European Super League

[Enigma_87]

Just read about this. WTF is this shite, is it really going to materialize?

 

[RoyH1]

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This is war. I wonder who blinks first.

 

[AneRu]

This has nothing to do with merit. This is Americans stealing the most recognizable brands in the game and franchising them. One step away from "New Trafford" being built away from Manchester.

The FA needs to work with the government to shake up the whole system. There are laws to prevent oligopolies - where the market is dominated by small group of large organizations who collude to prevent market competition. This is now what we have in football and a forced sale of shares is the only option in my opinion. All clubs must now be owned 50% by the fans.

Agree with this, a 50% +1 fan ownership requirement is the way to go not this nonsense of football clubs being playtoys or ATMs for private investors.

 

[Drainy]

Its not a competitor league though is it? It is a cartel. Ban them I say. I wonder if there is a way of stopping the TV contract through Ofcom.

Why don't we bring in the army while we're at it.

Just because you don't like something doesn't mean you should go crying to daddy to make it stop.

 

[Zexstream]

Personally, I don't know what the fuss is?

It's literally replacing the European Football Competition with another Group of people running it.

In my lifetime I have seen Premier League clubs leave the Football League and set up their own league, I have seen the Champions League evolve from the European cup.

People say it's not fair, it's all about money, well sadly that is what football has become, Teams desperate to qualify for the Champions League because of the money we make.

Out of the top 6 in England, how many of those clubs in the rest of the league have qualified for the champions league over the past 20 years, about 4-5 other clubs?

Even this year Manchester United is on the verge of winning the Uefa cup when we didn't even win qualify for it, our placement is based on Uefa trying to keep the big elite clubs in European Competition when knocked out of the Champions League.

Football was ruined when we started allowing Billionaires to start buying up clubs as toys.

 

[Zlatan 7]

There's no going back from here. United are all in.

We'd best get used to the idea of an ESL.

Mother of god.

I’m not happy United are involved in this and it’s looking quite real now

 

[stevoc]

Obviously shit project but I`m honestly more laughing at most reactions and from what direction they`re coming from. It really is a depressing picture of the current football world.
You have a bunch of white collar sports journalists, TV broadcasters, politicians (fecking Boris Johnson of all people haha) and football officials scrambling and complaining that no one has asked their commercial interest, ehm I mean, *checks notes*, "the fans".

TV broadcasters trying to charge crazy sums during a pandemic, all the Sky and BT hounds sticking together, congratulating each other on great journalism when they were winding Klopp up in November on the scheduling matter, the different associations and political authorities not giving a feck for years on dubious owner- and sponsorships. But hey, suddenly professional football is a matter of solidarity and inclusion!
Good thing is that I don`t support a top club so I can just sit back and enjoy the show. Maybe its actually for the better in the end if it comes down to a big shake up instead of a continous slow transition of even more money and power to the big dogs.

However, one thing surprises me, why is PSG not amongst the 12? Bayern and Dortmund I can understand, the backlash they`d get from their fans would be insane and through membership they actually have some sort of power so I reckon Bayern will hope to maneuvre into the ESL without the opening drama. But PSG? Whats stopping them?

From what info has been released the Super League will basically have a version of FFP involved. But I assume one that will actually be enforced as opposed to the symbolic one UEFA peddled. That and Qatar based BEIN sport being one of the main sponsors of the CL.

 

[christinaa]

UEFA will suspend the clubs and their players who won't be able to play with their national teams.

 

[hubbuh]

Yeah thats it, the super league is great because it is for some reason going to end discrimination. #ForTheFans #BLM #AbuDhabiCup2024

Embarassing people actually fall for that corporate nonsense. If yelling racial slurs was profitable these teams would have all the players doing it. There's no morality here.

Well said. This is a complete disgrace, it's weird seeing some in here backing proposals from rich corporate suits who don't give one solitary shit about football. It's all just about money.

 

[christinaa]

........and probably City, Inter. Spanish League winners won't be given the title either.

 

[golden_blunder]

UEFA is already moving away from the old cup format with the swiss model. 36 teams, you play 10 group stage games against new opponents every game. More games, more fodder. On top of that the teams that make the knockout stages are automatically qualified for the next season. The CL will go to shit whether or not this super league happens, it's basically just a question of what shade of shite will be going forward.

Well that’s up to UEFA to get that right. The ESL definitely does not. So turned off right now

 

[OneUnited24]

I’m hoping all this is just a bluff to get better terms for the top teams... but the longer this goes on I’m feeling we’re committed in being on the wrong side of history

 

[bsCallout]

You can't imagine the players and staff would be too happy about being unceremoniously dumped out of the current most prestigious club cups, because the owners are greedy cnuts.

But they are already leaving the UCL? That is the whole point.

 

[golden_blunder]

Fans must protest this when they can. The sneaky feckers are trying to do it now whilst the fans still can’t meet

 

[Nani Nana]

UEFA is already moving away from the old cup format with the swiss model. 36 teams, you play 10 group stage games against new opponents every game. More games, more fodder. On top of that the teams that make the knockout stages are automatically qualified for the next season. The CL will go to shit whether or not this super league happens, it's basically just a question of what shade of shite will be going forward.

UEFA have decades-long experience tweaking their competitions to retain viewers' interest. Their Lisbon Final 8 last season was a model in execution amidst a global pandemic.

Club owners who already struggle to manage their club's finances now want to rival that expertise ? There is actually a conflict of interest between running a club and running the competition where that club competes.

For all the damage UEFA have inflicted upon themselves, keeping the Champions League entertaining has definitely been an achievement of theirs.

 

[hubbuh]

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?

How can you obsessively follow football but not give a single shit about the clubs that make football what it is? Such a weird way of being a football fan. Incredibly selfish way to engage with the world.

 

[Nogbadthebad]

The players are our only chance.

Throwing them out of international competition will force a confrontation between owners and players, and its one the owners can't win.

 

[spiriticon]

If we get booted out of the Premier League it would be the worst idea in the world.

Also, it seems we will never be able to beat Liverpool's 6 Champion's Leagues now.

6-3 it is, written in history till the end of time.

 

[FrankDrebin]

So, for people who can remember, this is like Konami's original Master League set-up. First dibs on Miranda.

 

[justsomebloke]

Actually it is that. In this instance, the entirety of their big leagues - NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB are the popular/important teams. Then you have the plebs of the G-League, Minor leagues, NASL etc.

Who they never have to play.

Well, if you prefer to make a valid point with weird terminology. The major league teams aren't major league teams because they're "the popular/important teams". That's a european way of thinking about it. The division between major and minor leagues are absolute, not a sliding scale, and it's not a question of big teams and small teams. The notion of a major league team playing against a minor league team is preposterous, absurd - they don't exist in the same sporting universe. That's not just how Americans see it, it's the logic of the system. The notion of an AHL team playing an NHL team is absurd to me too. Whereas the notion of Liverpool playing Watford obviously isn't absurd.

 

[JSArsenal]

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The players are not keen on what exactly? All of them, from every single club involved in this? They will do their job at the end of the day. I doubt any of them are going to strike because of this

 

[crossy1686]

Not the idea obviously.

But your idiotic rhetoric that is basically just trolling at this point as you stopped making any semblance of sense last night.

But no, the attitude you display, the arrogant ramblings of an entitled boy. The fact that you can't see anything past United and quire clearly don't give a feck about football on the whole.

And perhaps even more alarmingly, you quite clearly don't give a shit about the history of the club you claim to support.

I'd never noticed you around the forum before, I miss those days.

Just remember that when the SL kicks off that you’re not allowed to watch it or enjoy it in any capacity, otherwise you’ve been morally corrupted and sold out.

That’s a strong stance to take but can’t say didn’t expect a holier than thou perspective from some

 

[FrankDrebin]

Fans must protest this when they can. The sneaky feckers are trying to do it now whilst the fans still can’t meet

Part of the plan.

 

[Paxi]

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[mancan92]

Then same fecking Sky that put games on PPV this season

You guys act like there isnt levels to greed. Putting up ppv prices is not on the same destructive level as this.

 

[Jezpeza]

This is the problem with global fanbases. They have figured out how to cash in. They can literally spit in the face of season ticket holders and lifelong supporters and real fans who go to games in favour of neutrals and people paying for subscriptions in thailand.

 

[AshRK]

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[Nogbadthebad]

The players are not keen on what exactly? All of them, from every single club involved in this? They will do their job at the end of the day. I doubt any of them are going to strike because of this

Wait until they are told they won't able to play in the Euros, or the next world cup.

 

[altodevil]

Well, if you prefer to make a valid point with weird terminology. The major league teams aren't major league teams because they're "the popular/important teams". That's a european way of thinking about it. The division between major and minor leagues are absolute, not a sliding scale, and it's not a question of big teams and small teams. The notion of a major league team playing against a minor league team is preposterous, absurd - they don't exist in the same sporting universe. That's not just how Americans see it, it's the logic of the system. The notion of an AHL team playing an NHL team is absurd to me too. Whereas the notion of Liverpool playing Watford obviously isn't absurd.

It's exactly the same. You're talking a load of nonsense. The American owners of the big football teams will think playing some Belarus team in the UCL just as absurd. Totally different levels in the same competition, which just doesn't exist in the US.

 

[Paxi]

There's no going back from here. United are all in.

We'd best get used to the idea of an ESL.

I’m not sure. There is a gov statement coming at half 5. There is still hope for one of the obstacles to be the stumbling block that will feck this whole thing up.

 

[justsomebloke]

American Salary Cap keeps getting brought up. It is not an end all cap on spending for players. If you exceed the cap, you pay a dollar for dollar fine to the league but keep your shiny new player. Wealthy clubs just factor in the cost of the fine as a part of acquiring a needed player. It really only punishes the less wealthy clubs who cannot afford the cap fine.

the rich still get richer.

That depends on the system. The NHL for example is an absolute cap.

 

[crossy1686]

Ok so you're just a liar and a wum.

You disagreed with someone who said they'd taken out more than ever. Perhaps you misread or misinterpreted what they said. If you can't even admit you said something you didn't mean then there isn't any point.

Rather than de-rail the thread further I'll just put you on ignore.

You do that lad.

Just to clarify for anyone else that wants to make this bullshit claim. I’m aware the Galzers have taken money out of the club, I don’t agree with it. I’m also not naïve enough to think owners will empty their bank balances so we can have nice players. And I’ve always implied the club have spent money under their ‘ownership’, not that them themselves have added funds to the pot.

Go back and check all my posts on the matter if you think for a second I’m lying or wumming

 

[Rolandofgilead]

Just remember that when the SL kicks off that you’re not allowed to watch it or enjoy it in any capacity, otherwise you’ve been morally corrupted and sold out.

That’s a strong stance to take but can’t say didn’t expect a holier than thou perspective from some

Not a problem. Except I actually work in football and I'm not starving myself. No doubt I will be tasked with covering this shit house at some point.

But seeing as you are still trying to wind people up at this time..

@Grinner you love banning people that disagree with you, never has a poster been eager for your hammer

 

[Ixion]

I look forward to seeing Leicester earn their way into this, win the thing, and then get relegated because the 12 teams below them can't be relegated.

 

[pratyush_utd]

Personally, I don't know what the fuss is?

It's literally replacing the European Football Competition with another Group of people running it.

In my lifetime I have seen Premier League clubs leave the Football League and set up their own league, I have seen the Champions League evolve from the European cup.

People say it's not fair, it's all about money, well sadly that is what football has become, Teams desperate to qualify for the Champions League because of the money we make.

Out of the top 6 in England, how many of those clubs in the rest of the league have qualified for the champions league over the past 20 years, about 4-5 other clubs?

Even this year Manchester United is on the verge of winning the Uefa cup when we didn't even win qualify for it, our placement is based on Uefa trying to keep the big elite clubs in European Competition when knocked out of the Champions League.

Football was ruined when we started allowing Billionaires to start buying up clubs as toys.

2 clubs : Everton (2005 i think) and Leicester (When they won the league)

Essentially this makes way for all 6 which used to qualify in different years, to play regular European football.

 

[justsomebloke]

It's exactly the same. You're talking a load of nonsense. The American owners of the big football teams will think playing some Belarus team in the UCL just as absurd. Totally different levels in the same competition, which just doesn't exist in the US.

If you think that, you are fundamentally ignorant of how NA professional sports work.

 

[crossy1686]

Where did you pull those figures from? As reported yesterday the winners would get approx. 30m extra in terms of direct reward, with the bulk of the money gained being awarded just for competing in the group stages. As opposed to the CL, where the difference is 120m. In other words winning has directly been devalued and there's no consequence to finishing bottom.

How would that translate into winning the SL suddenly being worth an extra 1.15 billion?

Have you accounted for external sponsorships off the back of being the best team in the super league? Or are we talking just prize funds here?

 

[Offside]

Mother of god.

I’m not happy United are involved in this and it’s looking quite real now

United are the best example of why this is happening. A team whose owners' concerns are solely financial to the point where the team has been neglected enough to be missing out on the top European stage year after year despite mass commercial appeal, so they just create a competition where you don't have to worry about qualifying. They don't care about the competition or the history of the game.

 

[JSArsenal]

Wait until they are told they won't able to play in the Euros, or the next world cup.

FIFA aren't in charge of the FA. They can't dictate to national teams who they can and cannot pick in their team. The FAs could all have a gentleman's agreement not to pick anyone who plays in the super league. If it is the FA's choice then no one can really complain about it.

But the second someone loses their nerve and picks a Harry Kane or Mbappe then that goes out of the window too. Can you imagine a Euros and the level of interest in it, with players from Everton and below? A Spain a team without any players from Barcelona or the Madrid clubs?

That is an empty threat from where I sit. Even if they somehow managed to go through it once with no legal ramifications, it won't happen a second time. Sponsors and TV broadcasters won't want to pay for something that doesn't involve the best players

 

[JPRouve]

American Salary Cap keeps getting brought up. It is not an end all cap on spending for players. If you exceed the cap, you pay a dollar for dollar fine to the league but keep your shiny new player. Wealthy clubs just factor in the cost of the fine as a part of acquiring a needed player. It really only punishes the less wealthy clubs who cannot afford the cap fine.

the rich still get richer.

No you don't, only the NBA has a luxury tax. The NFL and NHL have a hard cap while the MLB doesn't have a salary cap.