Potential break away European super football league

BlueStrat

I hope this doesn’t happen, it wpuld ruin what makes the game fun
and when did Spurs become an ‘elite’ club? 

UnclePsychosis

Schnozz said:

I'd like those teams to leave so it removes a tonne of glory supporters and then refreshes things for the genuine. 

I think the concern would be PL teams getting bought thereafter (e.g. Newcastle), which will lead to the same issue.

You have to watch Scottish football to see a proper tackle in the UK nowadays. Needs a reform that includes VAR.

Problem is that the clubs that are left could be facing a financial vacuum.

The "global audience" that brought the insane TV money in has no interest in watching Burnley vs West Brom.

Long term I'm sure most English fans would be happy for these clubs to piss off but in the short term there's a big fat bubble to burst. 

TeleMaster

They need every top team or the whole thing falls apart.

If I were the FA I'd be targeting Arsenal and saying to them, you've been a mid table team for the last 4 years. We're gonna deduct every team who joins this 25 points. Do you think this league will want you when you're losing at home to Charlton in a couple of years?

That should sort it. 

Springywheel

Not surprising to see those Fenway fuckers getting behind this.  

Nitefly

The deal is done:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56795811

"The world's greatest clubs" - but all from England, Spain and Italy - lol.

*edit* I can't believe the players at those clubs are happy about it, if they were even consulted?

Teetonetal

Players will go where the money is, especially if prestige is attached. So it boils down to will fans support it? I hope not, but suspect they will.

I do wonder what the impact of no relegation would be on the style of football played though.

Grumpyrocker

Spurs are taking the piss being in that company. 

Legionreturns

Well that's a lot of plastic money clubs leaving the pyramid! 

Good news for all the other clubs! They've been buying trophies for years! The next logical step was to create an enclosed boys network and have their own trophy!

RobDavies

Grumpyrocker said:

Spurs are taking the piss being in that company. 

Arsenal struggled to even score a single goal against Fulham today, yet expect to compete with Europe’s elite clubs?  

I imagine the likes of Stockport County are rubbing their hands together right now... their attendances will go through the roof. 

Teetonetal

So it seems the idea is to stage a mid week competition alongside commitments to the national League.

It's being put forward as a replacement of the champions League. I guess they are going to use the threat as leverage against UEFA.

CHRISB50

DrCornelius said:

Couldnt stand G Neville as a player but he hasnt put a foot wrong since hanging up his boots

I think the fans of Valencia may disagree

siremoon

Sheer greed, nothing more nothing less. 

If these teams want to go and play in their own exclusive non-sanctioned league then fine.  Kick them out of the official competitions and ban their contracted players from playing in the World Cup and Euros.  Then let's see how many players they can attract. 

Glad to see fans of the clubs concerned coming out against this rather than the more common defend the indefensible partisanship that we often see.  I wonder if the owners of these clubs anticipated the backlash.  If they didn't this probably won't happen.  In any event I can't help wondering if this is a stunt to try and strong arm UEFA into giving these so-called elite teams more than they already have. 

Ironically two of the six sit outside the top 6 in the Premier league this morning.  They might have more of a case if they were all 20 points clear of the rest but as it is the stench of unearned entitlement hangs in the air and it's not pretty.

boogieman

Cant see this making money long term. A lot of fans won’t be able to travel to games all over Europe on a regular basis, even with covid restrictions lifted: realistically those could be with us for years yet. So income is going to be limited there. That leaves tv coverage... I’m sure any tv package would start off priced reasonably but the prices will have to get jacked up fairly quickly to cover the enormous costs that this circus will inevitably generate. Who wants to watch their team just on tv anyway? A lot of the appeal of the game is actually being there. 

Truly terrible idea based on pure greed, nothing else. 

guitars4you

Agree that it is good for the supporters clubs to come out and condone this new super league

If the FIFA/UEFA and the appropriate bodies have any power, then they have to come down quickly and punish all clubs at domestic level, league + knock out and ditto existing European knock out - Disqualification for knock out tournaments, huge points deduction for league tournaments  and ditto for every year they participate - They have to show that they own/control the competitions and not JP Morgan

The issue now for the new elite clubs is that they will have signed a contract of intent, which puts them in an awkward position if they want to back down - I dare say a new TV right for this super league will have been done with a powerfully backed broadcaster, be it Facebook, Amazon etc 

I dare say for the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea this year, with currently, no guarantee of a Champions league place for next season, then a closed elite shop appeals - Protects their investment - As for Spurs and Arsenal with almost no chance of getting into the CL next year then ditto - It will be like American sports that operate on a franchise elite basis - So the appropriate authorities have to stop it NOW and implement new policies NOW as a punishment

Going back to my first 1/2 postings about what 'punishments' need to be applied - There needs to be an instant response - It might well weaken domestic and European competitions for the remainder of this season + next season, but they have to accept that and re-build - Players with existing contracts at the appropriate clubs, then their is little they can do about it today, but the authorities need to lay down policies/rules that will impact players wanting to move to elite clubs and how it will impact them in the future - As such the players themselves can not be innocent bystanders 

I'm sure fans at the appropriate clubs will protest, as and when - But the big clubs do not need the match day revenue these days to survive - So for example many LFC and MUFC supporters not turning up to a match and the revenue stream is a small % now when compared to the big picture - But the fans still need to let the clubs no their feelings

Brize

Grumpyrocker said:

Spurs are taking the piss being in that company. 

Spurs have more European pedigree than Arsenal:

https://www.transfermarkt.com/erfolg-statistik/erfolgreichevereineuefa/statistik/ges

Spurs are 17th on the list of the most successful clubs in European competition; Arsenal are 27th.

Brize

Wazmeister said:

Their big failure, and arrogance, is that the average fan is intersted in Euorpean football; they are not. Only the top 6 fans are, as a rule.

In a global economy the Champions League attracts more interest than domestic football, and will attract even more interest without the dead rubbers.

UnclePsychosis

boogieman said:

Cant see this making money long term. A lot of fans won’t be able to travel to games all over Europe on a regular basis, even with covid restrictions lifted: realistically those could be with us for years yet. So income is going to be limited there. That leaves tv coverage... I’m sure any tv package would start off priced reasonably but the prices will have to get jacked up fairly quickly to cover the enormous costs that this circus will inevitably generate. Who wants to watch their team just on tv anyway? A lot of the appeal of the game is actually being there. 

Truly terrible idea based on pure greed, nothing else. 

I think this view is somewhat antiquated when it comes to finance. 

For starters, the likes of Barcelona basically don't have (or get) much of an away support (basically non existent in Spanish football). England is something of an anomaly when it comes to away fan culture. 

Its *all* about the TV money. Fans in the stadium make it look better on TV, but other than that the big clubs can probably do without them. 

The current format of the Champions league had ruined domestic football anyway so I can't say this next move is all that surprising. Sad, but not surprising. My only hope is that it somehow bursts the ludicrous financial bubble that football lives in without taking too many clubs with it. 

boogieman

UnclePsychosis said:

boogieman said:

Cant see this making money long term. A lot of fans won’t be able to travel to games all over Europe on a regular basis, even with covid restrictions lifted: realistically those could be with us for years yet. So income is going to be limited there. That leaves tv coverage... I’m sure any tv package would start off priced reasonably but the prices will have to get jacked up fairly quickly to cover the enormous costs that this circus will inevitably generate. Who wants to watch their team just on tv anyway? A lot of the appeal of the game is actually being there. 

Truly terrible idea based on pure greed, nothing else. 

I think this view is somewhat antiquated when it comes to finance. 

For starters, the likes of Barcelona basically don't have (or get) much of an away support (basically non existent in Spanish football). England is something of an anomaly when it comes to away fan culture. 

Its *all* about the TV money. Fans in the stadium make it look better on TV, but other than that the big clubs can probably do without them. 

Quite possible it’s an “antiquated” view. I’ve always supported one of the minor teams (QPR) which has never had much tv exposure. I do have to say that the tv coverage at the moment, without fans in the stadium, is a pretty crap experience. Zero atmosphere, no excitement. Personally I wouldn’t pay to watch it. 

Hattigol

Questions:

Q. Will they go through with this if the Premier League (and other European Leagues) throw these clubs out? And if the FA of each country bans them from other domestic competition?

Surely not. 

Q. Do the Leagues actually have the power to do that?

No idea.

Q. Will the players agree to play for these clubs if they know they are going to be banned from playing for their country? 

I'm not sure. Money is a powerful incentive and there will be a lot of that knocking around. There is always talk that some players view playing for their country as a poisoned chalice.

Q. Will I still support United having supported them all my life (including 20 years before any kind of 'glory days')?

No I fucking won't.

RIP Football.

Teetonetal

Hattigol said:

Questions:

Q. Will they go through with this if the Premier League (and other European Leagues) throw these clubs out? And if the FA of each country bans them from other domestic competition?

Surely not. 



RIP Football.

Quite intrigued by this as I assume that existing TV deals are based on the current league structure. You remove this top 6 from the PL and it leaves a massive gap - especially in the overseas markets where  these teams have cultivated huge fan bases.

Would TV providers really pay for multi billion deals with all of the current big names missing?

The ramifications of that would be massive across all tiers of the league.