This Town Had a Reputation Problem. Premier League Soccer Changed Things.

[{"selector":"#anim-d1f55e2a-f65a-4825-a0b7-f4afbc2ceef8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bb428b28-5095-40eb-9142-ebbe623dc1bf","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-106.57534%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Luton, about to face 'the champions of the F.A. Cup, the champions of England and the champions of Europe

[{"selector":"#anim-c017306a-a896-4f68-a576-93493de4238e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-61893805-7fd6-4625-ac2e-e148175a6679","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-106.57534%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Fifteen years ago, Luton Town had been relegated to the fifth tier of English soccer

[{"selector":"#anim-1a9c1dd5-4ada-437c-9942-cded35eb8892","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b108b32d-04d5-428d-bde1-2c767fe1de7e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-107.10059%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Playing in the Premier League for a single season is worth around $150 million

[{"selector":"#anim-2df24c81-d907-4e09-9684-a090c0d291d6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c0d9939f-9414-4b28-a19b-b0486bb9465a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-106.57534%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The status that came with it gave the town a global platform

[{"selector":"#anim-3482d1bf-6adb-40b3-bb97-3c26af8533a3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4049d6be-8dca-41e8-bcd6-521e37fa041c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-106.30137%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] There are, broadly speaking, three ways that Luton permeates the British consciousness.

[{"selector":"#anim-f1fdf245-6485-42b6-9ba7-1330735cafb3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-30d775bd-fb98-47d0-8532-0e91f8bd7ca4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-106.30137%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Some 1,800 of its readers awarded Luton the dubious honor of being Britain’s pre-eminent 'crap' town.