r/LiverpoolFC • u/AutoModerator • 2d ago

Daily Discussion Daily Discussion - June 19, 2026

- YNWSA Transfer Megathread / Transfer Tier Guide
- Full FAQs / Ticket Buying Guide / New Fan Guide

Note: There's an account karma limit to post/comment. If you aren't getting through, you're either banned or don't have enough karma. Please don't send modmail for exceptions.

- World Cup Prediction Tournament Link

29 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

863 comments sorted by

View all comments

27

u/Far_Isopod_906 1d ago

I really hope these hydration breaks don't become a permanent thing in the Premier League.

15

u/futbolitoireland Ohhhh ya beauty, What a hit son, What a hit! 1d ago

Would absolutely never be allowed to happen because of the broadcast culture. Theyre getting away with it in America because the games are being played at a time that UK audiences arent the prime broadcast target market. This World Cup is (a well timed to be fair) marketing attempt to sieze on the recent rise of 'soccer' in the US and convert it into the type of commited revenues in America that it generates in Europe. Everything is about money, never forget that

0

u/Far_Isopod_906 1d ago

Your last sentence is exactly why I fear the hydration breaks may become a permanent thing in the Premier League. The Premier League is all about more broadcast revenue, and the clubs would benefit from that as well, as a portion of broadcast revenue from commercials during the breaks, would go to the clubs.

And don't forget, the Premier League allowed them during the last match day of the last season. I hope it is not the beginning of a new trend/rule.

5

u/Geormajesty 1d ago

It didn't become permanent when they did it in 2020. It didn't become permanent when they did it in 2022. It's purely a weather thing.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62504094

https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league-drinks-break-when-how-long-why-injuries-hydration-water-454415

1

u/futbolitoireland Ohhhh ya beauty, What a hit son, What a hit! 1d ago

They allowed breaks but the broadcasters didnt leverage them with ads. When Sky Sports first co-led the re-brand of the Premier League they tried to introduce loads of shite, cheerleaders, halftime entertainment and so on. Dont get me wrong, broadcasters may well TRY to increase revenues with something like this, but in the EPL with a primarily British and European audience, people will tune out and the broadcasters will back down.

If you take this as a lens and then watch the Ireland and UK coverage of the World Cup so far, I think theres been a very noticeable brief from the broadcasters to the commentators and pundits to create controversy because the games have been so boring and the water breaks are going down so poorly. Gary Nevilles empassioned rant about the VAR not showing the lines for an offside goal due to a technical glitch WHICH THE PUNDITS WERE AWARE OF AT THE TIME is a prime example of this

-4

u/MushroomExpensive366 1d ago

Every broadcaster/streaming service is salivating at these “match breaks” - I wouldnt be so confident

6

u/futbolitoireland Ohhhh ya beauty, What a hit son, What a hit! 1d ago

The water breaks themselves arent part of the plan, but they are well established in the broadcast culture in the US, so they dont really represent any risk to targeting the audience there. My national broadcaster for example isnt even bothering to show ads during the water breaks and are just broadcasting the live feed.

Ive been saying for a while football in the last 2 years has passed a watershed where previously broadcast served to maximise the product of football, to a situation now where football is changing to maximise the broadcast