Why are transfer fees so dramatically inflated in football? Why are fans therefore paying, in real terms, 400% more to watch the sport than they were in the 60s?Well, at one time clubs effectively 'owned' players as they signed their first contract and they maintained much control over what that player could do, even at the end of a contract.
In came freedom of contract which meant that as a player moved on at the end of a contract, there was an obligation for that player's new club to compensate the former club.
This achieved the right balance between the needs of the player and the club in a market wherein players/contracts were marketable commodities. It recognised that football was not quite the same as an ordinary person choosing to leave a particular job.
THEN in came the infamous Bosman Ruling in the European Courts.
It simply granted absolute power to all footballers and ensured that the giant clubs would compete with each other using telephone number salaries. Naturally, all of this was to the major detriment of both supporters - who had to fund the nonsense - and all professional clubs smaller than Chelsea!
Another disaster imposed by our EU/ECHR membership. (And yes, I am fully aware that these bodies are disingenuously claimed not to be inter-connected!)
The situation is also part of the reason why your Sky Sport package is so pricey.
