FA needs more than tradition. Try Pounds

[woodsidestriker]

There's one sure way that almost every aspect of the FA cup could quite literally turn the event – and the teams involved in it – on its head, and generate huge increases in fan interest as well for years to come.

The FA Cup is a great opportunity for a smart brand to take advantage of with the result being a massive and positive one for every team in the competition, fans included.
A brand looks for opportunity, not the current situation, and clearly the FA cup is one waiting to happen.

Here's the scenario. Mercedes (just an example, pick one you like) sponsors the FA cup (then known as the FA Mercedes Cup for example) and part of their sponsorship includes their donating a massive cash prize to the winner. Imagine what the the FA cup would mean if the winning team (not players but team) got something like 20 million pounds?
Not big money in exchange for the brand exposure when connected with a cup that suddenly every team in football would want to win. A cup that suddenly would mean something to fans because teams are putting out their best teams for every game. And a cup competition that would be getting larger amounts of serious press and media coverage, almost weekly, just for those same reasons. Suddenly the cup would really matter.

A surprise winning team from the Championship might use that prize money to massively improve their chances on a return to the Premier League, while a team like Portsmouth, Palace or Cardiff could solve most if not all of their problems in one game at Wembly. In this scenario, there's no way even teams like Man U, Chelsea or anyone else would turn their noses up at the chance to win it.
Tradition is wonderful, but money helps.

There would be secondary cash prize for players of course, but the main idea – a massive cash prize for the club – would be irresistible (and make good business sense for any brand looking to looking to capitalize on a unique opportunity).

Of course, the prize money comes with stipulations; owners must invest the money in the team and perhaps certain percentage must be divided up among players, things like that. All easily worked out.

But if there is an FA cup rule against it, currently,....change it.

If not, we could see the FA and Carling type cups eventually disappearing all together. That would be a shame because personally, I love the FA Cup and would like nothing better than to see it get the respect it deserves, but its going to take more than tradition to do that.

 

[bill]

I'd rather the FA cup not be sponsored at all. Look at what a sham the League cup has become!

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[antiloqus]

The problem would be that the FA cup is almost always won by a team at the top of the table, and usually one of the 'big four'meaning giving more money to them as a reward would mean that the rich get richer as the poor get poorer, increasing the divide between the top clubs and the rest in modern football.

 

[Chris12345]

Yeah, do you really think Millwall players would've found a little extra bit of strength on the pitch had they been playing for £20m rather than the highlight of their careers/lives...?

 

[davros]

The cup winners should qualify for a European cup for cup winners, which could be called the cup winners cup. The cup winners cup winners would win big cash for being the winners of the cup winners cup.

Simple.

 

[KentuckyYid]

Yeah, do you really think Millwall players would've found a little extra bit of strength on the pitch had they been playing for £20m rather than the highlight of their careers/lives...?

Probably not but would Millwall have made a final if the bigger teams took the cup seriously?

 

[Bill_Oddie]

Maybe they could work it so that the winners are invited onto a small plinth in the centre circle then asked a series of yes or no questions by a quizmaster, say Nick Knowles or someone, if they get through 60 seconds without saying yes, no, umming or ahhing (or hesitating, natch), they are asked three simple general knowledge questions.

Assuming these are answered correctly they get a choice of keys to open a set of boxes. Once they have made their selection the quizmaster attempts to 'buy' the key from them and they must make a choice between taking the money or opening the box, which could contain the 20million quid suggested above or it could contain a turd lain by Robbie Savage.

Of course, such original ideas as these are unlikely to be popular with the traditionalists but you can't deny it has a certain charm.

 

[riversmonkey]

Give the winner a place in the Champions League? (if the winner has already qualified for the Champions League then that place goes to whomever finishes 4th in the League).

 

[spurs mental]

Give the winner a place in the Champions League? (if the winner has already qualified for the Champions League then that place goes to whomever finishes 4th in the League).

What if you get a team outside the PL, who wouldn't have the structure to compete in the CL? Ok, its highly unlikely that would happen if there is a CL place up for grabs, all the big guns would come out in the FA Cup.

Imagine though, European football at Accrington Stanley or somewhere. :lol:

 

[riggi]

Millwall v Fenerbahce :lol:

 

[DogsOfWar]

I'd rather the FA cup not be sponsored at all. Look at what a sham the League cup has become!

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I don't entirely agree as for the last 5 or 6 years, since the advent of the genuine top four, those teams have needed to guarantee themselves at least 1 trophy.
As a result I'd argue that the competition is taken as seriously as the FA cup by them now which is echoed by the quality of the teams competing in the semis/finals within that time-frame.