Guilt-free football options

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 PaulJepson 21 Nov 2022

So I really like watching tournament football and I'm frankly gutted that I can't do so. I thought I'd be alright but I already want to watch England and we're 2 days in. If we get out of the group stages, I'm going to really struggle to hold out. 

Avoiding live matches isn't a problem as I'm at work. 

Is there a way of watching the highlights guilt-free, or am I always going to be legitimising human-rights violations? What if I promise not to mention the football to ANYONE whilst watching shonky pirate youtube uploads, in private browser, and chanting 'BOO Qatar'? Can I get round it, or am I really going to have to miss a whole World Cup? 

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 arch 21 Nov 2022
In reply to PaulJepson:

I'd just watch it if I was you.

4
 john arran 21 Nov 2022
In reply to PaulJepson:

What are you achieving by not watching it?

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OP PaulJepson 21 Nov 2022
In reply to john arran:

Not contributing towards legitimising a country who's values don't align with my own or financing an organisation which has proven to be corrupt and turned a blind eye to above-mentioned values in return for having their palms crossed with silver. If I can still watch our lads have a kickaround without doing that, it would brighten my dreary life.  

6
 john arran 21 Nov 2022
In reply to PaulJepson:

But, at this stage, how is your not watching actually achieving any of that?

I'm fully on board with boycotting all sorts of products for a variety of ethical reasons, knowing full well that my own contribution will be making barely more than an infinitessimal difference. But in this case I'm struggling to see any tangible difference at all, especially watching games on BBC with no adverts. Happy to be enlightened though.

2
 MeMeMe 21 Nov 2022
In reply to PaulJepson:

Can you do some kind of human rights offsetting by donating to Amnesty International?

1
 SDM 21 Nov 2022
In reply to john arran:

If there's a significant reduction in the number of views the broadcasters get, this will definitely be noticed and will potentially reduce the amount people are willing to pay for broadcast rights and sponsorship deals for future world cups.

A few years ago, it didn't matter much whether an individual chose to tune in to the live game or highlights because only a select few households actually got counted in the viewing figures. But these days, where most people are going to watch games/highlights via iplayer/itv hub/bbc website/youtube etc etc, and not via live terrestrial tv, every viewer contributes to the broadcaster's figures.

As with all of these things, one person choosing not to watch doesn't make a difference, but enough people making that same choice will.

1
 Rob Parsons 21 Nov 2022
In reply to PaulJepson:

Nobody cares what you do in this regard. As for guilt - that's a personal thing for you to sort out.

The England-Iran game was good - and that Sterling goal was an absolute peach. Still thinking about the poor old Iranian goalie though - how he was even allowed to continue playing after that knock on the head defies belief.

Post edited at 18:25
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OP PaulJepson 21 Nov 2022
In reply to john arran:

If no one watched it then companies would be less interested in being financially involved with it and fifa would realise they cant just do what they want and that not everything can be bought and sold? 

Obviously me alone not watching it makes very little difference but you can say the same thing about a lot of things. 

It's all a big money-spinner at the end of the day, and I'd rather not be any part of it.

1
 philipivan 21 Nov 2022
In reply to PaulJepson:

Just watch it, the average person probably learns more about different countries by watching sport than anything else. Take heart in the fact the Qatar team appear to be sh*t. I was impressed that Iran didn't sing their anthem and that there were multiple protest signs about the Iran issues in the crowd. England doing well and keeping issues on the screen throughout the tournament will share messages more than a complete boycott. Yes, a lot of the business stuff is disgusting, but it's rampant in all the league football and worldwide anyway. I'm already enjoying it more than the Beijing Olympics if that helps?

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 Rob Parsons 21 Nov 2022
In reply to PaulJepson:

> ... I'd rather not be any part of it.

I think that's your decision made then, isn't it?

 swintona95 22 Nov 2022
In reply to PaulJepson:

Stream it online with adblock, nobody gets revenue, problem solved

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 montyjohn 22 Nov 2022
In reply to PaulJepson:

> So I really like watching tournament football and I'm frankly gutted that I can't do so.

Whilst Qatar has a long way to go, they've improved a lot in a short space of time. Excluding countries that we think are moving in the right direction will do no good for those you are concerned about. The last thing you want is Qatar to only have countries like Saudi Arabia to engage with. It might not feel right, but it's better to engage with these countries for the long term benefit of its residents.

How many people only know about the problems in Qatar due to the world cup? 

> Is there a way of watching the highlights guilt-free

I don't really understand your logic.

Here's a question. Do you think the World Cup in Qatar is more likely to have a positive or negative impact on LGB rights in Qatar?

 Babika 22 Nov 2022
In reply to PaulJepson:

The trouble with this virtue signalling is you're really going to have to go some. 

Qatar are the 10th biggest asset owners in UK; ever been in Harrods,? up the Shard?  shop in Sainsburys? bank with Barclays? buy fuel at Shell....etc etc.

And the asset holdings aren't just in London, its industrial estates, housing etc all over the country. Better do some serious investigation to make this land or you could inadvertently undo all your hard non-watching by buying a coffee in the wrong place!

By all means boycott a nasty regime - that is laudable if ineffective, but not watching The Beautiful Game? Nah.

3
 bouldery bits 22 Nov 2022
In reply to PaulJepson:

I play 7 a side most Monday nights with my brother's work lot. 

Down the leisure centre. 

I'll do you a season ticket for £30 and the Bouldery Bits replica shirt is also available. 

 Dave the Rave 22 Nov 2022
In reply to PaulJepson:

I’m not watching it purely because it’s in our winter and not summer as it traditionally is.

I can’t stand that to the point I won’t even look at the results. It’s buggered our leagues run up to the Christmas games and taken something away.

As I’m not watching it for these reasons and nothing else, then you can have my place and watch it guilt free?

Post edited at 20:33
OP PaulJepson 22 Nov 2022
In reply to Babika:

I don't do any of those things but more by luck than design. I take your point. 

However, it's a bit like cutting down meat rather than going vegan. It's still a good thing to do, even if there are lots of other battles to pick.

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 Robert Durran 22 Nov 2022
In reply to Dave the Rave:

> I’m not watching it purely because it’s in our winter and not summer as it traditionally is.

I think this is a great time of year for the world cup. Much less likely to clash with cragging plans.

 Ciro 22 Nov 2022
In reply to john arran:

> What are you achieving by not watching it?

If you do don't watch it, you won't talk about it.

If enough people don't talk about it, the papers and internet and TV news channels won't be able to sell themselves by talking about it.

If the media can't use it to make money, FIFA will take a massive hit on the value of sponsorship for the next world cup.

If the sponsorship money goes down, the money in the brown paper bags will also shrink.

If the bribes shrink, they'll never allow an authoritarian regime to use their tournaments for sportwashing again.

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 Robert Durran 22 Nov 2022
In reply to Ciro:

> If the media can't use it to make money, FIFA will take a massive hit on the value of sponsorship for the next world cup.

I think this is the weak link in your reasoning. The next world cup is not in an authoritarian country. People will be relieved to watch it without guilt and the sponsors will be queuing up. 

 afx22 22 Nov 2022
In reply to PaulJepson:

My take is that because of the World Cup, the issues are being highlighted, when otherwise they would not be getting the same focus.

As a bonus, it was great to see Iran team taking the opportunity to use their platform to protest against their own regime.

 Dave the Rave 22 Nov 2022
In reply to Robert Durran:

> I think this is a great time of year for the world cup. Much less likely to clash with cragging plans.

I get your point Robert, but I tend to right off hills/crags etc after early June until late September. Don’t like the heat and folk, you see. I would sooner have the extended season then, and a full vidiprinter of all English and Scottish league teams scores  on a winter weekend

 Robert Durran 22 Nov 2022
In reply to Dave the Rave:

> I get your point Robert, but I tend to right off hills/crags etc after early June until late September. 

You are definitely an oddity then!

 Dave the Rave 22 Nov 2022
In reply to Robert Durran:

> You are definitely an oddity then!

Thanks, I have aspired to that, it means a lot

 Yanis Nayu 23 Nov 2022
In reply to PaulJepson:

If you feel that strongly, don’t watch it and stop moaning. 

1
 dunc56 23 Nov 2022
In reply to john arran:

>watching games on BBC with no adverts. Happy to be enlightened though.

There are still the pitch side hoardings....

 Rob Parsons 23 Nov 2022
In reply to dunc56:

> There are still the pitch side hoardings....

Funny you mention that. There was quite a prominent pitch-side advert for Hyundai cars at one of yesterday's games, so I immediately went out and ordered two. And I can't even drive!

 jimtitt 23 Nov 2022
In reply to Ciro:

> If you do don't watch it, you won't talk about it.

> If enough people don't talk about it, the papers and internet and TV news channels won't be able to sell themselves by talking about it.

> If the media can't use it to make money, FIFA will take a massive hit on the value of sponsorship for the next world cup.

> If the sponsorship money goes down, the money in the brown paper bags will also shrink.

> If the bribes shrink, they'll never allow an authoritarian regime to use their tournaments for sportwashing again.

Germany ahead of you, one of our largest supermarket chains has cancelled it's advertising contract with the DFB, dumped the merchandising and given tue  money for itema already sold to charity. And the national team made sure viewing numbers drop to an all-time low by losing to Japan.


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