Ignorant Yank Question - Hypocrisy?

Figured I'd submit my uninformed (since I didn't follow the club at the time) question here initially rather than get flamed on an English site. What exactly is the difference between how Fulham rose through the ranks after MAF's purchase and what QPR are doing? Obviously the $$ figures are going to be to different scales given that we started our rise from the 4th Division and due to different times, but I've heard comments from other lower league teams who viewed us as a team who "bought their way" up the Football Leagues.

I constantly see Fulham supporters reference the money we owe MAF. Would we not have been just at much at risk of administration as Pompey, Leeds, QPR, etc had MAF's finances gone awry or he sold? What makes QPR any different? Is it not just as likely that 10 years from now, they're lamenting inactivity in the transfer market due to the owners recouping some of their investment...much like we are?

I see our fanbase brag about being sustainable, but we didn't switch to that model until we'd secured (in so much as you can) our spot in the Prem. Is it unreasonable to assume QPR have the same goal?

I also see alot of handwringing about their wage bill, but most name players have relegation clauses and will fall off their wage bill should they be relegated. Given the 14M per team increase per season in tv monies starting next year, is it not reasonable to think that would cover the budget increase should they stay up? I realize being relegated, there's always the risk that the money people behind the club may have a change of heart as to continuing their involvement after eating a big loss. The numbers being bandied about with regard to QPR seem to be as much (or more) rumor than anything rooted in fact. We can't even agree on what we paid for our own players, either in transfer fees or wages, most of the time.

So is this all just the byproduct of disdain for a rival? Or ignorance to the business of football? Is it simple hypocrisy or am I missing something?

 

Matt, sports fans are hypocritical by nature. What's the old saying? 'He's a player you hate, unless he's on your team'. When it comes to a rival, it's hard not to have disdain seep into comments. Fulham fans are going to talk smack about QPR and vice versa, just the nature of any rivalry in any sport.

To be honest, I'm still confused sometimes about the business side of the Prem. Maybe American sports are more transparent or maybe if we lived in England we would know more of the details, but in order to stay in the Prem for more than a single year or two money has got to be spent. I have no idea about the financial stability of the club, how much money is owed to MAF, etc.