Mark Goldbridge gives controversial view on Premier League games played abroad as owners speak out

Mark Goldbridge gives a controversial view on Premier League games played abroad as several club owners and chairmen speak out.

He has expressed his support for the idea of Premier League games being played outside the UK. and believes that as the league’s popularity grows globally, it makes sense to consider playing games abroad, much like how NFL games played in London.

Goldbridge adds that if the 3pm blackout is removed, it would be fair to other countries to host Premier League matches since they already have access to the games.

Goldbridge has his say on Premier League games being played outside of the UK… pic.twitter.com/BMI4ZYGzO4

— That’s Football! (@ThatsFootballTV) July 26, 2024

In the gone viral clip, Mark Goldbridge says: “Would you be totally opposed to any Premier League competitive games leaving the UK, or are you open to it in some way, shape or form because you can’t stand in the way of progress?

“There is huge amounts of money that come into the Premier League because of a global audience and if you don’t do it, you better be sure your neighbour John’s going to do it. And what I mean by that, La Liga, the Italian League who lag behind the Premier League for revenue and appeal, will step into those markets in an attempt to try and make them more appealing.

“And this is where I’m going to do the mic drop and you should have stayed till the end.

“I as a football fan, am not opposed to this. If you get rid of the 3:00pm blackout, because if you’re going to give America or another country some of our Premier League games, they already get to watch 3pm games as it is.

“So you’re taking more away from the English game to the international audience that already gets to watch games that we can’t.

“And I think that is what I would say as a fan.

“If you want a conversation about taking games to America, then you better clear this 3pm blackout and let us be able to legitimately watch every single game like they can in America already because they’re already getting a better viewing experience and now you’re going to give them games mic drop.”

His comments have since gone viral, getting over 4.5 millions views and thousands of comments in just the space of a few days since being uploaded online.

Liverpool chairman Tom Werner said in June that it was his dream to see the club play competitive matches in New York.

Werner: “I’m determined one day to have a Premier League game be played in New York City.

“I even have the sort of crazy idea that there would be a day where we play one [Premier League] game in Tokyo, one [Premier League] game a few hours later in LA, one [Premier League] game in Rio, one [Premier League] game a few hours later in Riyadh and make it sort of a day where the Premier League is celebrated.”

Bournemouth owner Bill Foley gave his thoughts from America, when talking with BBC Sport in Santa Barbara, during a pre-season tour: “I believe what we are doing today (playing pre-season friendlies in America and elsewhere) – and there are other pre-season games – is what we should be doing.

“In terms of playing actual Premier League matches in America?

“We should play in the UK.

“That is where they belong.

“I am very respectful of our fans and the whole system.

“I wouldn’t want to be involved in changing any of that.

“I believe if you talk to our fans at Bournemouth, they think Foley actually respects our system and respects our heritage. And I do.

“Premier League games in America? No.”

Fifa are reportedly to endorse the plan after setting up a working group to look into the idea.

Premier League clubs appear divided on what would be a dramatic change, with Chelsea also thought to be in favour.

Arsenal co-chairman Josh Kroenke meanwhile vows to oppose taking Premier League matches to America despite any potential huge offers from US broadcasters.

But in a meeting of the Arsenal Advisory Board and the Gay Gooners group, Kroenke is seemingly against the idea of a Stateside switch.

He said: “While it does sound attractive to a broadcaster or to Fifa, we’re happy with the current arrangement in the schedule, both domestically and in Europe.

“As a club, we have worked incredibly hard on and off the pitch the past few years and with input led by this group.

“Our goal is to re-establish a meaningful connection with our supporters, help shape club policy where appropriate and develop trust in the direction we are heading as a club.

“For anyone who has been at the Emirates the past few years, what we have now is very special.

“We want to host as many matches as possible so our players feel the love and injection of energy that is provided by the fans.”

Sadiq Khan backs calls to play Premier League games abroad and reveals which club he supports

This is how fans reacted as Mark Goldbridge gives a controversial view on Premier League games played abroad as more and more club owners speak out…

@HLTCO: I couldn’t disagree with this more. Moving league games to other countries feels totally unnecessary; I wouldn’t want to watch the Red Sox at The London Stadium, I’d want to watch them at Fenway Park, that’s part of the intoxication; the venue and the history that goes alongside it is just as important as the team you’re watching. Match-going fans in this country are already treated like an afterthought. Kick off times are routinely moved for TV at short-notice despite people having to make trips hundreds of miles, clubs are removing concession and OAP pricing from stadiums, TV packages cost a bomb. If you think “progress” is only measured by the money that rolls into the Premier League, you’re missing the point as far as I’m concerned.

@OfficialVizeh: ⚠️HOT TAKE⚠️ The entire fucking point of football clubs existing in first place was to represent their community, to put their area on the map. If you’re a Man Utd fan, you want to experience the actual culture of the club? You go to Old Trafford, you experience the history. It’s only inevitable games will be sold to highest bidder I understand, money always wins. However, if a football club no longer services its community, it’s no longer a football club but a brand

@OddAlerts: It doesn’t impact you really does it.

@lewisreesy: Completely against it one reason why I buy a season ticket to go to game because I live local. I don’t buy so I can travel to another country to watch it

@liamb0117: Unsurprising that a man who never goes to games and makes a career pandering to the modern fan, would prefer to have an extra £2m to spend in the transfer window rather than maintain the sanctity of the beautiful game in his home country

@WiggumCharm: Fuck off. People like Goldbridge have zero, and I mean ZERO, stake in our game. The only people who should have a say on existential matters for football are those who engage and invest in attending matches – not the leeches who are determined to rip the heart out of it all.

@_kieranbl: Not many people on this app come up with more shit than Mark Goldbridge. How he’s been given a platform to spout shit when he hasn’t been to a live game in his life is staggering. Thrives off a foreign audience and does what he can to please them. Absolute melt

@ImJamieMartin: “Can’t stand in the way of progress” For god sake. Is money the only benchmark for progress? 🤦‍♂️

@ulsterreddevil: I’m fully opposed. Another money grab at the expense of fans

@R12wan: No, Brent. No.

@FPL_WadeWilson: Armchair fan doesn’t mind… what a shocker! Doesn’t impact him does it 🙄

@CoachKGaming: Huge amount of money comes into the PL from abroad despite there being no games abroad and that level continues to increase.

@SirTurbo2023: As an American I agree, we play a couple of our American football games in the UK, why not return the favor

@Pandamonium1881: Shut up @markgoldbridge. New age fan who doesn’t even attend games and is actually only interested in clicks and the £££ revenue like some horrible agent. Anyone taking this guy seriously needs to scratch their head and then bugger off to watch croquet

@Carefree_Jam: What a giant L this is

@DavidcondronLfc: This is just wrong. Who cares if La Liga or Seria A have games in America. I don’t want Liverpool games in America. Football is about the fans. Not trying to sell the game. Ridiculous take

@DanQCarruthers: Hi, American here. I am opposed to this. Part of what makes the premier league special is the atmosphere at the grounds. Over here you wouldn’t have an away fans end, it would be just one giant mix up of people who support either club or people who just want to see a match..

@PaulE2Spurs: He’s a plastic fan so he’s never going to understand.

@dannyschof81: football is just a TV show for brent whatever he’s calling himself these days. he’s not a supporter, he’s a viewer. he’s taken far more out of the game than he’s ever put in. also, he’s unbelievably weird.

@MUFC__Kian: We get it mark, you don’t go to the games anyway so makes no difference to you. Moving it abroad takes away from the fans who actually want to see the game in their own stadiums.

@rebekkarnold: A 40 something year old man who films himself in his tartan pyjamas watching football every single week doesn’t mind the English Premier League being played in America? Who would’ve seen that one coming.

@BigCool0070562: He’s never been to a game and therefore will never understand.

@Robbo_1892: Says the man who never goes to games. Hence why he’s not arsed where they’re played.

@SmnLlyd5: Totally shocked to discover a man who watches games on streams in a bedroom which he’s mocked up as a studio doesn’t mind if games go abroad, thus taking the sport and its clubs further away from their local communities and long-standing match-going supporters

@KyeRodgers90: Coming from a bloke that never goes to the games

@SamBirdyy: Why is it so hard to grasp for glory supporting non match going fans that us match going lot don’t care about the progress of the league and how it competes with other European leagues? We just wanna go, have a laugh with our mates and watch the games