Debating the pros/cons of the "European Super League"

sport2793

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Guess I'll be the one to make this thread now that the official statement announcing the "European Super League" is out. Like Gary Neville, I initially suspected that once widespread condemnation across the spectrum was made about this idea that the big clubs would lose their bottle and backtrack. However, they went ahead and released the statement despite the backlash and presumably have a plan to combat attempts by national associations, UEFA, and FIFA to prevent them from forming this league.

After the FFP/Man City decision, I personally felt that UEFA ceased to be a credible sporting body. Major change is needed to bring about a sustainable legal and financial framework for regulating football. However, as a non-European fan of the game, I recognize the importance of promotion/relegation, competition, and detrimental impacts such a league would have on the many communities across the football pyramid from a cultural and financial perspective. With that said, one could argue that the global fanbase represents the more profitable side of the sport and that fans from all over the world should have a say in what ultimately occurs.

What are the good things, if any, that may come out of the attempts to form this new league? Do you believe the major clubs saying that they have a plan to bring more sustainable financing to the rest of the football pyramid with this venture? There seems to be a massive level of groupthink with regards to this topic currently and would like to understand more about the benefits and drawbacks of this approach.
 

Chairman Steve

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If they have a legit FFP regulation in place, then that’s a positive as the one UEFA had was a fecking joke.
 

Skills

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Pro :
Massive feck you to UEFA
Probably will be fun

Cons :
Spurs
 

talking robot

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Pro: This is a credible threat that can force UEFA to reform.

Con: There is no similar credible threat to FIFA, which is more corrupt and dysfunctional than UEFA.
 

milemuncher777

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Playing top European clubs every year will be boring and eventually it'll lose it's charm.
 

SportingCP96

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Literally not one Pro.

This whole competition is utterly stupid.
 

sport2793

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If they have a legit FFP regulation in place, then that’s a positive as the one UEFA had was a fecking joke.
In the official statement, they reference that "the competition will be built on a sustainable financial foundation with all Founding Clubs signing up to a spending framework". Presumably, the bolded part refers to a spending cap of sorts.
 

Denis79

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Con:

1. PL will lose it's charm, since it will mean nothing if you're not in the race.

2. If players are banned from the WC and EC it will destroy the competition.

Pro:

1. Club will make a lpt of money.

2. We get to play our own, easier CL.
 

dinostar77

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Any competition that is a closed competition where entry is guaranteed for 75% of the members is not a true competition.

Ask yourself, why would Chelsea, Utd, Spurs, Liverpool and City need to finish in the top 4 or top 6 of PL next season? They dont. All of them could finish in the bottom half of the table and still enter the ESL, as they are guaranteed entry for 20 years or something.

Why put out a strong team in PL? Why do care? Your gonna qualify for the ESL regardless. Winning the PL? Well thats small fry now i can make £100mil + a season in ESL. So i will rest my big players for that competition.

The ESL in its current proposal will destroy club football across europe.
 

Van Piorsing

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Cons: Every participant of this suspicious venture was bribed by JP Morgan to abandon history of the competition.

Pros: There is none... and it stays in history of the club. Forever.

So what 3 wins in CL means to United now ? ...and if you think this will be over with f*cking up the game of football, just wait for it. You don't think they can invent their own version of the cup based on play off stages ? Think again. They can do whatever they want. Soon they'll substitute a Premier League with their own.
 

awop

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In the official statement, they reference that "the competition will be built on a sustainable financial foundation with all Founding Clubs signing up to a spending framework". Presumably, the bolded part refers to a spending cap of sorts.
The shock when the framework is a 250M limit per year so they can happily swap their players around and keep pillagind the even smaller clubs. You'd have to impose some sort of rolling spending limit so Madrid and City can't buy everybody.
 

Skills

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Cons: Every participant of this suspicious venture was bribed by JP Morgan to abandon history of the competition.

Pros: There is none... and it stays in history of the club. Forever.

So what 3 wins in CL means to United now ? ...and if you think this will be over with f*cking up the game of football, just wait for it. You don't think they can invent their own version of the cup based on play off stages ? Think again. They can do whatever they want.
Chance for a fresh start on equal footing with Madrid, Liverpool, Bayern etc? Surely a good thing considering our pathetic record
 

Denis79

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Cons: Every participant of this suspicious venture was bribed by JP Morgan to abandon history of the competition.

Pros: There is none... and it stays in history of the club. Forever.

So what 3 wins in CL means to United now ? ...and if you think this will be over with f*cking up the game of football, just wait for it. You don't think they can invent their own version of the cup based on play off stages ? Think again. They can do whatever they want.
Atleast we can play the U18 in the PL and focus on the Super -League as soon as we're too far off the top. Going to be awesome!
 

Ole's screen

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The people I feel bad for tonight are the players. Players like Rashford, Bruno, even McTominay reading on twitter that their international careers are over without having any form of clarity. I hope it all works out for their sakes'.
 

BaillyBaillyBailly

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Guess I'll be the one to make this thread now that the official statement announcing the "European Super League" is out. Like Gary Neville, I initially suspected that once widespread condemnation across the spectrum was made about this idea that the big clubs would lose their bottle and backtrack. However, they went ahead and released the statement despite the backlash and presumably have a plan to combat attempts by national associations, UEFA, and FIFA to prevent them from forming this league.

After the FFP/Man City decision, I personally felt that UEFA ceased to be a credible sporting body. Major change is needed to bring about a sustainable legal and financial framework for regulating football. However, as a non-European fan of the game, I recognize the importance of promotion/relegation, competition, and detrimental impacts such a league would have on the many communities across the football pyramid from a cultural and financial perspective. With that said, one could argue that the global fanbase represents the more profitable side of the sport and that fans from all over the world should have a say in what ultimately occurs.

What are the good things, if any, that may come out of the attempts to form this new league? Do you believe the major clubs saying that they have a plan to bring more sustainable financing to the rest of the football pyramid with this venture? There seems to be a massive level of groupthink with regards to this topic currently and would like to understand more about the benefits and drawbacks of this approach.
No, absolutely not. Reason being it doesn't directly benefit any of the founding 12 clubs to do so.
 

sport2793

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One good thing that I could see coming out of this is a control on agent fees. If all of the money is in the European Super League and all of the clubs in it refuse to pay over a certain amount for agent fees (or none at all), then fat f*cks like Raiola can't play their usual game anymore.
 

bosnian_red

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Pros: none.

I hope UEFA and FIFA hold firm in banning all participating clubs and players from their competitions. Even if United suffers. The competition will quickly die until they come groveling back with their tails between their legs. American sports models are fecking garbage and just will not work well for football.
 

Van Piorsing

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Chance for a fresh start on equal footing with Madrid, Liverpool, Bayern etc? Surely a good thing considering our pathetic record
Erasing history for the sake of numbers of cup won, just to meet Spurs in the end, anyway in so called elite of the elites league ? I just can't imagine it, mate.
 

padr81

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Guess I'll be the one to make this thread now that the official statement announcing the "European Super League" is out. Like Gary Neville, I initially suspected that once widespread condemnation across the spectrum was made about this idea that the big clubs would lose their bottle and backtrack. However, they went ahead and released the statement despite the backlash and presumably have a plan to combat attempts by national associations, UEFA, and FIFA to prevent them from forming this league.

After the FFP/Man City decision, I personally felt that UEFA ceased to be a credible sporting body. Major change is needed to bring about a sustainable legal and financial framework for regulating football. However, as a non-European fan of the game, I recognize the importance of promotion/relegation, competition, and detrimental impacts such a league would have on the many communities across the football pyramid from a cultural and financial perspective. With that said, one could argue that the global fanbase represents the more profitable side of the sport and that fans from all over the world should have a say in what ultimately occurs.

What are the good things, if any, that may come out of the attempts to form this new league? Do you believe the major clubs saying that they have a plan to bring more sustainable financing to the rest of the football pyramid with this venture? There seems to be a massive level of groupthink with regards to this topic currently and would like to understand more about the benefits and drawbacks of this approach.
Nonsense blaming Uefa and FFP and the roundabout "oh this is cities fault, we had to do this" is nonsense. This is an American idea from peeps buried up JP Morgans ass... Uefa found City guilty and punished us, CaS not Uefa overturned the decision. People rewriting history. Lets be honest this is a Glazer and FSG baby and with or without City once they got power they were always gonna push this in. Don't get me wrong City are just as guilty running off to sign up to it and preventing other clubs from every having the lotto win we had.

Just wait till they make franchises of all the clubs and you are literally watching Abu Dhabi City vs Tampa Bay United as what remain of our clubs with the winners to face the winners of New York Barcelona (I know Barca's a real place but couldn't do any better) vs Real Paris who the next season are about to become Real Qatar.

Pro's - The rich get richer and big clubs get in the top competition and top money regardless of how the perform for 20 years.
Con's - The rich get richer and big clubs get in the top competition and top money regardless of how the perform for 20 years.
 

sport2793

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Nonsense blaming Uefa and FFP and the roundabout "oh this is cities fault, we had to do this", this is an American idea from peeps buried up JP Morgans ass... Uefa found City guilty and punished us, CaS not Uefa overturned the decision. People rewriting history. Lets be honest this is a Glazer and FSG baby and with or without City once they got power they were always gonna push this in. Just wait till they make franchises of all the clubs and you are literally watching Abu Dhabi City vs Tampa Bay United with the winners to face the winners of New York Barcelona (I know Barca's a real place but couldn't do any better) vs Real Paris.

Pro's - The rich get richer and big clubs get in the top competition and top money regardless of how the perform for 20 years.
Con's - The rich get richer and big clubs get in the top competition and top money regardless of how the perform for 20 years.
Regardless of what people's opinions on City and their spending are, I reference the FFP decision to highlight the ineptitude of UEFA to establish rules that are equitable to all clubs and can hold under legal scrutiny. Considering the amount of money involved, the whole episode was a debacle on UEFA's part.
 

Dirty Schwein

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Pros:
Some heavyweight matches will take place
feck you to UEFA
A shake up could be interesting
Financial regulations

Cons:
It's based on brand and not merit
fecks over years of tradition
Zero history (that's a given)
The heavyweight matches won't be the spectacle they are now as we will all get used to it
The teams excluded get shafted.
 

padr81

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Regardless of what people's opinions on City and their spending are, I reference the FFP decision to highlight the ineptitude of UEFA to establish rules that are equitable to all clubs and can hold under legal scrutiny. Considering the amount of money involved, the whole episode was a debacle on UEFA's part.
Uefa are a joke, 100% and apologies for taking your comment wrong way but shitting on the little guys to spite Uefa is not the way. This is the big 15 (the others will join) making another power grab not long after the PL clubs already trying their hand with Project Big Picture. The big clubs are making a power grab to close everyone else off. Uefa is an excuse.
 

Annihilate Now!

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Cons
  • It'll diminish the PL and may eventually replace it all together.
  • We will win less games of football.
  • Joel Glazer has been given actual authority in football.
  • Automatic European qualification is shit
  • These so called "special" games will no longer be special
  • Opens the gates for even more money oriented changes (games in America /China, Franchises)
  • More expensive for the match goer, especially those who like to go away
  • Seasons could be over for teams quicker then normal
  • Increases the gulf between clubs.
Pro

Club fans are actually united against something for once.
 

Dec9003

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Makes our American owners lots of money without them having to put any back in. :(
 

sport2793

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Cons
  • It'll diminish the PL and may eventually replace it all together.
  • We will win less games of football.
  • Joel Glazer has been given actual authority in football.
  • Automatic European qualification is shit
  • These so called "special" games will no longer be special
  • Opens the gates for even more money oriented changes (games in America /China, Franchises)
  • More expensive for the match goer, especially those who like to go away
  • Seasons could be over for teams quicker then normal
  • Increases the gulf between clubs.
Pro

Club fans are actually united against something for once.
The bolded part was the biggest headscratcher of this entire episode. I can't believe anyone would think it's a good idea to give any Glazer responsibility of any sort. They are a family of idiots who only are driven by making money in the oddest of ways.
 

SwedishFish

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Pros:
Defeats the purpose of pointless qualifiers and the mass amount of games against minions that no one really cares about.
A lot of money
Salary Cap for the teams involved
A massive feck off to UEFA
Arsenal getting slapped 8-1 every week
Bigger matches on a higher level
Finally getting rid of the pointless League Cup(?)

Cons:
Defeats the purpose of the chase to European spots in the PL
We'll never get rid of the parasite Glazers now
Plastic feel to it (although Champions League these days is a bit plasticy too)
Everton will never beat Liverpool again
Decreases the incentive for competition for some of the outlier challenging teams.
Possibility of stagnation in interest and performance
UEFA/FIFAs threats of bans.
 

Flying high

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Is this Brexit all over again?

Yes change is badly needed in football. Anyone thinking that this greed inspired protectionism plan will solve these issues is being wildly optomistic.

At best, it's the club's way of forcing uefa to act. But even that is a long shot and highly unlikely to be their motivation.
 

Skills

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There are winners and losers of every transaction.

I'm just glad for once, we're one of the winners and actually got invited. But I'm sad, Spurs also made it.
 

hobbers

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Pros:
UEFA and FIFA are upset - poetic justice, "chickens coming home to roost"

Cons:
Run by bigger crooks than FIFA under Blatter
Loads of dead rubber matches
No achievement other than outright winning it
Matches whored out to stadiums elsewhere
No room for FA cup games even if the PL relent to let the top six continue in it
Devalues PL games because of the income disparity
Devalues European competition
Devalues every European national league
Insults the whole ethos of football competition
Money diverted from lower leagues and grass roots into the pockets of Kroenke and the Glazers
Will result in hundreds of clubs around Europe going bust
Won't stop City and PSG buying their way to victory
 

Giggs86

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Pros:
UEFA/FIFA getting a taste of their own medicine
Spurs/Arsenal will be the new 'relegation fodder'

Cons:
No league that has the word 'Super' in it can be taken seriously having Arsenal and Spurs in it
 

VeevaVee

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Not see anyone mention how this could mean “can Liverpool even afford them?” may not be a question any more

Spurs and Arsenal may end up stronger eventually. Will be impossible to buy players off them. The only slim chance of buying a Spurs player was offering more money and CL.

Anyone suggesting more money is a pro is surely ignoring the fact they all get more money. So it’s not going to be easier to tempt players here. It’ll be harder.
 

christy87

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Pros:
Defeats the purpose of pointless qualifiers and the mass amount of games against minions that no one really cares about.
A lot of money
Salary Cap for the teams involved
A massive feck off to UEFA
Arsenal getting slapped 8-1 every week
Bigger matches on a higher level
Finally getting rid of the pointless League Cup(?)

Cons:
Defeats the purpose of the chase to European spots in the PL
We'll never get rid of the parasite Glazers now
Plastic feel to it (although Champions League these days is a bit plasticy too)
Everton will never beat Liverpool again
Decreases the incentive for competition for some of the outlier challenging teams.
Possibility of stagnation in interest and performance
UEFA/FIFAs threats of bans.
That will get boring after a while, we will be on the bad end of a few hidings from Madrid and Barca, the gap to Barca and Madrid will grow with them getting more money
 

SwedishFish

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That will get boring after a while, we will be on the bad end of a few hidings from Madrid and Barca, the gap to Barca and Madrid will grow with them getting more money
Which is why I put it in the cons section under "Possibility of stagnation in interest and performance"