Canucks4Ever
Well-Known Member
I have absolutely nothing to do with Surrey FC. I am asking a genuine question - why pay players when the return on your money is almost definitely none or negative. ?
I am actually interested in getting an answer on this as well. The VMSL is an amateur league. No major sponsors, no ticket sales, no TV rights. No prize money.
From my understanding, basically some teams are bankrolled by private interests who are paying players under the table in an effort to win championships for their own personal satisfaction?
IMHO the whole situation is a very slippery slope. As far as I know there are no formal contracts. So nothing is protecting the clubs from paying a player and then having that player take the money and not really show up and play. Visa versa, there is nothing to protect the player if the club has promised money and then later decides that they don't feel like paying. There's no collective bargaining agreement or interest groups (ie union) representing the players or the clubs. No formal rules about negotiating with players who are already committed to another club.
Plus it creates an imbalance in the league between teams that have a private backer (or youth club evidently) and ones that don't.
Perhaps someone can shed some light on this?