European Super League

Do you want the ESL to happen?


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  • Poll closed .

Raven

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Its really hard to empathize with UEFA or FIFA over this, although I do feel for the supporters of clubs like Ajax, Porto, Benfica, Lille etc who have always accounted well for themselves when given the opportunity. FIFA has been a shit hole of corruption.

UEFA has failed many times over to address racist abuse in European competitions and with more commercial revenue at stake and a strict attitude towards that, at least the super league would be free from it.

Other than guaranteed participation, I don't see much wrong with a super league proposal. Will it be any worse if the league is gradually expanded to 32 teams and they hold onto a franchise system like in American sports?
Guaranteed participation is THE problem. Why in the feck should they be allowed to squirrel away all of the games money and leave feck all for every one else?
 

justsomebloke

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As a Manchester United fan, I honestly don't care what happens to Leeds, or MK Dons, or Bromma Pojkarna. Do you think they'd give a shit it we went into administration? Why is it our responsibility to pay them?
I think you're actually trying to be obtuse and annoying now.
 

Reditus

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All eyes on Klopp this evening. Really hope he speaks out against it. If he does and the likes of Pep and Ole can follow. Maybe even some players too, this could be all over within a week
 

sullydnl

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And this is why they're rich and we're all poor. They won't see the SL as an opportunity to make the bare minimum, they'll be looking at how the can make billions through sponsorships by winning the SL.
The gap in sponsorship between those who are successful and those who aren't is also reduced in a SL as the elite 15 have a guaranteed place regardless. The value sponsors gain from their team winning the SL as opposed to just taking their perpetually guaranteed place is many times smaller than that gained from winning the CL over failing to qualify.

They will get massive sponsorship deals even if they're finishing bottom of the SL, because they're forever guaranteed to be in it. They don't need to spend to make that money.
 

MDFC Manager

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I'm glad to see most on here have some sense. A very limited few making a fool of themselves.

Will be interesting to see if the managers have any balls or they'll do a 180 in their opinions.
Ultimately managers are the most expendable commodity in the game, so they will all bend over, even the most pseudophilosophical like Klopp.
 

terraloo

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My reading is that they aren’t abandoning domestic competitions although for quite a while there has been a suggestion that the CC is in jeopardy
 

bsCallout

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Fergie has came out against it, ex-players have come out against it, fans are against it.

I don't for a second believe our manager or most of our players would be for it.

Its a statement that the owners opinion is all that matters(to them). I don't think it'll go ahead.
 

Adam-Utd

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So it feels like finishing in the top 4 or winning the Europa league is completely pointless now anyway?
 

balaks

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As a Manchester United fan, I honestly don't care what happens to Leeds, or MK Dons, or Bromma Pojkarna. Do you think they'd give a shit it we went into administration? Why is it our responsibility to pay them?
You must just be trolling at this point.
 

Reditus

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As a Manchester United fan, I honestly don't care what happens to Leeds, or MK Dons, or Bromma Pojkarna. Do you think they'd give a shit it we went into administration? Why is it our responsibility to pay them?
I dont want to see any clubs go out of business. I dont care who they are

I imagine most football fans feel the same
 

Withnail

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I've replied multiple times to that question.

Merit still exists, these clubs weren't just selected at random. This isn't a postcode lottery of teams is it?

As it currently stands, it's 15 'elites' and 5 that drop in and drop out. There's nothing stopping a team like Southampton winning the CL multiple times, growing a following and becoming more competitive and asking questions about joining the SL full time, otherwise they'd just create another SL that involved them and other clubs.

It doesn't make sense for the competition is completely exclusionary it's entire lifespan.
This is pure fantasy on your part. It seems like you decided to play devil's advocate yesterday before you'd even read the official statement and now you've gone down a rabbit hole where you've even tried to claim the Glazers haven't taken a shit-ton of money out of the club.

Joel Glazer literally just put 70m into his sky rocket. Take a break man.
 

Siorac

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I think people enjoy the fantasy that Real, Juve, Bayern, MU, Liverpool, Arsenal, PSG could be relegated in the modern era... rather than the reality.

It's like the American illusion that if you compete hard enough and find a niche that you can defeat Amazon or Walmart in retail.

But I suppose keeping that illusion intact would make it much more palatable for fans who actually think the game is played on a level playing field.
But Manchester United or Arsenal not qualifying for the Champions League is not a fantasy. It's all quite real. Arsenal haven't done it for half a decade now.

And yes, football has been going in the wrong direction for a while. There's no need to step on the accelerator though. Yes, football is becoming more and more of a closed shop. That's a problem - the solution isn't to make it fecking official.
 

Tom Cato

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I'm glad to see most on here have some sense. A very limited few making a fool of themselves.

Will be interesting to see if the managers have any balls or they'll do a 180 in their opinions.
I've messaged every player and staff account I could think of, asking them to speak out.

Of course thats probably a waste of time and I drowned in the barrage of "i need money sir" messages, but its more than nothing.

I would be beyond happy if any player or manager came out against this, don't even care who. Just someone with a voice start something.
 

André Dominguez

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In basketball Euroleague clubs have joined to do the same, but for other reasons (FIBA was holding european basketball back, and so clubs created Euroleague and Eurocup). Euroleague has a few residents, but their license can be taken if they have a couple of poor seasons.
In the ESL I think they are taking it to a very extremist position. THey should rethink about it. The biggest looser is going to be EPL, since a lot of t rights will detour to the new ESL.
 

MDFC Manager

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15th and an EBITDA of 200% and increased drawings.

In a league they CAN'T get relegated from.

They won't give a shit.
Absolutely. This is all about the money.

All eyes on Klopp this evening. Really hope he speaks out against it. If he does and the likes of Pep and Ole can follow. Maybe even some players too, this could be all over within a week
I doubt you'll hear a peep. Nobody will speak against their employers.
 

dinostar77

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Does anyone know if any players at the clubs involved have commented publicly about this? I saw havertz tweet but that was all
 

e.cantona

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Is just a natural progression IMO, FIFA/UEFA are outdated. Few years down the line will have mini super league(s), other competitions and cups, and probably some domestic ones for nostalgia. Biggest worry short term should be FIFA and FM video games.
 
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The gap in sponsorship between those who are successful and those who aren't is also reduced in a SL as the elite 15 have a guaranteed place regardless. The value sponsors gain from their team winning the SL as opposed to just taking their perpetually guaranteed place is many times smaller than that gained from winning the CL over failing to qualify.

They will get massive sponsorship deals even if they're finishing bottom of the SL, because they're forever guaranteed to be in it. They don't need to spend to make that money.
Just said (effectively) the same thing to someone who said "what if we're 15th?"

The ONLY reason the Glazers wanted us to win stuff up til now was to maintain the brand, earn prize money and get bigger sponsorship.

The ESL guarantees that regardless of position (to a degree). They'll fleece it even more until it collapses or they sell it for a few billion.
 

Adam-Utd

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All eyes on Klopp this evening. Really hope he speaks out against it. If he does and the likes of Pep and Ole can follow. Maybe even some players too, this could be all over within a week
You really think all this planning will be shelved because a few people are unhappy?

These billionaires have all banded together to take the power for themselves. If the leagues kick them out then they'll just make their own.

All the top brass have been resigning from their UEFA positions, I don't think there is any going back.
 

Murder on Zidane's Floor

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The part in bold is clearly bollocks but don't let a rumour ruin a good story.

I don't want to get into this in this thread. I don't agree with the model but perhaps there's a possibility the SL money could go towards paying off the debt? Thought about that?
I wish I was this naive.
 

Raven

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The part in bold is clearly bollocks but don't let a rumour ruin a good story.

I don't want to get into this in this thread. I don't agree with the model but perhaps there's a possibility the SL money could go towards paying off the debt? Thought about that?
Feck me, are you being paid by the Glazers or something?
 

golden_blunder

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Yeah you're right, how dare the best teams play the best teams. Disgraceful. I came here to see FC Cluj lose 7-0 to Barcelona and I'm not leaving until it happens
European competition shouldn’t be about seeing United play Barca or madrid multiple times a season. European competition is about the romance of being drawn against competition we wouldn’t otherwise play and having a big match if you get through. The CL need to build on that. Not this..: this power grab: if anyone thinks it’s a reason for the glazers to spend more.. it’s a reason for them to take even more money out
 

Robertd0803

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Uefa just need to bend over to accomadate these teams in the interests of everyone not making a balls of everything.

Its actually getting worse by the minute, dont even want to think about what damage this is doing to us as a club.

And also I am amazed that United and Liverpool that value their European history so much are willing to give that up to go compete for a new trophy with no lineage.
 

izec

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The only European thing is that it is compromised of European teams. Quite obviously their target market is the US and Asia. Soon we will have to wake up at 2 am in the morning to watch the Manchester derby in New York or Barca against Real in Jakarta at 2pm prime time.
 

VorZakone

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As a Manchester United fan, I honestly don't care what happens to Leeds, or MK Dons, or Bromma Pojkarna. Do you think they'd give a shit it we went into administration?
Why do you not have a problem with the fact that these 15 clubs are guaranteed to qualify for the Super League?
 

TMDaines

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So it feels like finishing in the top 4 or winning the Europa league is completely pointless now anyway?
Winning the Europa League for the sense of achievement is exactly what football is all about. Why are you even interested in United and football in general otherwise?
 

McGrathsipan

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Its all falling apart and the game we know is dying. Its all about how much they can rinse from fans for a long time but this is a whole new level.

Horrible that United are involved.
 

Nogbadthebad

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This will turn into a circus.

You'll have United v Liverpool in Atlanta or Boston and all the rest.

Its also odd seeing people talk about player drafts.

Do you think that players used to deciding where they play suddenly agreeing to a draft system?

Not a chance.


And as I said earlier, if Fifa stick to their statement that players involved are out of international football, its already dead.

Or do you really think Kane will rather play superleague and finish in the bottom 3 every year instead of breaking Rooney's goal record and have even a slim chance of being the captain of an England team that wins something?
 

kouroux

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Of course you can, what nonsense. Look at the NHL - not just a bunch of different states (all of whom set their own taxes, largely), but two different countries - Canada and the US. Come to think of it, the other NA major leagues have Canadian teams too.
There is also Monaco playing in the ligue 1 with a complete tax system. If there is a will, there is a way, specially when it comes to money