Ironically, more and more anti-hooligan laws are being introduced whereas ate arrests for football-related offences are lower that in the 80’s.
What is the relation between hooliganism and media? The magazines and newspapers that sponsored the clubs established in the late 19th century has exclusive rights to write about the matches. In the 20th century though, football hooliganism became demonised. Television is sometimes blamed for being partially responsible for the rise of violence for TV presents the violence. The truth is that media in general like sensations, which violence is.
Especially tabloid press like hooliganism. After the Hillsborough disaster, tabloid press like Sun and Mirror brought news that blamed fan even though the whole situation was fault of the management and police who didn’t handle it. Tabloid press often exaggerates the measure of football violence in order to sell more papers. They also bring up news which are not true. Fairly enough, if people didn’t like sensations and scandals press wouldn’t write about it. As long as people like this kind of news and buy tabloids, the editors will have the intentions to scandalise everything they can. And Football violence is an easy target. It seems sometimes that tabloid press support and encourages hooliganism. They often fool and fear readers. For example, they predict violence and riots without any evidence. This kind of news only fear people and create prejudices. It also makes the work of police harder.
It is usual that the tabloid press coverage of international football matches are very xenophobic and jingoistic. They exaggerate differences between nations in order to encourage English fans. They uses many stereotypes and prejudices. The language is often very aggressive and offensive. The reporters are making fun of other nations and square up with them. It is a case of matches England v. Germany. In the coverage is often an analogy with the war. Even after more that 50 years there is still big hatred against Germany. Could it be also caused by the fact that German team is maybe better? Falkland war analogy could be found in coverage of match against Argentina. This approach is absolutely non-professional. Politics shouldn’t be mixed with sports.
Hooliganism is an interesting topic for other media than tabloids, too. In recent years, several documentaries were made about hooliganism as it is kind of a phenomenon. It is example BBC’s reporter Donald McIntyre documentary about Chelsea hooligans made by hidden camera, BBC’s Hooligans, Channel 4’s Football’s Fight Club or Foreign Fields. Football hooliganism is not only an English problem, but English hooligans are very famous in the world, mainly because of media. This situation also creates stereotypes about whole England.