The English Premier League and nearly every professional soccer league in Europe applies an interesting rule. If your club fares poorly and finishes in the bottom three of league standing at the end of the season, you get relegated. Basically, a demotion into a bottom subdivision league — comparable to our minor leagues in the NHL, NBA and MLB — for the ensuing season.
If we applied this to American sports, the Minnesota Timberwolves would be playing in the NBDL next season. Another realistic application would be the Pittsburgh Pirates moving down to Triple-A after their 57-105 mark in 2010. Thankfully, for the Pirates and T-Wolves, they don’t have to face that harsh reality.
This season for the EPL, West Ham United finished dead last and will face relegation. On top of this ugly truth, another sour turn took place after a brawl broke out during a Gala dinner between a player and a few of his fans. West Ham striker Demba Ba (pictured) reportedly told two season-ticket holders he was too tired to sign autographs. The die-hard fans, displeased with his response, apparently lashed out at the forward. Fortunately, no one was hurt at the scene and two police vehicles arrived for back-up.
The event cost each guest £275 and was featured at the prominent London Grosvenor House Hotel. West Ham’s players were required by management to attend for the closing ceremony to a horrendous season. In attendance, was a reported 750 guests at the affair.
The crime shouldn’t be the brawl that transpired, but the price that was paid to attend the event. 275 Euros is approximately 400 US dollars. That is 400 dollars to be present at a dinner for a team that absolutely sucked and is bound for a subdivision league that few care about.
I’m all for supporting your team, don’t get me wrong. But that is a hefty price to pay for a franchise that killed you deep down inside every time they took the field. What’s just as astounding is that 750 people were willing to pay the ample fee.
Maybe I’m a sore loser. Maybe I should stick with my team through thick and thin. Maybe, just maybe, the food at the banquet was actually worthy of the ridiculous price. However, as a die hard fan, I’d have hard time coughing up that dough and then showing up without ringing the neck of a team member. And maybe, that’s why they paid the price, to start a brawl with a professional athlete, which is a step up from attacking a coach.
A tale they’ll tell forever.
