Andy’s Sting In The Tale (27/09/24) “The Racing Certainty is ‘Football Doesn’t Care’ “
Date: 27th September 2024
(Photo:@Homesoffootball)
Not much shocks me in football any more.
But I was genuinely taken aback and deeply saddened today reading a wee internet piece on Auntie Beeb about a particular marketing and commercial onslaught into our game by what can only be described as a very profitable, increasingly powerful, and deeply cynical, Pariah industry, with deep, deep pockets and questionable morals.
And unlike the openness of the equally outrageous Netanyahu blitz on Lebanon as I write, our parallel football bombardment is sort-of under the radar and disturbingly with the tacit approval of Westminster, Holyrood, and the 6th floor.
You didn’t know it but last weekend, and every weekend you, me, and UK football fans of all ages were deluged/bombarded/blitzed by 29,000 gambling ads via hoardings, shirt logos as well as radio mentions, social media, press accreditations and worst of all algorithm-targeted interactive inducements.
Statistically some Scottish kids were encouraged by the marketing into making their first forage into having a flutter and I hope with all that is in me that they lost, and lost heavily.
I say that because first time winnings are proven to be a golden key to a lifetime of despair.
There was, is, no place for fans to hide from the integrated marketing deluge and no there is no respect for age or susceptibility despite the hollow claims from ‘Big Gambling’, your ‘special friend’, that they care.
“We Care and Want to be Your Bestest Friend”.
But in reality, like any shallow playground buddy they are just after a constant share of our ‘sweets’ and accordingly hell-bent on not just constant recruitment for new blood, but also constant ‘
normalisation’ of a product that brings a little joy but has a dark side that damages lives and leads to a suicide of an ‘under 30’ in Scotland every fortnight or so.
Our Research Tells Us
Just 32.1% of fans approve of gambling’s role in Scottish football.
54.7% are dead against any role for gambling.
And 13.2% want more information but are so far not in favour.
We also get told about the sponsorship revenues by the SPFL and how well their commercial team are doing to deliver such revenues.
Nagumbi, guys!
NAGUMBI!
We get constantly assured that all is well because of the wonderful ‘protection’ schemes created, agreed and introduced to protect our young club signings too.
So Football knows gambling is troublesome especially to young people and fans and therefore is being ‘ultra hypocritical in plain sight’.
BUT
Sneakily there is never any big picture information about the real harm of normalising a process that creates and exacerbates havoc
right through our communities.
That is quite outrageous guys ‘on the 6th floor’ and ‘sitting on the benches in government’.
Take it from a career marketing man, the Gambling Cos ‘instant inter-activeness’, and tailored purchase-inducements/incentives for mug, target-punters especially newbies are the worst and the lowest form of digital marketing.
Right up there with the scammers.
In fact it is all cynical scam in full daylight and because the damage is delayed everyone ‘untouched’ has moved on.
But the victims are snared.Like happens with smoking.
Like class 1 drugs.
Nothing is simple.
The harm to those who are harmed is very, very, real, but downstream. That is the back door of respectability that they all hide behind.What I know is if you are like me then all their corrupt and corrupting spend goes WHOOSH over my head and I can tell them they are wasting their pound notes.I say that knowing I don’t mind an occasional flutter but I also know that the only person who ever gets rich isn’t me.
The bookie always wins.(I also remember the pain of my win bonus ‘evaporating’ on the back seat of the bus on the road between Peterhead and Inverness, (And I thought I was good at three card brag).
The Bristol Research also announced today that there is a 160% increase of betting marketing/interactions with punters and target punters year on year.
That alone should have been the leading headline shouting loud all over the UK and a subject much more worthy of discussion than whoever 
is the new leader of the Scottish Tories or which donor is paying for or gifting Sir Keir’s Box at Arsenal.
You don’t have to be a genius to see the last UK government got a lot wrong but the truth is they were in the process of mandating proper controls on the Gambling industry and its freedoms that nobody saw when the Gambling Legislation was statured 20 years ago.
The industry fought back.
A dirty fight.
What happened was the sheer lobbying power of the Gambling Industry won the first skirmish and since then has been preparing to repel any future moves to restrict its freedoms.
Think of the tobacco industry lobby on speed.
Think of corrupt self-interest alliances and well funded lobbyists.
Think of dark rooms and dodgy deals and wee promises.
For the record, the University of Bristol undertook the research and it was funded by ‘Gambling Aware’ which is actually a wee in-house unit funded by the gambling industry.
I don’t know if it does ‘what it is told to’ or is autonomous.
I suspect a mix of both.
So, there has been a little media traction today but not nearly enough.
Certainly not enough to make the fuss we all deserve.
The fuss that will save some Scottish kids becoming terminally suicidal.
Our politicians should be deeply worried about what the Gambling Industry is doing to us, our kids and our sports.
Our football administrators on the 6th floor should be taking the high ground.
Our Women’s game have already taken a ‘no gambling, no booze mantra’ and I applaud them for that.
But we are awash with dirty, dirty money and for our game to justify it by saying it is worth more than the current alternatives from ‘wholesome’ sponsors is just not good enough.
I’ve had that conversation as high as you can go.
The reality is our men’s sponsorship cupboard options are so bare that the decision makers are well practiced justifying the dirty money because of the sheer value.
It’s enough to make you greet and is wrong, plain wrong.
The Gambling Industry knew in advance about the research and the launch today and is already fighting back against any possible reaction in the media.Industrial, Aggressive, Self-Justification Crap Like:
“Our members take a zero-tolerance approach to betting by children”.
(So deep down how can we be a threat?)
“We commit 20% of tv and radio advertising to safer gambling messages and provide funding to the UK’s most popular sports”.
(We know we do harm but still want to harvest an ever bigger and more substantial percentage of your sweets and the more people we harvest sweets from, the more our profits grow. And we do give back a tiny fraction of what we screw from fans so we’re good guys. Honest).
“This Bristol University research fundamentally misunderstands both advertising and the way it is strictly regulated, while making a series of statements which are either misleading or incorrect”.
(Yes the funding was from the gambling industry, and yes it contains some home truths and stuff we’d prefer not to be in the public domain, but we will fight our corner to stop gambling advertising being restricted in the future).“Betting advertising and sponsorship must comply with strict guidelines and safer gambling tools and signposts to provide help for those concerned about their betting”.
(We also have enough politicians in our back pockets to hide behind the current legislation and will fight hard to stop any changes.Aka Money Talks and always has.)
1. Well Done Celtic Women and Rangers
2 Fifty-Two Days?
3. Ripping Off Away Fans
4. Is there a Problem
1 Erin and Caroline Head for Glasgow, or maybe Airdrie?
First a great result in Malmo for our blue team whose success in Europe over the last few years has been nothing short of wonderful.
And two good games against much higher ranked Ukrainian Champions at Airdrie.
Watching last night, you just had to see the Ukrainian team’s faces pre-match, wrapped in Ukrainian flags and playing for their country.
You could see just how much reaching today’s elite and money-spinning draw meant to them.
Thanks to BBC Alba too for the coverage.
Chelsea, Real Madrid, and FC Twente, in a tough pool, so a homecoming for Erin and Caroline and 6 testing games.
Be great to sell out Parkhead.
2. Something Wrong Here ?
I’ve just seen John Moss our head VAR quite after just over 7 weeks.
I’d love to know why?
3. Who Made the Decision?
Hamilton seemingly want £25 per adult and £15 for kids tomorrow, if you are a Jags fan and want to be at the game.
That’s all I know.
If I was a fan I’d find something else to do.
Why are travelling fans treated like pariahs and ripped off rather than the VIPs they really are?
4. Hearing Disturbing News About Funding for Our Cerebral Palsy Heroes
They are a credit to Scotland but for less than a week’s wages to a squad player in our top league they might have to fold.
Sometimes Scottish Football really can’t see the wood from the trees.
More on this disturbing story next week.
That’s it for now.
Keep well and safe and see you next week.
Any insights appreciated as always
The List: Rosanne Cash
I didn’t know much about her but driving North at the time of the album was released, Radio Scotland featured her and I was sold on the concept and her music.
The story is that when she was 18 her dad, Johnny from Fife, handed her a list of 100 greatest Country and American songs and told her to look no further.
So 12 great tracks with 88 still to come I guess someday.
I don’t think the list was ever printed.
I love the guest appearances by Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello and Rufus Wainwright.
And ‘Sea of Heartbreak’, ‘Heartaches by the Number’ and ‘Long Black Veil’ are master classes but there is not a dud track in the 12.
Enjoy
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