We Are Funding The Fa?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/26760067
Is anyone else shocked that public money is being used to fund Football? I mean in a sport where players are on 6 figures a week, surely they can fund their own "beautiful" game.

[youngmafbog]

You would certainly expect so.

[Graham-W]

Have you read the article?
The money is used to help finance "amateur" football. Not the overpaid professional teams. I think it is a good encouragement to get our young people out and about keeping fit instead of roaming the streets causing bother.
Money well spent.

[LazyGun]

I think it right that the state put public money into the development of sports amenities and opportunities for the public, and that is what Sport England is all about. I am somewhat surprised that they have chosen to use the FA as the means of doing it for football. Given their vast resources, you would think that the FA should be subsidising state spending on grass roots development of the game.

[Graham-W]

1.8 million play the game at grass roots level and the grant is £1.8m.
A pound each isn't too bad is it?

[youngmafbog]

So where is the pound each for other amateur sports or activities then?

[ToraToraTora]

yes graham, what I'm saying though ,is, that a sport as rich as Football should not get any public money, they should fund their own sport from top to bottom. All the players start amateur after all.

[mikey4444]

I simply can't think why public money is being used to fund the development of football in Britain today. There is squillions swilling around in the football industry and they should be funding this themselves. Instead, the football clubs pay ludicrous salaries to everybody involved and fund these extravagancies by charging huge prices to see games and buy replica kits.

The whole thing stinks.

[Graham-W]

Oct2012-Oct2013
Source: Sport England's Active People Survey
Swimming 2.93m
Athletics 2.02m
Cycling 2m
Football 1.84m
Golf 751,000
Tennis 400,600
Squash 240,700
Rugby Union 159,600

[Graham-W]

FA distributes £43m a year to grassroots projects.

[LazyGun]

Thats OK then Graham. I withdraw my original issue. It seems the FA is subsidising the state to aid development of football, after all ;)

[jomifl]

It is only right that industries should fund their own apprentice schemes when they can easily afford it.

[mikey4444]

Graham...£43m is a huge amount of money !

If the FA really is giving all this money away, where is it going ? And why does the public still need to subsidise a hugely profitable industry ? Because that is what is football has become now in a Britain, an industry, not a sport. In Cardiff the team known as the Bluebirds for as long as anyone can remember is now changing its strip to red, instead of blue, much against local opposition. The only reason for this change is because the foreigner who owns the club can make more money betting in the Far East. Nothing whatsoever about football, just money.

The greedy money tail has been wagging the football dog for too long and I think all public money should be withdrawn from football with immediate affect. It simply doesn't need any more subsidy.

[Graham-W]

All my figures are in the article that Tora^3 mentioned in the original post.
The FA had a turnover of £300m 2012 of which they gave £43m to the grass roots game.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26760067

[ToraToraTora]

ok so why are they getting public money too?

[Old_Geezer]

I guess both are interested parties.

The FA is a business that charges lots to get through a turnstyle, show a match, or hire a box. They should pay for their apprentices to develop.

But at the same time the citizens' representatives in authority have an interest to ensure sport is available to the community, and individuals can progress, and win honour for the country etc..

I think it is a case on working out who should contribute what, and not have one rely on the other.

In any case money earmarked for grassroots teaching/involvement should be ring-fenced and not simply handed over to big business, so it is managed/used as intended.