in-the-underground-t03139
• Tate. (n.d.). Henry Moore 1898-1986. Tate Britain. Retrieved from https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/henry-moore-349
• Wood, P. (1999). The Challenge of the Avant-Garde. Yale University Press.

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Why are football players paid so much?

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What is supply and demand?

Supply and demand is a bit like an economist’s version of the law of gravity. It decides how much everything costs: a cup of coffee, a house and even your salary. In this case, supply is the number of players talented enough to play in the top leagues such as the Premier League. Demand is the number of teams who want to buy the players.

But why is Messi so well paid?

While there are plenty of football players, talents such as Messi are in short supply. In fact, only 180 of the 1.5 million players in organised English youth football will make it as Premier League pros.

The demand for talented football players is high as they increase the team’s chances of winning titles. Successful teams make more money from broadcasting rights, merchandise and ticket sales. Clubs have to compete for the best players by offering the highest wages. If a particular club was to offer lower wages, other clubs would simply outbid them.

Playing in the lower leagues pays less because there’s a higher supply of footballers. Demand for such players is also lower as they bring in less revenue for the club.

In 2014–15, the average League 1 player was paid just below £70,000 compared with an average wage of £1.7 million for a Premier League player.

Bank of England's explainer on why footballers are paid so much?

Why have footballers’ wages increased so much?

Players are being paid increasingly high wages because the clubs are making more money than ever. As a result of globalisation and technological advances such as the pay TV market, football has become more popular and so more profitable. The rights for the first seasons of the Premier League in 1992–97 sold for less than £200 million. The TV rights for 2016–19 are, in comparison, worth more than £5 billion.

If people lost interest in football, clubs would not be able to make such high profits. The demand for players would drop and so would their wages.

How does this apply to the rest of the economy?

Supply and demand affect all of our salaries. For some jobs, many people have the right skills, and so companies don’t need to compete for workers. They can hire people without offering high wages.

A job will also be low-paid if the role does not earn much money for the firm, making a higher wage unprofitable.

For other jobs, finding suitable people is hard. Employers have to compete for the best workers. As with professional footballers, they are willing to pay a lot if the job allows the company to make more money.

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• What is money?
• How has money changed over time?

1. When will we get back to low inflation?

2. why are interest rates high and when might they fall, 3. what are interest rates, 4. what is legal tender, learn about the economy, inflation and interest rates, money, payments and spending, banks, borrowing and saving.

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Improving NIL: College Football Depends on It

By George Clessuras

Published: October 04, 2023

In the 2021 fiscal year, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) generated $1.16 billion in revenue, a figure that pleased athletic directors yet angered many student-athletes, who, until very recently, were not able to monetize their labor and enjoy the benefits of such growth. The popularization of the industry, the multi-million dollar salaries earned by high-profile coaches, and the sold-out stadiums attracting audiences of over one-hundred thousand spectators, caused a public outcry for the athletes themselves to earn a share of these profits. In 2021, the Supreme Court issued the monumental NCAA vs Alston ruling, one that allowed collegiate athletes to earn money from their name, image and likeness (NIL). While empowering athletes to profit from the industry that depends on them is progress, the lack of regulations surrounding NIL is causing a seismic shift in the landscape of collegiate athletics. The implications of NIL reach far beyond the behemoth that is college football, but investigating NIL’s impacts on the NCAA and all of its twenty-four sports is perhaps too broad a scope for my research. Instead, this research will focus on the new benefits and challenges facing college football players, paying close attention to why these discussions remain relevant to fans, university alumni, other NCAA sports, and non-student athletes.

College football rakes in an average of $31.9 million per university annually. Basketball is the distant second, earning $8.1 million per school (Malone). One cannot ignore the simple reality when it comes to American collegiate sports: football rules. With the financial stakes as high as they are, athletic directors, school officials, and passionate fans are eager to improve their team and maximize their returns. Wealthy alumni and football fanatics, also known as “boosters,” have quickly responded to the Alston ruling, funneling donations through NIL and creating a multi-million dollar market for sixteen-year old quarterbacks. These transactions have the potential to severely tilt the balance of college football firmly in favor of the wealthy programs with well-funded collectives. Most troublesome, however, is how the increased pressure to perform and ink endorsement deals will result in an era where student-athletes are reduced to mere athletes. Athletes who, like professionals, are incentivized only to make decisions that maximize profits and who must not only please their team but also corporations who invest in their performance. While many argue that it is not the NCAA’s responsibility to promote financial equity in collegiate sports or to protect athletes from crushing expectations, I would point to the fact that the NCAA was born in the early twentieth century out of an urgent need to protect football players. Let me be clear: protecting football players today certainly does not mean reverting to the pre- Alston era, one in which athletes were exploited for their labor. College athletes should be able to enjoy access to every opportunity afforded to regular students, such as the ability to accept internships or off-campus jobs, opportunities that were unethically and illegally withheld from them for decades. The NCAA must, however, establish regulations to support a more equitable, more sustainable, and more practical name, image, and likeness framework. If they fail to, the product of college football will be less attractive to fans, and the collegiate experience will be less rewarding for the athletes themselves. When business, athletics, and education all collide, there must be rules.

The NCAA mandates that all participants must maintain their status as an “amateur” athlete in order to compete. Current NCAA bylaws assert that “student-athletes shall be amateurs…and their participation should be motivated primarily by education and by the physical, mental and social benefits to be derived. Student participation in intercollegiate athletics is an avocation, and student-athletes should be protected from exploitation ....” It is paternalistic and naïve for the NCAA to assert that their athletes should be motivated primarily by forms of non-monetary compensation such as “mental and social benefits.” High-level football players are aware of the hundreds of thousands of dollars that await them in professional leagues if they perform well, and many of these young athletes who come from underprivileged backgrounds understand the pressure of earning a National Football League (NFL) contract in order to support their families. Furthermore, in an era where the line between “professional” and “amateur” is increasingly blurry, what does the term “amateur” mean in the first place?

The NCAA outlined firm boundaries on amateurism before relaxing their NIL guidelines, prohibiting students from (1) accepting payment of any kind for participation in collegiate athletics, (2) playing on professional (as compared with amateur) sports teams, and (3) signing a contract to be represented by an agent. Perhaps a brief history of the evolution of college football will offer useful context to how the NCAA achieved its tax-exempt status and why, for so long, it was prohibited for athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness.

The NCAA was formed in 1906 to organize college football and legitimize it as a safe sport for student-athletes. In the early days of college football, serious injuries and even fatalities were not uncommon. In 1905, over eighteen deaths occurred in intercollegiate football competitions (Smith 12). The NCAA, originally the “Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States,” established a uniform rules system and governing board to improve player safety. It was this uniquely American game and a desire to make it safe that gave rise to the NCAA. As televisions, radios, and higher education became more accessible following World War II, trends that inspired a boom in the popularity of collegiate athletics, the NCAA expanded its governance across sports other than football, and regulated both the rules on and off of the playing fields. A handful of gambling and recruitment scandals prompted the enactment of the “Sanity Code” in 1948, which was created to “alleviate the proliferation of exploitative practices in the recruitment of student-athletes” (Smith 14). The NCAA signed its first television contract worth over one million dollars in 1952, and as public interest in collegiate athletics continued to soar, so too did the NCAA’s regulatory power. It strictly enforced rules and possessed the enforcement capacity to swiftly punish any players, coaches, and school officials who violated them. In 1978, the United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations convened to address allegations that the NCAA was inconsistently and unfairly enforcing its rules. Prominent law, religion, and sport scholar Rodney K. Smith identifies the two main reasons the NCAA faced public scrutiny in this time period: “On the one hand, it was criticized for responding inadequately to the increased commercialization of intercollegiate athletics, with all its attendant excesses; while on the other hand, it was criticized for unfairly exercising its regulatory authority.” The draconian enforcement of certain rules, the double-standards in others, and the increased popularity which resulted in legal challenges and more complex nuance to the NCAA’s regulatory authority brought the organization’s credibility into question.

Throughout this sustained boom of commercialization and beyond, the NCAA has always found refuge in its status as a “charitable organization” because its primary objective is “fostering…amateur athletics.” In the Pittsburgh Tax Review Journal , Brian Bunner explains that while charitable organizations are subject to federal income taxes for unrelated business income (UBIT), “certain items may be specifically excluded from UBIT” in the context of the NCAA, including “‘reasonable’ salaries for coaches.” The discourse surrounding prominent football coaches’ paychecks was and remains a major point of contention surrounding the college football industry. In August of 2022, University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban signed an eleven-year contract worth $93.6 million, resulting in an average salary of $11.7 million, earning him the title of highest paid public employee in the country (Thornton).

Two major antitrust decisions shifted this landscape, a landscape in which coaches were the only figures in the locker room allowed to profit from their work. The Ninth Circuit’s decision in O’Bannon vs NCAA (2015) asserted that the NCAA could not prevent universities from granting athletic scholarships for certain cost-of-living expenses. The aforementioned Supreme Court’s NCAA vs Alston (2021) decision barred colleges from denying athletes access to educational benefits such as free tutoring or paid internships. On July 1, 2021 the NCAA activated a policy which relaxed NIL restrictions, allowing their athletes to be compensated by third parties for their name, image, and likeness. For many athletes, the policy meant very little. Yet for the elite echelon of star college football players, the revised guidelines opened the floodgates to a market that promised substantial, in some cases life-changing amounts of money. Immediately, football players began signing endorsement contracts, posing for billboards, and appearing in commercials. Before even starting a game for the Crimson Tide, quarterback Bryce Young had already inked NIL deals worth almost $1 million. According to On3, a sports digital media and marketing company with an extensive NIL database, Young’s valuation currently totals $3.2 million.

It would be reductive to claim that NIL deals are only being handed out to the exclusive club of household names. There are a handful of cases in which NIL has elevated the platforms of more anonymous athletes. For example, Built Brands, a Utah based nutrition bar company, offered an NIL deal to the entire Brigham Young University football roster, and covered the full tuition for players who were not on scholarship (Stephenson 280). The players were rewarded with scholarships and financial packages, and Built Brands reaped the benefits of the increased exposure the BYU team provided them. These transactions are mutually beneficial, as are the majority of endorsement deals. The complications arise when one investigates the longer-term negative psychological implications and the prolonged legal complications that can result and have arisen in cases already.

The stresses of being a student-athlete should not be underestimated. The world watched as Simone Biles, an Olympian widely regarded as the greatest gymnast of all time, withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics, citing intense physiological pressures as the reason for her sudden exit. It is reasonable to assume that collegiate athletes face similar pressures as Biles; they must balance academics, social life, sleep, and training all while confronting the crushing expectations of fans who ruthlessly critique their performance.

The prevalence of sports gambling only exacerbates such expectations. A conservative 2020 estimate suggests that at least $1 billion are bet on college football annually, and research firm Eilers and Krejcik gaming estimate that approximately 12% of revenue for sports books serving U.S. customers are generated from college football (Purdum). Considering the increase in sports gambling due to COVID lockdowns and the popularity of illegal betting sites, it is likely that the true 2022 figure is much higher. Statistics show that these psychological strains bear very real, very concerning results, as collegiate athletes resort to drugs and alcohol as coping mechanisms. A 1991 study found that 89% of collegiate athletes admitted to using alcohol in response to injuries or pressure and 33.2% of NCAA athletes reported experiencing episodes of depression in a more recent 2019 study (Carreathers 1). The data is clear: our athletes are stressed, and it is resulting in a mental health crisis.

In order to mitigate stress being placed on athletes, the NCAA rightly prohibited NIL deals that hinged on on-the-field incentives. These types of deals would involve a firm offering a player a bonus for every touchdown scored, quarterback sacked, or game won. This regulation protects players from adding more financial pressure to their competitions than they already face. But if the NCAA really wants to provide a positive NIL that reduces stress on players and resentment in locker rooms, they must go a step further and ban off-the-field incentives as well. Consider the case of Spencer Rattler, a highly recruited quarterback who began his career at The University of Oklahoma. Rattler signed a deal with popular fast food chain Raising Cane’s. His $113,000 dollar deal came with the possibility of reaching $800,000 if he reached a certain quota of social media followers (Stephenson 287). Instead of focusing on team-oriented goals, these kinds of contracts encourage athletes to prioritize their personal brand. The ripple effects are extensive. Rattler was incentivized to attain more attention, whether he wanted the extra publicity or not. He was perhaps more likely to be perceived as selfish, egotistical, or self-centered by his teammates, most of whom had not signed lucrative deals and may have perceived him as less concerned with the group and more concerned with himself. Most importantly, the public nature of these massive contracts changed the way fans viewed Rattler: not as a college student, but instead as a professional worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and who was expected to perform to such a standard. Ultimately, even when Rattler and the Oklahoma Sooners defeated the West Virginia Mountaineers to achieve a 3-0 record, a chorus of boos reverberated throughout Oklahoma’s 86,000 seat stadium, as fans and classmates of Rattler’s expressed their frustration with his performance. The crowd stridently called for Caleb Williams, Rattler’s backup, to replace him (Stephenson, 286). Rattler would transfer to South Carolina at the conclusion of the season.

The added pressure of NIL is not only applied to collegiate athletes, most of whom are technically adults, but also to younger athletes. What many do not know is that high school athletes are often the most highly sought after NIL partners. While universities themselves cannot offer money to prospective recruits in exchange for a commitment, influential groups of fans that the NCAA describes as “representatives of a school’s athletic interests,” have been successful in paying high school football players in exchange for commitments to play for a certain school. “Boosters,” groups usually consisting of alumni, are assuming an active role in recruiting. Perhaps the most dramatic moments of the 2022 college football calendar year did not occur on the gridiron in November, but rather behind microphones in May. Nick Saban claimed that Texas A&M and head coach Jimbo Fisher “bought every player” in their recruiting class, a class that was ranked number one overall and is rumored to have cost the Texas A&M boosters $25 million (Rossow). The Volunteer Club, Tennessee’s NIL collective funded by donations from boosters, distributed $4 million dollars to 130 athletes in 2021, setting a goal for $25 million in 2022 according to On3. When asked how collectives have influenced recruiting outcomes, head football coach Lane Kiffen asserted they have “totally changed recruiting. I joke all the time about it….Go ahead and build facilities and these great weight rooms and training rooms, but you ain’t going to have any good players in them if you don’t have NIL money. I don’t care who the coach is or how hard you recruit, that is not going to win over money.” Kiffen’s comments speak to the concerns of many college football fans who worry that their university, with all of its past success, pristine facilities, or academic prowess, will not be able to compete with collectives or attract recruits. If collectives are allowed to operate as they are now, Division I football will almost certainly remold itself into an even less balanced league consisting of two types of teams: dominant programs that can afford to pay its players millions and everyone else.

Furthermore, this pay-for-play model spoils the notion of player and university pride that is unique to collegiate athletics. We do not expect professional athletes to feel unconditionally loyal to their team; we recognize that they are under contract and will play for whatever club offers them the highest salary. The idea that athletes feel the same connection to the university that they play for as the students and alumni is precisely why collegiate sports are romanticized. This illusion is undermined when players decide where to attend or transfer simply based on a paycheck.

Collectives also prey on the young athletes themselves, coercing seventeen-year-olds into attending a university that may not align with their academic or personal interest. Ultimately, the central problem with the way NIL is currently constructed is that it fails to discern legitimate business transactions involving an athlete’s name, image, and likeness from the pay-for-play transactions funded by collectives.

There are a few potential solutions. In May of 2022, the NCAA updated its guidelines to prohibit boosters from communicating with recruits at all, an attempt to weaken the collectives established post- Alston and crack down on pay-for-play. However, such restrictions had limited impact on the influence of collectives. While boosters may not be able to contact a recruit and explicitly offer a sum of money in exchange for a commitment, as collectives continue to grow, they establish an unspoken understanding of the value they can provide recruits given the historical range of past deals. If the NCAA wanted to crack down further, and ban booster-funded collectives all together, the challenges would be daunting. A commitment to enforcing regulations that paralyze collectives would potentially expose the NCAA to more antitrust and litigation headaches, especially considering how different states have different NIL statutes. Another regulation that is perhaps counterintuitive but could be effective would require the NCAA to walk back the updated guidelines from last spring and actually allow collectives to talk with high school recruits and offer NIL money. The catch? Any sponsor that offers payment to a recruit before he or she signs a letter of intent (a document in which a recruit officially declares their intention to attend a university), must pay the athlete the same amount of money during his or her first year of college, regardless of where the athlete ultimately attends. If Tennessee’s collective, for instance, offered a high school quarterback $200,000 to commit to Tennessee, that recruit could accept the offer, change his mind, sign his letter of intent to play for Notre Dame, and still receive $200,000 of compensation from the Volunteer Club his freshman year.

This proposal would involve the NCAA acknowledging the sobering reality of NIL. Regardless of regulations, collectives will always find backchannels to reach out to recruits and inform them of the financial assistance they can offer. Implementing this solution would give high school athletes a clearer exit path, allowing them to walk back any handshakes they make without making financial sacrifices. In the long term, boosters might even leave recruits alone, realizing that any agreements to “pay-for-play” style NIL deals would effectively be meaningless.

Finally, the NCAA should sponsor weekly financial literacy courses so that college football players are more responsible with their money than their professional counterparts. In 2015, Sports Illustrated estimated that 80% of retired National Football League (NFL) players go broke within only their first three years out of the league. A contributing factor to this shocking statistic is that many NFL players come from poor backgrounds and suddenly find themselves surrounded by wealthy people. When they see players around them who have signed extremely lucrative contracts purchasing lavish items, these young players are more likely to feel the need to conform and make reckless purchases. With NIL, these financial disparities are pronounced in college football locker rooms as well. A handful of players like Bryce Young and Caleb Williams may be able to justify buying a Rolls Royce, but such a purchase may, inadvertently, trigger social pressures that result in dangerous spending habits by their teammates, teammates whose NIL earnings might amount to nothing. While team leaders such as coaches, administrators, and the highly paid athletes themselves should be primarily responsible for fostering a culture in which responsible financial practices are encouraged, the NCAA should also provide instruction or resources that promote saving.

College football will never be the same, and for many fans who are enamored by the myth of the amateur quarterback who competes for no other reason than to win glory for his university, this change is a tragedy. But such naïve fans must realize that money has always and will always be the driving force behind the beautiful, American tradition we witness on the gridiron every Saturday. High-level college players were primarily motivated to convince NFL teams they deserve as much money as possible before Alston , and that has not changed since. We must celebrate how the NIL era has restored justice to the collegiate sports model and provided our athletes with opportunities to support themselves and their families. We must also recognize the needs of young athletes, the desires of fans, and the product of college football going forward. How the NCAA decides to address the mounting pressure on their athletes, the shameless activities of collectives, and the imbalance of recruiting power will decide the legacy of this new era in college football.

Works Cited

Bunner, Brian P. “Nil Bills—an Examination of the Implications of Compensating College Athletes under Name, Image, and Likeness Legislation.” Pittsburgh Tax Review, vol. 18, no. 2, 2021, https://doi.org/10.5195/taxreview.2021.136 .

Carreathers, Brandon T. “Athletes' Substance Abuse and Mental Health.” McNair Scholars Research Journal, vol. 13 , no. 3. 2020.

Christovich, Amanda. “1 Year of Nil: Controversial Collectives Aren't Going Away.” Front Office Sports, 28 June 2022, https://frontofficesports.com/collectives-arent-going-away/ .

Dellenger, Ross. “The Other Side of College Football's Game Changer: The Nil Collective.” Sports Illustrated, 10 Aug. 2022 https://www.si.com/college/2022/08/10/nil-collectives-boosters-football-tennessee-daily-cover .

Eckard, E. Woodrow. “The Uncertainty-of-Outcome Hypothesis and the Industrial Organization of Sports Leagues: Evidence From U.S. College Football.” Journal of Sports Economics, vol. 18, no. 3, 2016, pp. 298–317., https://doi.org/10.1177/1527002515576002 .

Hale, David M. “Nil Summit a Glimpse into the Present and Future of College Athletes' Opportunities.” ESPN, 17 June 2022, https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/34103067/nil-summit-glimpse-present-future-college-athletes-opportunities .

LaRose, Brandon, and Matthew W. Sawchak. “Not so Alike: Current Impact of Nil Administration on the Regulation of Sports Agents.” Robinson Bradshaw Publication, https://www.robinsonbradshaw.com/newsroom-publications-Not-So-Alike-Current-Impact-of-NIL-Administration-on-the-Regulation-of-Sports-Agents.html .

Malone, Greg. “Which College Sports Make the Most Money?” Yahoo!, 21 Mar. 2022, https://www.yahoo.com/video/college-sports-most-money-130012417.html?guccounter=1 .

Murphy, Shane M. The Oxford Handbook of Sport and Performance Psychology. 1st ed., Oxford University Press, 2012 https:/doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199731763.001.0001 .

Nakos, Pete. “Why Nil Has Fans, Coaches, Administrators Anxious about Future of College Sports.” On3, 12 Aug. 2022, https://www.on3.com/nil/news/nil-has-fans-coaches-and-administrators-anxious-about-the-future-of-college-sports/ .

Orr, Cody. “Nil Hurts College Athletics. Here's How We Fix It.” Our Daily Bears, 23 May 2022, https://www.ourdailybears.com/2022/5/23/23055991/nil-hurts-college-athletics-heres-how-we-fix-it .

Purdum, David. “Uncertainty around College Football Taking Toll on Sportsbooks.” ESPN, 1 Sept. 2020, https://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/29786544/uncertainty-college-football-taking-toll -sportsbooks .

Rodak, Mike. “Bryce Young: Tide's Culture Keeps Nil from Being Issue.” Al.om, 19 Aug. 2021, https://www.al.com/alabamafootball/2021/08/bryce-young-alabamas-culture-prevents-nil-earnings-from-being-issue.html .

—. “Saban: Bryce Young Approaching $1 Million in Nil Deals.” Al.com, 20 July 2021, https://www.al.com/alabamafootball/2021/07/nick-saban-bryce-young-approaching-1-million-in-nil-deals.html .

Rossow, Adam. “How Nil Influenced This Year's Texas A&M Football Recruits.” Spectrum Local News. https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/south-texas-el-paso/news/2022/01/14/texas-a-m--recruiting--nil .

“Saban: Current State of College Football Not 'Sustainable'.” U.S. News & World Report, 13 April 2022 https://apnews.com/article/college-football-sports-business-dabo-swinney-alabama-crimson-tide-8164758f34f295680c1668545549596e .

Smith, Rodney K. “A Brief History of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Role in Regulating Intercollegiate Athletics.” Marquette Sports Law Review, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 9-22. https://scholarship.law.marquette.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1393&context=sportslaw .

Stephenson, Luke. “More Money, More Problems? A Look into the Psychological Ramifications of Name, Image, and Likeness Deals in College Athletics.” Law & Psychology Review, vol. 46, Mar. 2022, pp. 273–89.

Thornton, William. “Who Are the Country's Highest-Paid Public Employees? Nick Saban Again Tops the List.” Al, 30 Oct. 2021, https://www.al.com/news/2021/10/who-are-the-countrys-highest-paid-public-employees-nick-saban-again-tops-the-list.html .

George Clessuras

George Clessuras is a first-year student from the Washington DC area. He is studying economics and finance, but has a wide range of interests beyond business, including both writing and sports. As a life-long football fan, the decision to write about a fresh topic with clear relevance to both college students and the game he loves was easy for George. His paper titled “Improving NIL: College Football Depends on It” investigates the controversial past, turbulent present, and uncertain future of name, image, and likeness deals for college athletes with a specific focus on the sport in which the stakes are the highest: college football. He identifies flaws with the current NIL framework that have far-reaching effects beyond football and ultimately proposes solutions. George would like to thank the Writing Center for refining the paper and the fantastic Professor Fernandez Labarga for her guidance and encouragement throughout the writing process!

333 Football Research Topics & Essay Titles

Football is a game that millions of people around the world enjoy watching and playing. With 3.57 billion views of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, this sport appears to be the most popular. Besides, each match is more than just a game — football is all about passion, skill, and teamwork.

In this article, our expert team has collected great football topics to write about and research that you can use for your school or college assignments.

🔝 Top 12 Football Topics to Write About

✍️ football writing prompts, 📝 football titles for essays, 🗣️ football speech topics, 💡 football topics for presentation, 🔎 football research topics, ⚽ football essay outline, 🔗 references.

• The history of football.
• Football as the world’s most popular ball game.
• The development of modern football.
• The greatest football moments.
• Why do tactics play a vital role in football?
• Football as a traumatic kind of sport.
• What is football’s most prestigious competition?
• The legends of American football.
• The impact of football on society.
• Advantages of playing football.
• Men’s and women’s football.
• The issue of racism in football.

Are you looking for some prompts on the football topic? Then you are at the right place! Below, you can find ideas for writing your essay.

Why Football Is the Best Sport: Essay Prompt

Football is a global sport that connects practically everyone on the planet. It has the power to bring an entire city or nation to a standstill. In the essay that explains why football is the best game, you can share your own experience or the emotions of your friend who is passionate about this game. Also, you can list the reasons why people love this sport. For example:

• Football connects millions of people.
• There are no age restrictions to enjoy the match.
• The world’s best talents are football players, such as Lionel Messi.
• Watching or participating in football evokes genuine emotions.

Prompt for Panyee Football Club Essay

Have you ever heard about a football club that is floating on water? Panyee FC is one of them! Since there is not enough space on the island, football fans and players built a football pitch in the middle of the sea. Find the answers to the following questions about Panyee Football Club and use this information in your essay:

• What is the history behind Panyee Football Club?
• Why is a Panyee FC pitch built on water?
• What are the core values of Panyee Football Club?
• Can we say that Panyee FC is a symbol of passion for football?

Why Football Is Dangerous: Essay Prompt

The fact that football has the greatest injury rate of any other kind of sport should not come as a surprise. Football players often incur injuries like ankle sprains, knee injuries, concussions, and acromioclavicular sprains. In your essay on the dangers of football, you can raise the following questions:

• Why is it so easy for football players to get injured?
• What types of injuries are most common during a football game?
• What precautions must be taken to prevent trauma?
• How does injury impact the future career of a football player?

Prompt for Essay on Concussions in Football

While every sport has some risk of getting hurt, football, as a high-impact sport , is infamous for causing severe injuries. Concussions are a common injury among football players. They happen when the head is hit hard enough to cause a minor brain injury. To research the topic of concussions in football, write your essay based on the following aspects:

• The effect of concussion on the brain.
• Statistics on concussion in American football.
• Medical concussion protocol.
• The recovery process after a concussion.
• Screening procedures examining football players for brain damage.

If you’re looking for the most engaging football essay titles, check out the ideas we’ve collected below!

Topics for a Descriptive Essay on a Football Game

• The thrill of a last-minute goal in football.
• The intensity of the players’ warm-up and last-minute preparations.
• Sports psychologist: working with athletes .
• The different styles of play in football around the world.
• The rapid movement of players and the choreography of their tactics.
• The role of a coach in football.
• Capturing the joys and frustrations of the players and fans.
• The interaction between players and referees: decisions, protests, and resolutions.
• A description of a football stadium and its architecture.
• The art of dribbling in football.
• How do players and fans celebrate a goal?
• Describing pre-match rituals and superstitions in football.
• How do fans create a supportive atmosphere for their team during the game?
• The joy and excitement of attending a live football match.
• Describing how coaches handle their emotions on the sidelines.
• The description of food served during the football game.
• The magnetic pull of the scoreboard: watching the numbers change.
• The vibrant fan gear and merchandise in a football stadium.
• The drama of penalty kicks: tension, hope, and heartbreak.
• The description of a goalkeeper’s save.
• The sounds of the football match.

Football Argumentative Essay Topics

• Is football too dangerous for young children to play?
• Does football develop leadership skills and teamwork?
• Title IX in the female sports development .
• College football players should be paid for their performance on the field.
• Should football stadiums have stricter security measures?
• Is the use of performance-enhancing drugs in football acceptable?
• Reasons why the NFL should expand to include more teams.
• Why paying college athletes is beneficial .
• Is the NFL doing enough to prevent concussions and other injuries in players?
• Should football games be played on artificial turf or natural grass?
• Is it ethical for colleges to recruit high school football players?
• Should players be allowed to protest during games?
• Does youth sports play a part in the character formation ?
• Reasons why cheerleading should be considered a sport in football.
• Should the Super Bowl be considered a national holiday?
• The economic influence of football: the benefits and costs.
• Is football too focused on commercialization and profit?
• Should football players be allowed to use marijuana for medical purposes ?
• The NFL should have a shorter season to reduce the risk of injuries to players.
• Using performance-enhancing drugs in the world of sport .
• Should college football teams be allowed to schedule games against non-college teams, such as high school teams?
• Should the NFL have a salary cap to ensure fairness among teams?
• Football players should wear full body armor to reduce injuries.
• Is football too expensive for schools and communities to support?
• Should the NFL allow players to use alternative therapies for pain management ?
• Should football players be required to take regular drug tests ?
• Should the NFL have stricter penalties for players who break the rules, such as suspensions or fines?
• Children participation in sports .
• Football players should take classes on financial management to prepare for life after football.
• Should the NFL have a quota for hiring minority coaches and executives?
• High school football players should pass a physical exam before being allowed to play.
• Should the NFL have stricter rules on player conduct off the field?
• College football players should be allowed to transfer to other schools without penalty.
• Should the NFL have a policy on players using social media ?
• Football players should attend media training to prepare for interviews and press conferences.
• Sport psychology: biases and influence of external rewards .
• Should the NFL have a policy on players participating in political activism ?
• Football players should undergo regular psychological evaluations.
• Should the NFL have a policy on players using alcohol and drugs off the field?
• Should football players be required to wear protective eyewear to reduce eye injuries?
• College football teams should provide mental health resources for their players.
• Should high school football teams limit the number of weekly practices to reduce the risk of injuries?
• Paying college athletes: reinforcing privilege or promoting growth ?
• Should college football players be allowed to unionize?
• Should football be banned in schools to protect students from injuries?
• Is playing football in college detrimental to academics?
• Should college football players be allowed to hire agents?

Ideas for a Narrative Essay about Football

• The first time I stepped onto the football field: an unforgettable experience.
• Overcoming adversity: how I bounced back from a football injury.
• A story of teamwork : how football taught me the value of collaboration.
• The most memorable football match I have ever witnessed.
• Coping with stress in athletes .
• The importance of football in building lifelong friendships.
• From underdog to champion: my journey with the football team.
• A day in the life of a football player: behind the scenes.
• The role of football in shaping my identity.
• A tale of rivalry: the intense football match against our arch-nemesis.
• The impact of football on my physical fitness and well-being.
• How a football coach changed my life.
• The thrill of scoring the winning goal: a football victory to remember.
• The evolution of football: from my grandfather’s time to the modern era.
• A football match that taught me the importance of humility .
• The emotional rollercoaster of supporting a football team.
• Lessons learned from defeat: how football taught me resilience .
• A football game that tested my leadership skills.
• Football and community: how the sport brings people together.
• A football camp experience: training, team building , and friendship.
• From fan to player: fulfilling my football dream.

Football Essay Topics: Compare and Contrast

• Regular football vs. American football: a comparative analysis.
• Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo: contrasting two football legends.
• Comparing football and soccer .
• College football vs. professional football: similarities and differences.
• The World Cup vs. the Super Bowl: contrasting two major football events.
• The roles and impact of offensive and defensive players.
• The Premier League vs. La Liga: comparing two dominant football leagues.
• Contrasting playing styles and cultural significance of football in Europe and South America.
• Club football vs. international football: examining the differences in competition and loyalty.
• Football stadiums vs. arenas: comparing the experiences of live football events.
• The similarities and differences between Olympic football and FIFA World Cup.
• Football in the past vs. modern-day football.
• Comparing the roles and responsibilities of quarterbacks and goalkeepers.
• Football fan culture in Europe vs. the US: contrasting fan traditions and behaviors.
• Amateur football vs. professional football.
• Football uniforms vs. gear: analyzing the equipment used in the sport.
• Comparing and contrasting famous football team rivalries.
• Football team dynamics vs. individual brilliance: contrasting the impact of teamwork and individual performances.
• Football referees vs. video assistant referees (VAR).
• Club vs. country: comparing the passion and loyalty for club and national teams.
• Football and injuries: comparing the risk and types of injuries in the sport.
• Football leagues during the pandemic vs. regular seasons.
• Football commentary vs. live match experience: comparing the different ways of engaging with the sport.
• The impact of football on local vs. global economies.
• Football documentaries vs. fictional football movies.
• The role of football in promoting diversity vs. perpetuating stereotypes.
• Football fandom vs. player idolization: contrasting how fans engage with the sport.
• Comparing the traditional grass pitches vs. artificial turf.
• The impact of social media on football vs. traditional media.
• Comparing the challenges of football in different weather conditions .
• Football in mainstream culture vs. football subcultures.
• The health benefits of football vs. injuries and health risks.
• Betting in football vs. gambling .
• The cultural significance of football in different regions.
• Football literature vs. football films: contrasting different forms of storytelling about the sport.
• Football stadiums: traditional vs. modern architecture .
• College football vs. professional football: differences in gameplay and culture.
• Offensive vs. defensive strategies: which is more important?
• Comparing traditional and modern football training methods.
• The history of football in America and Europe.
• Injuries in football vs. soccer: which sport is more dangerous?

American Football Topics

• The evolution of American football: from its origins to the present day.
• The impact of race on American football.
• Concussions and brain injuries in American football.
• The psychology of football: understanding the mental game of players and coaches.
• The role of women in American football: from cheerleaders to coaches and executives.
• The strategies and tactics used in American football.
• The role of coaches in American football: leadership and game planning.
• The significance of the offensive line in American football.
• The impact of college football on the NFL.
• The influence of the media on American football.
• The role of the head coach in American football.
• The importance of physical fitness in American football.
• The impact of technology on American football: from instant replay to virtual reality training.
• The economic impact and financial aspects of American football.
• The history of Super Bowl halftime shows.
• American football and national identity.
• The impact of weather on American football games.
• The influence of player protests on American football.
• The role of American football in the entertainment industry (movies, TV shows, etc.).
• The development of American football youth programs: benefits and challenges.
• The importance of the running back in the offense in American football.
• The role of the defensive line in stopping the run and rushing the passer in American football.
• The influence of American football on sports marketing and sponsorship.
• The impact of fan behavior on American football.
• Exploring the legacy of American football’s great players and their impact on the sport.
• The influence of a new coach on team culture and performance in American football.
• The consequences of player suspensions in American football.
• Player trades in American football: exploring how teams acquire new talent.
• American football and sportsmanship: fair play and ethical considerations.
• The impact of player injuries on American football: exploring the recovery process.
• The role of American football in building teamwork and camaraderie.
• The impact of American football on society’s perception of masculinity .
• The history and cultural significance of American football rivalries.
• The role of American football in promoting community engagement and volunteerism.
• The influence of American football on US pop culture.
• American football and social justice : protests, activism, and athlete empowerment.
• The role of American football in public health and fitness initiatives.
• The ethics of sports gambling in American football.
• American football and sports diplomacy: international relations and competitions.
• The future of American football: challenges and opportunities.

Are you looking for exciting football topics to talk about? Check out our suggestions for persuasive and informative speeches about this sport!

Football Persuasive Speech Topics

• The benefits of playing football for overall physical fitness.
• The importance of youth football programs in fostering teamwork.
• Kids and sports: lack of professional sports guides .
• The positive impact of football on character development and leadership skills.
• The role of football in promoting gender equality and inclusion.
• The economic benefits of hosting major football events like the World Cup or Super Bowl.
• The need for increased safety measures and concussion protocols in football.
• The necessity of providing proper healthcare and support for retired football players.
• The role of football in breaking down cultural and racial barriers.
• Balancing college sports and academic mission .
• The benefits of investing in football infrastructure and facilities for communities.
• The positive influence of football in reducing youth involvement in crime and drugs.
• The potential of football as a tool for empowering disadvantaged communities.
• The role of football in promoting a healthy and active lifestyle among fans and spectators.
• The benefits of including football as part of the physical education curriculum in schools.
• The positive effects of football in promoting national pride.
• Corporate social responsibility in sports organizations .
• The use of football as a platform for raising awareness and funds for charitable causes.
• The importance of football in boosting tourism and international visibility of cities.
• The potential of football in fostering international diplomacy and cultural exchange.
• The importance of providing equal opportunities for females in football at all levels.
• The impact of football on local economies through job creation and tourism revenue.
• The significance of iconic moments in football history.

Football Informative Speech Topics

• The different positions in football and their roles.
• The psychology of football fans and their passion for the game.
• Agencies in the international football industry .
• Famous football stadiums around the world and their significance.
• The rules and regulations of football: understanding the game’s structure.
• The role of referees and their importance in enforcing the rules of football.
• Positive self-talk and its impact on athletes .
• The evolution of football equipment: from leather balls to high-tech gear.
• The most successful football clubs in history and their achievements.
• Exploring the tactics and strategies used in modern football.
• The science behind successful football coaching.
• Sports coaching career and its history .
• Football rivalries: the history and intensity behind classic match-ups.
• The art of scoring goals: techniques and skills of top goal scorers.
• Football and media: the influence of broadcasting and coverage on the sport.
• The psychological aspects of football: mental preparation and performance.
• The cultural impact of football around the world.
• The development and growth of women’s football.
• Physical therapy services for sports injuries .
• The importance of nutrition and fitness in football.
• The significance of football academies in nurturing young talent.
• The role of technology in modern football: VAR, goal-line technology, and more.
• Football hooliganism : understanding the causes and efforts to combat it.
• Famous football managers and their managerial styles: strategies for success.

If you need compelling topics about football for your presentation, here are some ideas you can consider:

• The FIFA World Cup: the most significant event in international football.
• Techniques and skills in football: dribbling, shooting, passing, and more.
• Leadership development in football management .
• The rules and regulations in football.
• Football tactics: exploring different formations and strategic approaches.
• Famous football players of all times: their achievements and impact on the sport.
• Football and sports injuries: common types, prevention, and treatment.
• Steroid use effects on professional young athletes .
• Football stadiums around the world: architecture and unique features.
• The business side of football: sponsorship, transfer fees, and revenue streams.
• Football and social media: the influence of digital platforms on the sport.
• Football documentaries and films: capturing the drama and passion of the sport.
• The effects of football on fashion and popular culture.
• Virtual reality technology in soccer referee training .
• The financial impact of football on cities and regions.
• Football and sports journalism: media coverage and analysis of the sport.
• Football stats and analytics: how data is revolutionizing the sport.
• The causes and consequences of fan violence in football.
• The cultural rituals and traditions associated with football matches.
• Football and the environment: sustainable practices and stadiums.
• The impact of football on tourism.
• Health care site: fitness, sports, and nutrition .
• Football and celebrity culture: players as icons and brand ambassadors.
• Football in video games: the popularity of virtual football experiences.
• The importance of infrastructure in hosting major football events.
• Football tactics in different eras: from Catenaccio to Tiki-Taka.
• Football and broadcasting: the growth of televised matches and media rights.
• Football training drills for improving agility and speed.
• Physical activity and sports team participation .
• Strategies for effective team communication on the football field.
• The importance of proper warm-up exercises in preventing injuries in football.
• Tips for strengthening and conditioning specific muscle groups for football players.
• Defensive formations and tactics for shutting down opponents in football.
• Analyzing football game films to improve performance and strategy.
• Recovering from football injuries: rehabilitation exercises and protocols.
• Sports-related problems and conflicts .
• Sports psychology techniques for boosting confidence and mental resilience in football.
• Nutrition and hydration guidelines for optimal performance in football.
• The connection between globalization and football.
• The role of stretching routines in preventing muscle imbalances in football players.
• Practical strategies for successful penalty shootouts in football.
• Steroid usage in professional sports .
• Football scouting and player evaluation techniques for talent identification.
• The use of technology in football training and performance analysis.
• Football equipment maintenance and safety guidelines for players.
• Preparing and executing penalty kicks in pressure situations in football.
• Advanced passing techniques in football: long passes, through balls, and more.

Do you need to write a research paper about football but don’t know where to start? Consider our list of football research questions and topics:

• How have football tactics evolved over the past decade?
• The impact of technology on decision-making in football.
• Business industry: trend analysis for soccer .
• The psychology of team cohesion and its effects on football performance.
• What is the role of nutrition and diet in optimizing football players’ performance?
• What is the relationship between football and concussions?
• How do FIFA World Cup events affect host countries’ economies?
• What is the carbon footprint of major football events?
• The effects of climate conditions on football matches.
• Shortage of officials at the high school sports level .
• The influence of social media on football players’ image and brand.
• The role of VAR in the fairness of football matches.
• The impact of home-field advantage in professional football.
• How does the football stadium atmosphere affect player performance?
• The rise of women’s football and its impact on gender equality.
• The economic implications of football player transfers and fees.
• The correlation between a team’s wage bill and on-pitch success.
• Factors influencing fan loyalty in football.
• Research handbook of employment relations in sport .
• The role of leadership and coaching in a team’s success.
• The impact of sponsorship deals on football clubs’ financial stability.
• The relationship between player positioning and successful goal scoring.
• The effects of VAR on the emotions and behavior of fans during football matches.
• How does football influence youth development and participation in sport?
• How can big data analytics improve football performance and decision-making?
• The effects of football on cultural identity and national pride.
• How do sports affect disabled people psychologically ?
• The impact of football on the local community and economy.
• The influence of crowd noise on football referee decisions.
• The role of sports psychology in enhancing football performance.
• The impact of financial fair play regulations on football clubs.
• How does football betting affect match outcomes and integrity?
• The cultural significance of football chants and songs in fan culture.
• Steroid abuse in the world of sports .
• The influence of doping scandals on the reputation of football players and clubs.
• The role of football in promoting social inclusion and breaking down barriers.
• How do international football competitions affect tourism?
• The effects of player transfers on team dynamics and performance.
• The correlation between player height and success in football.
• The influence of different playing surfaces on football player performance and injury rates.
• How do referees maintain fairness and order in football matches?
• Achievement motivation theory in sports psychology .
• The impact of football on academic performance and school attendance.
• The role of football hooliganism in shaping public perceptions of the sport.
• The influence of football sponsorship on brand image and consumer behavior.
• The effects of football on social integration and community cohesion.
• How do rule changes affect football game dynamics?
• The influence of football on individual and societal gender norms.
• Sports analysis: steroids and HGH in sports .
• Investigating the impact of celebrity endorsement on football merchandise sales.
• The role of technology in improving football player performance and injury prevention.
• The correlation between alcohol consumption and football-related violence.
• The impact of fan protests and boycotts on football clubs and leagues.
• The effects of retirement on the mental well-being of former professional football players.
• The influence of football on urban development and infrastructure investment.
• How does football affect students’ academic motivation and educational attainment?
• The impact of football on destination marketing in tourism.

Structuring your essay on football is a piece of cake, and we’re going to prove it! Follow our mini guide with valuable tips and examples!

Football Essay Introduction

The first paragraph of an essay is crucial to creating a strong paper. A successful introduction often starts by addressing broad ideas related to the essay’s topic. Follow the steps below to write a compelling introduction:

1. Start with a hook.

Make a good first impression by using a captivating hook . In football essays, it can include a surprising fact, statistics, a question, or a relevant quote. Here’s an example:

What is the one thing that can unite a country and foster its pride? Yes, it is football!

2. Provide background information.

Give essential details on the essay’s main subject. This part can include the history of your topic, an explanation of key terms, and anything that can help your reader understand the context of your issue.

Football is a group of team sports that involve kicking a ball to score goals.

3. End with a thesis statement.

Put a concise thesis statement at the end to outline your motivation for the paper and present central arguments. Let’s talk about this element in detail.

Thesis Statement about Football

The thesis statement is a sentence expressing the primary idea of a piece of writing and guiding the thoughts within the work.

There are several steps that you should take to develop a thesis statement:

• Research information on your issue.
• Limit your topic to a specific area.
• Brainstorm to come up with interesting ideas.

Look at the example of a football thesis statement:

Football offers the chance to feel pride for the favorite team and positively impacts physical, social, and emotional development.

Essay about Football: Body Paragraphs

The main body of an essay is the most crucial part where you deliver your arguments. Here are some tips on writing a good body paragraph:

• Start with a topic sentence to capture the key points.
• Provide additional information to support your opinion.
• Use a transition sentence to get to the next paragraph smoothly.

Here’s an example of what your topic sentence and supporting evidence might look like:

Topic sentence : Football requires effective communication and listening skills since the game will not work without them. Supporting evidence : Communication helps athletes perform and focus better on the pitch and improves the decision-making process.

Conclusion for Football Essay

A conclusion brings your discussion to a close. The following outline may assist you in completing your essay:

• Restate your thesis.
• Explain why your topic is significant.
• Summarize the core points.
• Call for action or provide an overview of future research opportunities

Check out an example of a paraphrased thesis and the summary of the main points:

Rephrased thesis : Football is a fascinating sport with many societal benefits. Summary : To sum up, football can be considered a hobby, a sport, or an obsession. But still, its most important role is to unite people or even entire countries.

We hope you will find our football topics to write about and research beneficial! Want to receive some more ideas? Try our free online title generator ! Just click the button, and the result will not keep you waiting!

• Health and Wellness | The Football Players Health Study at Harvard University
• Sports | Harvard Business School
• Head Injuries & American Football | McCombs School of Business
• Research | Global Sport Institute
• University Archives: History of Football | Marquette University
• NCAA and the Movement to Reform College Football | Library of Congress
• Medical Issues in Women’s Football | National Library of Medicine
• Football Injuries | University of Rochester Medical Center
• Head to Head: The National Football League & Brain Injury | NYU Langone Health

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Essay On Football for Students and Children

500+ words essay on football.

Essay On Football- Football is a game that millions of people around the world play and love. It can be called a universal game because every small and big nation plays it.

Moreover, it’s a great relaxer, stress reliever, teacher of discipline and teamwork . Apart from that, it keeps the body and mind fit and healthy. It’s a team game that makes it a more enjoyable game as it teaches people the importance of sportsmanship. Leadership, and unity .

History of Football

The history of football can be traced back to the ancient times of the Greeks. Everyone knows that the Greeks were great sportsmen and have invented many games.

Football happens to one of them. A similar game like football is played in many countries but the latest version of football that we knew originates in England. Likewise, England formulated the first rule of the game. From that day onwards the football has progressed in ways we can’t imagine.

Importance of Football

Football is an important game from the point of view of the spectator as well as the player. This 90 minutes game is full of excitement and thrill.

Moreover, it keeps the player mentally and physically healthy, and disciplined. And this ninety-minute game tests their sportsmanship, patience, and tolerance.

Besides, all this you make new friends and develop your talent. Above all, it’s a global game that promotes peace among countries.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

How to Learn Football

Learning any game is not an easy task. It requires dedication and hard work. Besides, all this the sport test your patience and insistence towards it. Moreover, with every new skill that you learn your game also improves. Above all, learning is a never-ending process so to learn football you have to be paying attention to every minute details that you forget to count or missed.

Football in India

If we look at the scenarios of a few years back then we can say that football was not a popular game in except West Bengal. Also, Indians do not take much interest in playing football. Likewise, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has some limited resources and limited support from the government.

But, now the scenario has completely changed. At this time football matches the level of cricket in the country. Apart from that, the country organizes various football tournaments every year.

Above all, due to the unpopularity of football people do not know that we have under-17 and under-23, as well as a football team.

Football Tournaments

The biggest tournament of Football is the FIFA world cup which occurs every 4 years. Apart from that, there are various other tournaments like UEFA cup, Asian Cup (AFC), African completions (CAF) and many more.

To conclude, we can say that football is very interesting that with every minute takes the viewer’s breath away. Besides, you can’t predict what’s going to happen the next second or minute in football. Apart from all this football keeps the one playing it fit and healthy. Above all, it can be a medium of spreading the message of peace in the world as it is a global game.

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Times Insider

A Finance Reporter Who Invests in Readers’ Well-Being

Taxes. Tuition. Cryptocurrency trading. Since 2008, Ron Lieber has answered hard-hitting questions about personal finance as the Your Money columnist.

By Sarah Bahr

Times Insider explains who we are and what we do and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together.

When Ron Lieber arrived at The Wall Street Journal’s office in 2002 for a job interview, a couple of editors immediately sized him up.

“They said, ‘We know what your beat is: beating the system,’” said Mr. Lieber, who had last worked as a senior writer for Fast Company covering management, design and careers. “And now you’re going to come here and do that for us.”

After helping found the Personal Journal section of The Wall Street Journal and writing a separate money management column, he was hired by The New York Times in 2008 to take over Your Money , a personal finance column. Sixteen years later, he has gained a reputation for offering readers advice — often tinged with his own experience — on headache-inducing issues, like how to navigate the maze of paying for college or prepare for life after a layoff .

“I love introducing readers to characters who they might not think would be the subject of money columns, but who are actually perfectly suited to teach us a thing or three about how the world works,” said Mr. Lieber, whose column appears online and most Saturdays in the Business section.

As a columnist for The Times, he has witnessed two recessions and a pandemic. (In 2009, he even wrote about how his own financial planner had been charged with fraud.) In a recent conversation, he shared the unexpected lessons he had learned in writing the column and the topics he thought might soon dominate the world of personal finance. These are edited excerpts from the conversation.

How did you first become interested in finance?

When I was a high school senior in Chicago applying for financial aid for college, I found my way to Roger Koester , who was an associate director of financial aid at Northwestern University. He had an after-hours side gig in his office; in exchange for $45, he’d explain the whole financial aid system to local families who were trying to understand it. He knew exactly what he was talking about and gave me terrific advice.

It was a reminder that there’s always a grown-up somewhere who knows how to beat the system, and if you can just find that grown-up and ask questions, you can help other people beat it, too. I don’t think of myself as the grown-up, but every week, I still feel like I’m searching for the grown-ups who know the answer to whatever thorny consumer question is bedeviling our readers.

What makes for a good column?

When I think about personal finance, there’s a kind of a Venn diagram of possible topics: things that are really expensive; processes that are really complicated; and decisions where emotions can lead us astray if we aren’t careful. I like to think that when I’m at the center of that diagram, I’ve found the right topic.

And then there’s the matter of voice. The best compliment anyone can pay me is to say that my column sounded like I was there in the room with them, explaining the topic at hand. I want it to feel conversational, and not lecture-y, preachy or didactic. That doesn’t mean it’s always friendly — I try my best to punch up at institutions or entities that can take it and deserve it.

If I can find the right topic, and do it in the right voice, I’ve won the week.

Last month, an article by New York magazine’s financial advice columnist on how she was scammed out of $50,000 went viral. Do you think you would’ve fallen for that scam?

Never say never. I’m constantly telling myself that there’s never a reason to rush to do something right now. There’s pretty much always time to call one or three or five people smarter than you or just calmer than you who will ask you levelheaded questions and try to pull you back from the edge of making a big mistake.

What writers and publications do you read to stay on top of your beat?

I read The Wall Street Journal religiously. I’m a big fan of Ramit Sethi, who’s the author of the book “ I Will Teach You to Be Rich ” and a newsletter writer. I love reading Michelle Singletary , who writes the personal finance column for The Washington Post. And I also really like the attitude and the message of Tori Dunlap , who most people know from Instagram and TikTok.

What trends are you watching?

All of the people who’ve been in the work force for their entire career without a traditional pension are starting to retire, and a lot of them are going to run out of money. The question of what’s going to happen when that happens is deeply concerning.

I’m also interested in all of the work that Conor Dougherty and other Times colleagues have been doing around our inability to build more housing in a reasonable fashion. It’s not clear where and how people in their 20s and even 30s are going to buy homes.

Anything else you want to add?

If people are seeing things in the world that don’t make sense — whether they think corruption needs to be exposed, or if they just want to say, “I can’t be the only one who doesn’t understand this thing, could you explain it?” — it’s so helpful for me to know . Some of the work I’m most proud of started with a reader comment on one of my columns. We’re all in this together, and none of us are as smart as all of us.

Sarah Bahr is a senior staff editor at The Times. She has reported on a range of topics, most often theater, film and television, while writing for the Culture, Styles and National desks. More about Sarah Bahr

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