There’s a problem with the English Premier League and there’s a really good book about it that I haven’t read. So, here’s my take.

Many years ago, so far back as about 12 years there was a wierd experiment for showing an England (mens) football friendly in some cinemas, streamed over the internet. And as we all knew at the time, it would never catch on. Imagine my surprise when in 2020 Bet365, a gambling company where streaming live FA Cup matches. I suppose that that could have been fine, in a way if it werent for the fact that to watch the game yuo needed to sign up and pay at least £5 in to your account, were shown live odds during the game, and this is the killer – the games were delayed by one minute to recognize William and Harry’s mental health campaign Heads Up. You couldn’t make this up. But you could have predicted it.

The first thing in my head about this -even if I hit a brain freeze for 10 minutes – is would this have been the issue it was if it didn’t coincide with the Heads Up week. My initial feeling is no. That’s because business is business, winners and losers, freedom of choice, don’t insult the intelligence of normal people, and all that. But then throw in a Royal dimension and everything changes on the Tory benches of the House of Commons. Even Iain Duncan Smith voiced his objections. Ian bloody Duncan Smith! Soon to be Sir IDS for his services to creating poverty.

The problem is that the government give money to the FA, or have to be involved or something and Prince William is the chairman/chair, or something of the FA. In short, someone fucked up and not just one, but seven betting companies are going to take a hit.

You can blame Europe for these problems – if you like – but one broadcaster cant have the rights to all the football, so rule were bent. In the case of the FA Cup, Sky sold some rights a sports broadcasting company, who the sold on some rights. The upside of which is that although they still have the games, the BBC will be able to broadcast the same games. As always, I haven’t fact checked, but who has the time to check facts? If the the upside is that people don’t get trapped in to debt and kill themselves, that can only be a good thing.

If only IDS has made an impassioned speech about the damage Universal Credit had done. Oh, hang on a minute!