European Super League imminent?

[A Quiet Monkfish]

Who knows? But I'm certain that the lure of playing in a top flight where the biggest clubs are the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool would be significantly diminished if the biggest clubs in the division were Everton, Newcastle and West Ham.

These clubs know what they're doing. they will have anticipated the reaction of the major football organizations, and 'supporters' alike, and have solutions and answers for all. I'm pretty certain they'll retain teams in their various leagues, albeit a second string which will probably be as strong as a top 6, with overall squads of 40+ - which they'll be able to afford. They may change the names, ie Man Utd play as the 'Red Devils' in the PL, and they won't need to come in the top 4 anyway because they're already there.

[A Quiet Monkfish]

They've done this kind of power play before but never gone as far as as this, normally just rumours of meetings in secret

I genuinely hope UEFA etc hold their nerve and call their bluff.

Doubt it though. Probably end up with even more dosh. For f*cks sake, how much more do they want !

[Optimistic Nick]

They've done this kind of power play before but never gone as far as as this, normally just rumours of meetings in secret

I genuinely hope UEFA etc hold their nerve and call their bluff.

I think they will. Have you seen their statement? They literally say enough is enough.

[Baloo]

Is this a case of the PL not being careful what they wished for?

[Hilts]

The PL if this goes ahead would have to kick them out.

How can you have 6 teams with a massive financial advantage against the rest of the sides. All the top players would want to play for 1 of the 6.

This is greed pure and simple.

The PL becomes devalued no doubt about that.

The only incentives would be a promotion to this so called super league.

The top division in the countries taking part more or less becoming a 2nd tier league.

I just cant see how they can continue to play in the PL though with such an obvious advantage.

[City123]

Who knows? But I'm certain that the lure of playing in a top flight where the biggest clubs are the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool would be significantly diminished if the biggest clubs in the division were Everton, Newcastle and West Ham.

But what's the alternative? Keep giving in to these clubs as they take a larger and larger slice of the pie? UEFA have been appeasing them for years but these clubs still want more, they're insatiable.

[Hilts]

But what's the alternative? Keep giving in to these clubs as they take a larger and larger slice of the pie? UEFA have been appeasing them for years but these clubs still want more, they're insatiable.

Agree.

They cant allow it.

This goes ahead how long before they complain there are too many matches and the PL is cut in numbers?

There will be a knock on affect in the divisions below but Its time to stand up to these clubs and their greed.

[Rjk]

But what's the alternative? Keep giving in to these clubs as they take a larger and larger slice of the pie? UEFA have been appeasing them for years but these clubs still want more, they're insatiable.

Football fans need to organise.
Try to hit them where it hurts.
Boycott their products and sponsors.

Will fans of the massive clubs actually want to do that?
some yes, but not enough. that's what they'll be counting on at least.

[The Lone Gunman]

Anyone who thinks that the top 6 leaving will be good for the clubs left behind is absolutely deluding themselves.

When we were languishing in the lower leagues (which was all I had known until I was in my early 20s), you still dream of rising through the leagues and getting to the top - as unlikely as it seemed at the time, you knew there was at least a possibility - unearthing a gem and having a few good seasons and all of a sudden you're up there.

If the possibility of getting to the very top is taken away, then that takes away a lot of the magic for me

Bang on.

Furthermore, I don't think it's the dream of getting to the very top that's important. We all know that's unrealistic for most clubs and we've known as much for all of our lives. However, getting to the top flight and competing with the very top clubs is far from impossible.

Swansea and Bournemouth are two clubs who almost went out of the Football League in the the relatively recent past. However, they recovered and went on to play in the top flight. During their season at that level, the Swans beat Arsenal (five times), Liverpool (three times), Manchester United (three times), Manchester City and Chelsea. Meanwhile, during their stint in the top flight, Bournemouth beat Chelsea (four times), Manchester United (twice), Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs.

Even Cardiff City, who've had two poor Premier League campaigns, managed to beat Manchester City and Manchester United while playing at the top level. If you remove the prospect of playing (and beating) the biggest clubs in the country, the whole pyramid will be greatly devalued. No doubt about it. The Premier League would just become a glorified version of the Championship - competitive no doubt, but nowhere near as attractive for the majority of fans of the sport.

[surge]

The PL if this goes ahead would have to kick them out.

How can you have 6 teams with a massive financial advantage against the rest of the sides. All the top players would want to play for 1 of the 6.

......

Err, isn't that exactly what is happening already? Money (predominantly through Champions League qualification and additional global interest this generates) and London post-code gives certain sides a massive advantage over the rest.

This is about greed on even greater level, control over the rules of the competition and big clubs protecting themselves from being damaged by their own bad decisions. Barcelona being classic example where bad investment, high manager turnover and lack of success has turned them from biggest club in the world to potentially Europa League club or even less if they don't get their next two seasons right as Arsenal have already experienced recently.

Top leagues in each country will become 2nd tier and football could even become comparable to rugby where English League is so powerful it can deny players going to international fixtures.

As I and American based fan said earlier in the thread, there is so much to bring over from American sport before "super franchises" such as a proper spending cap.

[The Lone Gunman]

But what's the alternative? Keep giving in to these clubs as they take a larger and larger slice of the pie? UEFA have been appeasing them for years but these clubs still want more, they're insatiable.

I don't know what the alternative is, but as things stand this appears to be a power struggle between a cluster of mega-rich, unscrupulous football club owners and a couple of notoriously corrupt governing bodies. I've no idea how it will play out. All I know for sure is the notion that football in this country would somehow be better off without the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool is just nonsense.

[Cleve van Leef]

They've done this kind of power play before but never gone as far as as this, normally just rumours of meetings in secret

I genuinely hope UEFA etc hold their nerve and call their bluff.

The English Clubs power play brought the Premier League to us, the European Clubs brought the change to the European Cup, now called the Champions League where more than half aren’t even champions. The Clubs will get what they want in the end.

[chrisp_1927]

Still laughing about spurs being in there. I'm guessing glamour, club history and current footballing ability weren't the criteria to be picked

[surge]

Football fans need to organise.
Try to hit them where it hurts.
Boycott their products and sponsors.

Will fans of the massive clubs actually want to do that?
some yes, but not enough. that's what they'll be counting on at least.

Local football fans are a tiny percentage of fanbase though and if you're predominantly an internet fan then what difference does this competition make? It's just going to be slightly different music before you watch your side online and fewer of the less important games to watch.

The only thing football fans have is how soulless empty stadiums have been this past year. And you need a relegation, a poor start and a cup game before fans start to boycott on mass...

[chrisp_1927]

I don't know what the alternative is, but as things stand this appears to be a power struggle between a cluster of mega-rich, unscrupulous football club owners and a couple of notoriously corrupt governing bodies. I've no idea how it will play out. All I know for sure is the notion that football in this country would somehow be better off without the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool is just nonsense.

I understand that in terms of losing utd and Liverpool. They are big games even if they're not having the best of seasons. But Man City, Really?

[Rjk]

boycott the 12 clubs, boycott their sponsors. do it TODAY

main sponsors: Emirates, Plus500, 3, Rakuten, pirelli, jeep, standard chartered, Etihad, Chevrolet, AIA

boycott them all

will it make enough difference? probably not, as has been said there are millions of fans in other countries who will make up the difference.
I will be doing it though, at least I'll know I tried

[surge]

Arsenal made 55 redundancies while simultaneously discussing a £350m payment to join this creepy elitist commercial cult. Embarrassing.

https://twitter.com/Freddie_Paxton/s...22328770203650

See, people get it when it comes to football. Ultimately, capital doesn't care about tradition, heritage, community or values. Capital cares about... capital. Left entirely unchecked, it will discard all other considerations. Imagine configuring your whole country in such a way!

https://twitter.com/faithfulpundit/s...42645119401987

I really do hope local fans boycott and global fans give their subscription to leagues not getting involved instead.

[the other bob wilson]

Strangely enough, this proposal brings to mind the autumn rugby internationals we get now which take up most of November. Time was, a Wales v New Zealand or Wales v South Africa match was a real event, but, with frequent summer tours to these countries as well, there’s been a degree of overkill and, although I don’t think this applies to matches with New Zealand, there have been games with Australia and South Africa in Cardiff that have not been sell outs. Now, I know this new league will be more about numbers watching at home, but cthe sort of hype we’re bound to see accompanying it will be a bit hollow if matches begin to take place in front of empty seats.

As things stand, half of the teams to commit are English and it may be that one or more of the other permanent sides will be from that country as well. Add in one or more English sides who are among the five qualifiers and people will have trouble differentiating between the ESL and the Premier League - I think the marketing men for this league could end up having a tougher task than they realise.

[The Lone Gunman]

I understand that in terms of losing utd and Liverpool. They are big games even if they're not having the best of seasons. But Man City, Really?

What would you regard as the highlights of Cardiff's 2013/14 Premier League campaign?

[chrisp_1927]

I do think people should be careful what they wish for in campaigning to stop this. To stop the teams going would require concessions, which would see them get an even bigger slice of the pie anyway. If they want to go let them go. Just my opinion, but the only thing I think we should join together and campaign for is a cap on ticket prices. As long as fans aren't getting shafted I don't really care to much

[Monster munch]

Taken from Talksport:

"Manchester United have resigned from the European Club Association (ECA) and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has stepped down from his role on the UEFA Professional Football Strategy Council.
It is understood all 12 clubs have resigned from the ECA and their respective representatives from the ECA board.
This news comes after Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli resigned from his role as ECA chairman, with the founder clubs of the new European Super League set to forge their own future in the game.
Man City chief exec Ferran Soriano has also stood down from his role at UEFA."

Its happening isn't it. As other posters said above, these clubs (fanchises!) would have already gone through every scenario of potential backlash in anticipation before the announcements for the super league, and they don't give a damn.
Shocking.

[chrisp_1927]

Strangely enough, this proposal brings to mind the autumn rugby internationals we get now which take up most of November. Time was, a Wales v New Zealand or Wales v South Africa match was a real event, but, with frequent summer tours to these countries as well, there’s been a degree of overkill and, although I don’t think this applies to matches with New Zealand, there have been games with Australia and South Africa in Cardiff that have not been sell outs. Now, I know this new league will be more about numbers watching at home, the sort of hype we’re bound to see accompanying it will be a bit hollow if matches begin to take place in front of empty seats.

As things stand, half of the teams to commit are English and it may be that one or more of the other permanent sides will be from that country as well- add in one or more English sides who are among the five qualifiers and people will have trouble differentiating between the ESL and the Premier League - I think the marketing men for this league could end up having a tougher task than they realise.

Lots of similarities. Especially with CVC's new involvement in the 6 nations and autumn nations Cup and JP Morgan being instrumental in the setup of this euro league.

The cvc deal was the main reason talk of Italy getting booted out the 6 nations went away. They're a joke but they're worth more than Georgia. In 10 years time. When Arsenal and Spurs have filled the bottom 2 spots for 8 years in a row, maybe similar conversations will be had in football 🤣

[billy.ronson]

Wait till they start having the pre season draft and player auction from the Sheiks Palace in Qatar only available Live on SKY Sports with Jim White and the team wearing Black and Yellow .


Who'll get the top reserve price?

All players will get a season long contract with a % of their auction fee and shirt sales,etc ... I am sure that will get player agents onside
Who'll get Mbappe, Haaland, Salah,De Bruyne?? Each team can have their marquee signing announced and paraded wearing next seasons shirt ...... " dont forget to kiss the badge , its good for sales "


So "do you want to sign for Leicester" Jamie Vardy or get picked up in ECL super League on £500k a week plus benefits ?? hmmm....

[surge]

The Super League represents the Americanisation of football: a world in which, however much you lose on the field, you are guaranteed to win off it.

Businesses loathe the meritocracy, jeopardy and randomness of sport. So the Super League removes these

https://twitter.com/timwig/status/1384055332251455488

The other classic Americanism of sport is moving franchises (sometimes overnight to avoid backlash) thousands of miles away to new markets.

Fans need to boycott any club that signs up to this, boycott the subscription service for the super league and boycott any sporting franchise owned by these owners. Otherwise the market in London or New York might be more attractive than staying in Liverpool...

[billy.ronson]

Liverpool Red Sox - playing 6 games at Fenway Park