Moneyball Effects on Football

In the last two decades, football has transformed into an industry. It becomes a new business field, not only as a sport. Many billionaires form several countries participate in investing their stocks to several clubs. They have no doubt to spend their money to buy some star players and to pay expensive fees. Their only aim is to bring the club to get titles. Because of that, many football clubs got the titles instantly. For example, in July 2003, a Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich came to Chelsea FC. Since his arrival, he had spent much of money to the club to buy some star player such as Adrian Mutu, Joe Cole, Damien Duff, William Gallas, Emmanuel Petit, Juan Sebastian Veron, and Hernan Crespo. Moreover, the club also contracted a well-known Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho in May 2004. The result was not disappointing, Chelsea FC was a winner of 2004-2005 English Premier League season. It makes many other clubs follow Chelsea, especially in Europe. They believe that an expression “money cannot buy achievement” does not take effect in football. The terms money in football nowadays is known as moneyball. In addition, moneyball also gives advantages for footballer. Many footballers nowadays become a rich and popular man. However, money also will be a dangerous thing for every weaker club. Weaker clubs cannot buy any star player. This makes them cannot compete with other stronger clubs. Thus, moneyball in a recent time gives some positive and negative effects on football.

Due to the moneyball, many weaker teams in several leagues are bankrupt. For example, in Indonesia, there is PSIS. PSIS is a football club comes from Semarang. In 2007, the signal of bankruptcy of the team appeared. At the time, the player fees are higher than the incoming funds of the club. PSIS used APBD fund as a main incoming fund of the team. The rule of the league that requires every club in ISL not used the APBD fund makes PSIS got a big problem. Until the deadline time, the club could not pass the verification, and it will not be allowed to participate in Indonesian Super League anymore. Several days later, the official of the club announced that the club was closed down. The same problems are also happened in BBVA League (Spanish League). At least 7 clubs from the BBVA League are threatened to be bankrupt. For example, Valencia CF, a mediocre club from BBVA League recently got the title of League winner in 2001-2002 and 2003-2004 seasons. It is the only one club that could break the domination of the big two of BBVA League, Real Madrid and Barcelona in the recent 1 decade. It is just because that big two are strengthened and supported by rich owner, and it was running for many years ago. Real Madrid, which is owned by Florentino Perez, and Barcelona CF, which is owned by Joan Laporta, are the most two richest football club in the world. By the money support, both of them had dominated the Spanish League for years and years. It can be seen from the list of the winner of Spanish League that shows the domination of that big two, Real Madrid for 31 times and Barcelona for 21 times. In the third place is Atletico de Madrid for 9 times titles and it is far away from Barcelona in the second place. It shows us that moneyball takes a lot of contribution of the club’s achievements.

Although moneyball makes many weaker clubs bankrupt, but it can make the academy of weaker clubs advanced. As several weaker clubs cannot buy any star player, they adjust their policy to contract the player from academy. It will save their money and also will increase their academy’s popularity. An academy player usually has a lower price, lower salary, and also the loyalty to the club. Several clubs has proved that, for example Liverpool FC. In 1997, Liverpool FC signed a professional contract for Steven Gerrard, a 17 years old young boy at that time. In 1998, he took his professional debut as a substitute player against Blackburn Rovers. He never moved to other clubs since that. Until now, Steven Gerrard has scored 144 goals in Premier league and he might be a Liverpool legend in the future because of his contribution to the team. This shows us that academy player is better in quality and loyalty. In addition, in a recent time, football academies are growing up fast in several countries. For example, a few months ago, Liverpool International Football Academy is officially established in Jakarta, Indonesia. This is the only one Liverpool soccer school that is established in Asia. Many teenagers and kids are interested in joining this soccer schools. It is not a surprise as Indonesia is the biggest base of Liverpool fans. Teenagers are interested in being a footballer because this kind of game sport has a better future and better life. This explains us that moneyball is not only gives negative effect, but also gives positive effect.

Another effect of moneyball is that it gives many advantages for footballer. as what the writer have said above, being footballer is a job that has a better future and better life. Salary that is received by star player is above of standard. Different from three decades ago, when the player’s salary is not expensive, nowadays the player’s salary is generally higher than a salary of a president of a country. For example, the most expensive player in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo, that has salary €12M. He is transferred from MU to Real Madrid with £80M in 2009. It was the most expensive transfer cost ever. Other expensive players are Lionel Messi (€10.5M) and Fernando Torres (€10M). With the expensive salary, they can buy many cars and a luxurious house. For example, Cristiano Ronaldo, he has eight luxurious cars, such as Bugatti Veyron, Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe, Audi R8, and Bentley Continental GT. However, the luxury life they have is not easily reached. It is reached by the hard-working effort and laboriously plays football to get the achievements, not only to play to get the money. They deserve to get the achievements and also the high salary because of their skills and contribution to football. In addition, another advantages of being footballer also to become popular. For example, in Indonesia, there are Okto Maniani and Irfan Bachdim. Before the Suzuki AFF Cup 2010, Okto Maniani and Irfan Bachdim were not popular. However, after they showed their beautiful play and skills in the competition, many Indonesian people praised their play. Moreover, the handsomeness of Irfan Bachdim was hypnotizing many Indonesian girls. Many girls come to the stadium only for seeing Irfan Bachdim. After the competition, both of them starred some advertisement in television. As a result, there is no doubt if we say that being a good footballer can give the wealth and popularity.

The most massive effect is that moneyball changes football into an industry. As what the writer has said in the beginning of this essay, football has transformed into an industry in the recent two decades. In line with the development of the world, football also develops to be a modern sport. One of the effects of development of football is the increasing of broadcasting cost. In a recent time the broadcasting cost of football is increased. For example, Barclays Premier League, the most expensive league in the world, has the highest broadcasting cost because of three factors. First, it is caused by the foreign investors dominating Barclays Premier League. For instance, Chelsea with the Roman Abramovich, Manchester United with the Glazer family, Liverpool with the John W. Henry, and Manchester City with Sheikh Mansour. The massive stocks they given to the club make the broadcasting cost of every clubs expensive. Furthermore, the star players playing in the league are also the reason why the broadcasting cost is increased. More the league has many star players, more expensive the broadcasting cost. It is just because the star players make the league attractive and the watcher interested in watching football. Moreover, the increase of broadcasting cost make the advertising cost increased too. The advertising cost becomes expensive in every match that is broadcasted by the television. Those are the reasons why football becomes an industry. Therefore, nowadays football is the most expensive and interesting sport in the world.

As a new phenomenon in football, moneyball gives some negatives and positive effects. The negative effect is that moneyball makes many weaker clubs bankrupt. However, moneyball also can give positive effects. First, moneyball contribute in building football academy advancement. Second, moneyball gives some advantages for footballer. they become rich and popular. Last, moneyball takes a lot of contribution of to make football an industry. It increases the broadcasting and advertising cost. Thus, the writer can conclude that moneyball seems like a negative thing that causes negative effect, but it also gives more positive effects of making football an industry.