[Football] Big Team Bias

[WATFORD zero]

Is there a bias towards the big teams and if so, where does it come from ?

 

[Sheebo]

Conscious and unconscious bias. Just listen to the commentary in depth. The media is where it comes from. The brands and the hype. They literally added on time for Man U to have another chance yesterday. There was a throw in that the guy wasn’t in a hurry to take - could’ve blown then. Then he should have blown before the corner was given - as time was well, well up. It’s a joke.

 

[Chicken Run]

Is there a bias towards the big teams and if so, where does it come from ?

Yes, across the board, if that happened in a top six v top six they’d be discussing around the world nearly 24 hours later.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[yxee]

Media bias, of course, they need to appeal to maximum viewers to maximize ad revenue which means focusing on teams that win because people support teams that win.

Refs? Nah

 

[pb21]

Primarily an unconscious bias, related to Refs in being in awe of big clubs/players.

I don't think it's intentional but the refs aren't able to act entirely objectively over a 90 minute period (100 minute... ), when making quick decisions.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Is there a bias towards the big teams and if so, where does it come from ?

All the hacks in the press keep up with the Billy Big bollox teams, giving them niceties, so as when it comes to pre and post match interviews, they're still accepted.
As if they dare say anything negative, they'll end up scrapping for soundbites off social media.
How many times has Fergie etc refused to speak to the hacks in the past.

Wouldn't happen with #TeamsLikeBrighton

 

[portslade seagull]

Is there a bias towards the big teams and if so, where does it come from ?

Definitely towards the big 6. Referees don't expect little clubs to perform like we did yesterday. Reckon they protect them too much due to the price they pay for the players which slant the decisions to the big team. A 60m player must be much better than a 5m one in a lot of refs view. Although we as fans know this is not the case. Would the Penalty have been given in our favour at the end of the match after the final whistle, very debatable

 

[Icy Gull]

I used to think it was big team crowd influence but since crowds aren’t there anymore I accept it’s just weak officials not having the cojones to play fair. Maybe they all support big teams. Having a ref from the City of one of the teams is unacceptable imo too. Imagine the fallout if there was a Brighton born ref in charge of one of our games favouring us

 

[Hugo Rune]

Here are three comparisons.

Two tackles on Connolly vs two tackles on Shaw:

Seemed like four identical tackles. We were denied two penalties whilst the ref gave them free kicks (one leading to a goal) and yellows for the same type of foul on Utd players.

Defenders fouled in the box:

Man Utd’s awful defenders and keeper dived about 6 times in their own box when under pressure, a freekick was given each time. Where as Dunk was dragged out of the way by Maguire who kicked his leg which then made contact with the ball and that was a goal. Seems that there was no VAR to overturn a Man Utd goal unless their player is a metre or two offside.

The ball goes out:

The ball seemed to go out of play with us in the first half. A fraction of it might have been on the line but we did not get the decision. Just before Utd’s winner, it seemed like the ball was about an inch out, they got the benefit of the doubt.

And as for the Fergie time at the end! FFS [emoji35]

 

[Monkey Man]

It's just the way of the world. The Premier League was always intended as a showpiece for teams like Man U, Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea etc – teams that have global followings and are hugely marketable.

Teams like Brighton, West Brom, Fulham, Palace etc are bit players and they come and go from season to season. Our marketing potential is smaller and our fanbases are essentially local.

We all know that's the deal. The media will always fixate on the fortunes of those big clubs – and for us supporters of the smaller sides, the thrill is really all about climbing as far as we can and spoiling the party from time to time.

I think we get a pretty fair press. In seasons when we were defensively solid, but dull to watch, the media said as much. Now we're pacy and exciting – and often very unlucky – pundits give us plenty of credit.

In the scheme of things, let's be realistic: the bigger story is not Palace beating Man U, or Brighton deserving to beat Man U. It's "why are Man U struggling against teams like Palace and Brighton?"

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Unfortunately I see encouraging refs to look again at decisions by the pitch side gives them a chance to favour the top six to our disadvantage. I have always felt VAR evened things out, but the pitch side review allows the on field ref to get back in on the decision. I still bloody love VAR, but not the pitch side version.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Reckon it's generally more a case of 'little' teams feeling hard done by. Maybe - not mentioning any names - they're just less capable of / more naive about maintaining focus on the advantage of a goal they just scored for more than about three minutes or running the clock down. It's like they don't know what in do in that position because they haven't had that element of a game plan drilled into them

 

[vagabond]

100%. Subconsciously most likely, but there is Bias by officials and by the media.

It’s not often you get hard evidence, but yesterday was for sure.

After our game not ONE pundit even discussed or asked the question why Man Utd had a corner in the 97th minute after 5mins injury time. We know for a fact we would not get that corner at Old Trafford if roles were reversed.

And the narrative became “great character from Utd”. Sickening.

Even before the game the media is galling. On Lamptey: “full credit to Chelsea for not standing in his way”. Just abhorrent.

But we are not a trendy big club. So we’re going to have to deal with and get used to this.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

100%. Subconsciously most likely, but there is Bias by officials and by the media.

It’s not often you get hard evidence, but yesterday was for sure.

After our game not ONE pundit even discussed or asked the question why Man Utd had a corner in the 97th minute after 5mins injury time. We know for a fact we would not get that corner at Old Trafford if roles were reversed.

And the narrative became “great character from Utd”. Sickening.

Even before the game the media is galling. On Lamptey: “full credit to Chelsea for not standing in his way”. Just abhorrent.

But we are not a trendy big club. So we’re going to have to deal with and get used to this.

IMHO any 'media bias' has little or no bearing on the passage of play. And if there is indeed any bias in the match officials, reckon that yesterday, if played in front of a 30k Amex crowd, they would have been far more swayed by a baying home crowd, in particular whistling for the game time to be up, than by any perceived 'big team bias. Sorry, yesterday's result was hard to take, cruel even, but we only tend to remember the ones we're on the wrong end of

 

[Thunder Bolt]

It's just the way of the world. The Premier League was always intended as a showpiece for teams like Man U, Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea etc – teams that have global followings and are hugely marketable.

Teams like Brighton, West Brom, Fulham, Palace etc are bit players and they come and go from season to season. Our marketing potential is smaller and our fanbases are essentially local.

We all know that's the deal. The media will always fixate on the fortunes of those big clubs – and for us supporters of the smaller sides, the thrill is really all about climbing as far as we can and spoiling the party from time to time.

I think we get a pretty fair press. In seasons when we were defensively solid, but dull to watch, the media said as much. Now we're pacy and exciting – and often very unlucky – pundits give us plenty of credit.

In the scheme of things, let's be realistic: the bigger story is not Palace beating Man U, or Brighton deserving to beat Man U. It's "why are Man U struggling against teams like Palace and Brighton?"

A classic example last season when we beat Spurs 3-0. All the discussion was why Spurs played so badly.

 

[Sheebo]

IMHO any 'media bias' has little or no bearing on the passage of play. And if there is indeed any bias in the match officials, reckon that yesterday, if played in front of a 30k Amex crowd, they would have been far more swayed by a baying home crowd, in particular whistling for the game time to be up than by any perceived 'big team bias

Yes I think if a crowd was in there he may have blown up and not tried to help Man U so much, which clearly happened from all the officials several times.

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/man-utd-brighton-var-referee-22747518

 

[The Upper Library]

It is entirely fuelled by media obsession. Refs fear the fall out and scrutiny from the media. As for the commentary it is beyond laughable - bordering on a psychological condition .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[vagabond]

IMHO any 'media bias' has little or no bearing on the passage of play. And if there is indeed any bias in the match officials, reckon that yesterday, if played in front of a 30k Amex crowd, they would have been far more swayed by a baying home crowd, in particular whistling for the game time to be up, than by any perceived 'big team bias. Sorry, yesterday's result was hard to take, cruel even, but we only tend to remember the ones we're on the wrong end of

Oh, agree. I’m not saying the media bias influences the decisions, but it’s all a part of the inherent bias towards the bigger, more fashionable clubs.

It’s understandable to a degree, they have the world wide massive support. They have the history, the superstar players on jaw dropping wages.

I’m used to and accept the media build up for Prem games against top 6 now. It’s all big club, big club, big club, quick mention of us, big club big club.

But on the pitch I’m convinced there is subtle bias at work, even if subconscious, and also because the referee is understandably aware he’s being scrutinised by the bigger club and it’s global fan base. We saw it happen to Cardiff if I remember as well.

I will accept it, but yesterday was pretty solid evidence in my eyes.

 

[Frankie]

Absolutely, even the pundits will constantly bang on about the (big club) after a defeat and hardly bother mentioning the team that actually turned them over .

 

[Don Tmatter]

Inadequate and weak minded officials