[Albion] If the Albion were taken over by Middle Eastern or a US company

[Zeberdi]

Arab states and US companies are both gaining too many British clubs imo

It’s globalisation innit - don’t think the the tide will turn back now - the take over of the British football industry by foreign investors is happening on a grand scale in other industries and has been for years, including land ownership, steel, supermarkets, pharmaceuticals, banks even British defence contractors
A rather controversial deal is a British Asthma Inhaler manufacturer being bought out by an American cigarette company ffs.

Oil producing countries are looking to invest billions in global sports as demand for fossil fuels decreases so it’s going to get worse.

At a time in the future- We may have to choose ( or our shareholders will) whether we want Brighton to stay a club with one of the lowest turnovers in the PL and tread water in the middle to bottom but with a clean conscience and a feel good local connection (with the risk of relegation eventually as more ‘big money’ gets poured into European/British top tier potentially squeezing us out) or become part of the problem.

That choice may simply boil down to our aspirations as a club - Europe and the CL with the Big Boys in some kind of de facto super rich league where only clubs with (morally questionable ) state backed ownership can compete? Or gradually slip into a some kind of lower tier where we can be a big fish in a smaller pond.

I’m sure there are other options that won’t necessitate us selling out for ‘dirty money’ if that’s the issue but the sources of such funding I think is getting drier.

 

[JamesAndTheGiantHead]

If it’s Aunt Jemima’s old-timey cookie consortium, I might be able to stomach an American takeover. If it’s anyone sinister then I’d jump ship.

Up the fishboys!

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

I've chosen to interpret this as "what would you do if the Albion were taken over by somebody you find truly objectionable", although I agree with those who've said lumping US investors in with murderous petro-states is unfair.
Anyway - my local non-league team is Darlington Railway Athletic. Currently play in Wearside League Division One, which is confusing as we're nowhere near Wearside.
I might just follow Newhaven from afar.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Increasingly I see the Bloom family as representing my support of the Albion. The Goldstone has gone, as has struggling against the odds. As long as Tony and heirs are in charge we have fan ownership which marks us as different from most of the rest. A sale to foreign billionaires would be a good cut off for me and a good time to start supporting my local team Tranmere Rovers full time.

 

[The Fits]

Not a chance that I'd stay involved in any way. The most important thing in my life beyond family and a few friends for 43 years but I say that without hesitation.
It won't happen, thankfully.

 

[US Seagull]

Although, remember Donald Trump is an American, or some say he is, and there are a lot of seriously deluded Americans that support him vigorously.

True. But a lot of Brits also voted for Brexit. So, swings and roundabouts, innit?

 

[BN9 BHA]

I might just follow Newhaven from afar.

 

[Brian Fantana]

I’d still be here. Enjoying the top four finishes and glamorous European away trips. Unapologetically so.

 

[Guinness Boy]

The spread of votes would suggest not that pointless. Is it not a question you have thought about, regardless of how unlikely it is?

Nope. Bloom’s not going to sell. It’s irrelevant hand wringing

 

[Kosh]

Absolutely no chance I’d follow the club or put my money into some God awful regime... so, I’d support Witton Albion or Stalybridge Celtic, both of whom my great uncle played for.

 

[bn1&bn3 Albion]

I've already given up my ST and only go to about 1/3 of home games but if we ended up being another "sportswashing" case, I wouldn't be giving the club a penny.

 

[Javeaseagull]

I remember when we were staring at extinction years ago having a conversation with a Fulham supporter. They had been in serious trouble before Al Fayed saved them. I said something like what do you do if your club goes out of business? He said, “you stop going to football.” I agreed with him.

 

[Sea Cider]

As has been said, rubbish poll. Saudi Arabia slightly different to American Express

 

[Sea Cider]

But if it was Saudi or Qatar for example, I would start following Lewes instead

 

[Icy Gull]

Nope. Bloom’s not going to sell. It’s irrelevant hand wringing

Posting a poll about how you’d feel if Albion got taken over is irrelevant hand wringing?

It sure beats posting put downs at every opportunity, which you specialise in, try lightening up eh?

 

[Whoislloydy]

I'd likely switch my following to Worthing

 

[Sheebo]

Would never stop following the club and going obviously - it’s in my blood.

Doesn’t mean I’d be happy with it if it was a Newcastle type of takeover of course and I’d join in protests.

But how can anyone turn their back on their club over something out of the fans’ hands - madness for me.

 

[Triggaaar]

I've gone option 2. I wouldn't just start protesting unless there seemed like a specific reason. Not all middle eastern countries or US companies are the same.

 

[T.G]

Forest Green Rovers would be my new club!

 

[hart's shirt]

Firstly, it could be argued we're already in the big time (the EPL), competing for Europe this season and above two big teams.


Regarding the Middle East, there's 17 UN-recognised countries (plus one British Overseas Territory) that could be involved here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_East

Would anyone have a moral issue with being taken over by an investor from Cyprus, Jordan, Lebanon or Palestine?

Albion have had no problem employing an Omani, (Al-Habsi), an Iranian (Jahanbakhsh) and Israeli players (Kayal and Hemed).

There are no protests when Albion play against Liverpool's Salah (Egypt) and Leicester's Söyüncü (Turkey).

And a month or so ago, the Albion along with many other clubs headed off for warm weather training in Dubai (UAE).

That's 10 Middle Eastern countries name-checked, well over half of the total number.

There's a clear danger of generalising based on false equivalence here.

i.e. "Cyprus is a Middle Eastern country. Human rights abuses have happened in the Middle East. So you shouldn't holiday in Cyprus."

No disrespect meant to Icy here, but having lived in the Middle East for 16 years, it's a bit too geographically simplistic for me.

But then again, we Europeans are all the same, aren't we?