4th Round weekend: Do we still care about the F.A Cup?

The F.A cup has survived numerous scares and threats to its existence since 1872 and the birth of the domestic trophy. Many times it’s demise has been expected only for it to reinvent itself once again. The introduction of radio, television, the Premier League and social media have all suggested fans would move on from a competition that was invented in the reign of Queen Victoria. The cup has survived numerous changes to its scheduling to remain in the football calendar. From the removal of it as the season final at 15:00 on a springtime Saturday afternoon to the numerous ever changing sponsors, the changes have all detracted from what makes the trophy special, and not just as a sporting event. The cup final routine was a part of the British social calendar for decades. Here, we will be looking at if the changes to the tournament have made it redundant for the modern viewer, and if it still retains a place in the heart of football's billion dollar industry.

It is often stated that we turn off from the competition now in favor of games televised elsewhere around the globe. Brian Clough believed too much televised football would be equivalent to having your Sunday roast every day of the week. Eventually you would be sick of it. However, the 2021 final between Leicester and Chelsea saw 9.1 million people tune in, which is an increase of 900,000 from the final the previous year. This figure was one of the most watched events broadcast on the BBC in 2021. The record for a Premier League match comes in at not quite 5 million views, suggesting that the cup holds some sway, especially in the latter rounds. Staying with Chelsea, the Stamford Bridge side boast the most viewed cup final in history. This is due to the 28.5 million who tuned in to see them defeat Leeds in the 1970 replay at Old Trafford. It is difficult to account for modern audience preferences, as today a multitude of extra televised options and streaming platforms offer immediate alternatives if a game should become drab or soulless. These figures suggest the cup has lost some prominence, but retains a place in the heart of British television audiences.

An average of 28,500 fans turned out to see their team compete in the 4th round of the 1977-1978 campaign. Whereas not quite thirty years on in the 2006-2007 season this figure dropped to 25,200. Whilst this is a substantial drop at the gates, it is still reasonably high when compared with attendances for cup contests on the continent and around the world. The cup is a difficult beast to analyze. Every round contains a mixed amalgamation of fan bases, stadium capacities and it spans so long economic factors such as recessions, global crashes and the cost of living can affect how much disposable incomes fans have. However, these figures indeed suggest that people still feel the trophy is an important part of the footballing calendar right from the outset of the early rounds.

A criticism of the modern game is that the money that has swarmed the top flight since 1992 has caused the game to be less competitive. This coupled with constant spectacular mis-management of communications between the Premier League and The Football Association has encouraged the notion that the cup has been dwarfed in intrigue due to the gluttonous clubs at the top of the pyramid. From 1900-1950 (appreciating the missed years due to WWII) the cup saw twenty four different winners. In the next fifty year cycle there were twenty one different sides who lifted the trophy. However, from 2000-2021 only eight sides managed to win the trophy on separate occasions. Totaling this up if this trend were to continue there would be an average 19.2 different winners over a 50.4 year period, if we were to multiply the number of winners over twenty one years to as close to the half a century of fifty years as possible. Whilst not astronomically different, there is a clear downturn in competitiveness in the quest for the trophy. It is also important to note that since the Premier League was born only nine different sides have won the trophy in thirty years. The greatest thrill of the cup is that it runs from the bottom through to the apex of the footballing pyramid, and theoretically anyone has the chance to win it and see their name in lights. As football is drowned in a stream of dollars and pounds it is difficult not to see the shine taken away from something inherently now less competitive.

As the 4th round weekend approaches, with the mouth-watering prospect of league leaders Arsenal going toe to toe with Manchester City this Friday, it is easy for fans to feel underwhelmed at the prospect of the Premier League being interrupted by the cup in comparison with the high roller stakes of the EPL and UCL respectively. However, from the figures mentioned above, it is clear there remains a special place in the heart of fans for the oldest trophy in the game. What do you think? Would you still pay out to watch your side in the cup? Or is it only special to those lower down the footballing pyramid?

A special thanks to an anonymous friend of mine, who took me to my first F.A Cup match many years ago, and encouraged me to write this piece. Hope you enjoy, and good luck to the Hammers up in Derby this Monday night!

“The F.A Cup final is the greatest single match outside the World Cup final – and it’s ours” – Sir Bobby Robson