The devaluation of the FA Cup

[stony]

Simple answer is money. Prem clubs with a sniff of 4th would rather go for a chance of champions league riches than an actual trophy. Clubs near the bottom will swerve it to avoid relegation and keep on the Prem gravy train. Championship clubs with a chance of promotion will dodge it for the same reason, a chance to get on the Prem gravy train.
So it's money.

 

[roydo]

Clubs near the bottom will swerve it to avoid relegation and keep on the Prem gravy train.

Bobby brown shoes says Hi.

 

[tommytowne]

In the 1940's/50's, the FA Cup was the biggest competition. Bigger than the league. The winners of the cup were the number one. The league championship was almost a consolation prize.

The Saturday of the third round of the FA Cup was the most eagerly awaited date in the football calender.
It was a guaranteed full house. All our home games in 1966 were gates closed well before kick off. Sunderland, Coventry and the Man City replay.

 

[4737carlin]

For me, the FA Cup means everything, winning that is all I want to see Everton do right now.

 

[The binman chronicles]

Seriously devalued in recent times. Easily fixed though, make it the last game of the season, on a Saturday at 3:00 PM and the winner gets a Champions League place if not already qualified through the league.

 

[Naisy'sCharitableLeanings]

I’d love to win the FA Cup, NEA. It’s not as well respected as it was, but it still goes on the honours list and gets you European football. Come May, I’m hoping to see Lucas Digne in oversized specs and hat arsing around Wembley in tribute to John Bailey.

 

[Tubey]

Said for years there's no point besides from fan appeasement in trying to win it.

The odds on a smaller club winning it are long, there's no money even if you do win it, the players don't care and it takes up far too many games and if you don't win it then the whole thing was pointless.

From a business perspective, the smart thing to do is never field a first team player in either domestic cups and go out at the earliest opportunity, and hope that rival clubs are stupid enough to clog their fixture list with 10+ extra games.

 

[Toast]

Don't have the semis at Wembley.

Easy.

 

[Tubey]

Seriously devalued in recent times. Easily fixed though, make it the last game of the season, on a Saturday at 3:00 PM and the winner gets a Champions League place if not already qualified through the league.

I honestly think it'd need around 300% more prize money from top to bottom too.

The League Cup winners get £100,000. Not joking. FA Cup winners get around £3.5m.

To compare, there's a £4m gap in between finishing 8th and 10th in the league.

A club like us trying to break the top six or a club like Brighton trying to stay in the league would be downright stupid to waste any time and effort on the cups.

 

[duncs pigeon]

I remember playing the Villa in the cup (1978 i think) then again the following week in the league. There was a bigger crowd for the cup game. We won them both btw

 

[riddick]

Don't have the semis at Wembley.

Easy.

That really is a joke. I don't get how they can big up the Wembley day out for a SEMI ffs.

 

[HarryEFC]

Devalued yes, but 30 out of the last 33 winners are a top 6 team. Only us, Wigan & Portsmouth breaking it.. so it’s still just as hard to win

 

[emir]

I absolutely hate it after January when league on Saturday is replaced by FA cup games on that day. Instead of seeing the league, we have games like Bradford vs Chelsea.

 

[The binman chronicles]

I honestly think it'd need around 300% more prize money from top to bottom too.

The League Cup winners get £100,000. Not joking. FA Cup winners get around £3.5m.

To compare, there's a £4m gap in between finishing 8th and 10th in the league.

A club like us trying to break the top six or a club like Brighton trying to stay in the league would be downright stupid to waste any time and effort on the cups.

Agree about the prize money but it does depend I suppose what the TV companies will pay to show these cup games to how much is in the pot at the end?

By giving the 4th CL spot to the winners it should inject the drama (unless both finalists have already qualified that is), just imagine for a minute it's say City v Arsenal, City going for the double, Arsenal finished 5th in the league and UTD 4th. If Arsenal win they take the final CL place away from utd. Genuinely you'll have City supporters not knowing who they want to win, you'll have the 4th placed side's supporters all watching the game. It would make it instantly a more special end of season finale.

 

[Toast]

Agree about the prize money but it does depend I suppose what the TV companies will pay to show these cup games to how much is in the pot at the end?

By giving the 4th CL spot to the winners it should inject the drama (unless both finalists have already qualified that is), just imagine for a minute it's say City v Arsenal, City going for the double, Arsenal finished 5th in the league and UTD 4th. If Arsenal win they take the final CL place away from utd. Genuinely you'll have City supporters not knowing who they want to win, you'll have the 4th placed side's supporters all watching the game. It would make it instantly a more special end of season finale.

You could also get Shrewsbury in the CL if they won the cup though technically..

Be different at least..