The problems with Greek soccer
When lots of soccer fans, even those with season tickets, are not there to watch their team defend their championship title, there is a problem. And if Olympiakos, which on Sunday clinched its 10th title in 11 years, has a problem, what about the other teams? Greek soccer is ailing. And it is not only the violence keeping fans away from the stands. It is also the spectacle that the teams project. The situation is deteriorating and no one seems to want to stop this decline. Team officials just want to make money from TV coverage and «convince» the government to absolve them of their debts. And state officials have been helping teams for years, worried about the «political cost.» If we can draw a positive message from Sunday’s match, it’s that the decision to stop teams from providing tickets to fan clubs has cleaned up the stands. Those well-behaved youngsters were a sight for sore eyes.
