European Super League

[bond19821982]

Leicester just won the League a few seasons ago despite the gaps but it would be irrelevant under this system. They could finish above Spurs and Arsenal 10 seasons in a row and it would be those two that get the games against Barcalona and Juventus every season. How can that possibly be fair? They are creating a rigged competition that no one else can compete with and these 12 become the only relevant teams in football. It kills all other leagues and teams not involved. It is just awful.

I do not understand how any fan of football can want to see a competition where you are guranteed a place no matter how shit you are. There is no integrity in a competition like that. And these 12 clubs will literally make the rules, its absurd. A gap like that cannot be closed.

You are talking about a completely different issue- that's integrity and I agree with it. But my initial question was about PL though. PL will still be as strong as ever and I just don't see anything impacting that.

If you are worried about certain clubs getting certain money every year , say that to City and Chelsea who has been doing this since 2005. The structure was already broken.

 

[Bob Rivers]

Hardly surprising in a pandemic, when people with Sky are already paying a fortune for their TV subscriptions.

Plenty of people in the UK and around the world watch the PL because overall it's a good product, not just because of United, City, Chelsea or the other 3. Will it be diminished without these six clubs? - yes, obviously. Does that "kill" the league as a viable concern as was suggested in the post I replied to? In my opinion, no. There are clubs outside the top six well resourced enough to still go out and buy quality players and as such, the product will continue to be viable. Rich owners will still come along and invest in what is a marketable product.

And another, obvious point, is that City were Southampton until someone pumped a load of cash in. Now there are people in China walking around in City shirts.

The idea that people will simply stop watching the PL if these clubs leave is, in my view a nonsense. There are millions of fans out there who don't support those clubs, and millions of others who just love to watch football. The quality of the league will remain high enough to attract those fans.
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I'd agree that there are millions of fans in the UK that would still follow the PL without the big six because of the local affiliation with the clubs involved, but outside the country, not so much. Do you really think fans in Russia, China or USA will be tuning in, let alone paying to watch West Ham battling Brighton on a weekly basis when they can watch the big boys in the ESL instead?

Even in Britain, the younger generation of fans will be easily swayed towards the new league. Unlike older fans who care about tradition and history the younger audience will only care about the entertainment value. Why watch your local theatre production when you can enjoy the best TV show the world can offer.

 

[Zlatan 7]

dude it ain't going to happen.

They’re about to enter a closed league which could well have different rules and refs to the fifa World Cup. It makes sense that they can’t just enter into a national tournament of a different organisation, just because they’re a star at the moment they won’t be stars of the future too.

It’s easy to sit back and say it won’t happen, I can do the same but it’s also easy to see why it will happen and we’ll end up with two different football organisations.

Bayern being European cup champions,
Real Madrid being European league champions.

Germany being fifa World Cup winners.
England being super world winners.

Which of those is too far fetched?

 

[Giggs86]

There is a lot more clubs on the continent than that and some of them have very wealthy owners that could see in interest in investing in CL football now that the oldies left.

Such as?

The CL will be nothing without those 12 clubs. It'll be the SPFL equivalent with Bayern and Psg playing the role of Celtic and Rangers.

 

[Cal?]

If Ceferin has any balls he cancels the current UCL and EL.

Would be ridiculous to let them play as if nothing was happening.

Pray tell which Uefa rule has any team broken THIS season?

 

[Dave Smith]

Just thought of something. Don't they need sign off from the IFAB in order to use the rules of the game? Cannot see them getting that signed off, which means they'll have to use some other form of rules.

 

[Drainy]

If Ceferin has any balls he cancels the current UCL and EL.

Would be ridiculous to let them play as if nothing was happening.

Yeah it would be hilarious if he brings back teams that have lost and are knocked out.

Sporting integrity and merit my arse.

 

[FrankDrebin]

And probably won't mince words about it. Could be good.

I dont think he'll say anything.

 

[The Firestarter]

Something I can't wrap my head around , why these dumbspiracy leaders announced it in the business end of the season, when titles and cups are being chased , and not immediately after? Now they are risking the trophies they are about to win as well, effectively rendering the work of their players useless. They really don't care about any of this don't they? Probably view their own players as mindless automatons.

 

[Paul the Wolf]

PSG has a lot more to lose. Don't forget the WC in Qatar.

But if most of the best players are also banned then the 2022 WC will be a joke.

 

[MU655]

I don't know why anyone is comparing this to the Premier League. That change was nowhere near as big. The Premier League is pretty much the same as old division one; it was pretty much a rebranding. In the end, it was still a domestic league with most of the same base rules.

The ESL would be a complete change.

 

[Tom Van Persie]

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[GhastlyHun]

not really. they believe in the champions league format. Plus the fans own 51% stake in their club so doubt they would agree anyway.

I read it in the original German, and believe me, it's as luke-warm and non-committal as statements go. I'm also not completely sure that the 50+1 system will safely prevent these ESL shenanigans. With the amount of money involved, i could even see fans bribed to vote for the new league.

 

[V.O.]

But if most of the best players are also banned then the 2022 WC will be a joke.

World Cup Final between Wales and Ireland because most of our players are from the fecking Champo

 

[Drainy]

But if most of the best players are also banned then the 2022 WC will be a joke.

Massive asterisk next to the winner's name

 

[Giggs86]

The saddest thing about it for me is that after watching United for 30 years, hoping that we will one day equal and overhaul Liverpool's tally of European Cup/Champions League wins, just as we did their League titles, that dream is probably now dead. We have conceded.

Don't see any issue with that. The CL titles will be carried over to the SL the same way EC were carried over to CL and First Division titles were carried over to the PL.

 

[Bobski]

Just on the state of the CL. It had a golden period for me between 1995-2006, with a far more even spread of talent across Europe. Some of my favourite teams from that era, The Ajax champions, Dynamo Kiev (really should have played Utd in the 99 final), Depor/Villareal in the early 00's. That is already mostly gone because of money, any smaller team that dares to produce a threat gets immediately harvested, see Monaco and Ajax in recent times, a ESL will rubber stamp the truth that every other club is effectively a feeder team for these elite few. The diversity of experience is what made the European Cup so alluring, live threats every time, champions of Holland, Portugal, Turkey, hell even Scotland should be dangerous teams instead of cannon fodder. This has all led to the CL becoming too familiar with far too many of the top players grouped together on the same teams, diluting the experience, and the narrative dominated by tedious individual narratives just like the NBA.

A ESL kills the game for all but casual watchers, but that is were the money is, playing Madrid/Barcelona/Bayern is special because of the rarity, but can you imagine the player movement at that point, everyone desperate to get to a ESL club to maximize their exposure and income.

 

[Paul the Wolf]

World Cup Final between Wales and Ireland because most of our players are from the fecking Champo

Having beaten Gibraltar and North Korea in the Semis

 

[FreddieTheReddie]

If I understand correctly all American sports are like this. How do they keep it interesting?

That's why they have Lady Gaga concerts at half time and cheerleaders every five minutes. The game itself is insufferable.

 

[Cal?]

But if most of the best players are also banned then the 2022 WC will be a joke.

Time to place a bet on Germany!!!

 

[BlackShark_80]

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[90 + 5min]

FIFA/UEFA bans ESL players from international tournament? That is what ESL owners want.

1. Players will not be risked in “worthless” international matches.
AND much more important:

2.Wall Street comes up with $10 billion package to set up a brand new World Football Championship to be held every 2 years.

The most valuable asset in 21st century is visual content. Football is the cream of the crop. It is worth hundreds of billions. Look at US sports industry market capitalisation with mere 300 million pop. Football is 4 billion pop mega market.

it is all fault of the corrupt and incompetent world football authorities who were dominated by arrogant European “royal” elite, Middle Eastern and Russian tycoons with Chinese joining the banquet lately.

They will get what they deserved, bastards. If you become a money slave, it will punish you.

Who will be the players? 20 clubs doesn't include all nations or players and with UEFA / FIFA eventually forbidding players to play for they nations if they play in SuperLeague you will be lucky to have a full national team from those teams.

 

[Schneiderman]

I love how they've given PSG less time than the Germans to accept, to prevent them from winning the Champions League first and then deciding to join. Cnuts.

 

[Tom Van Persie]

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[rimaldo]

Legacy Ref's

yep. howard webb and collina have been secretly breeding an army of new super refs. each one balder than the last.

 

[The Firestarter]

World Cup Final between Wales and Ireland because most of our players are from the fecking Champo

With "Will Grigg on fire" blasting from the stands. Wait..wrong Ireland...but by that time a Super Ireland may have been created despite the vigorous protests by Boris Johnson PM of the Kingdom of England and Wales.

 

[littlepeasoup]

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Fantastic way to endear yourself to fans... litigate your way to victory.

 

[Pexbo]

I guess we will be kicked out of the EL too?

 

[GatoLoco]

What happens with the CL anthem?

That also ends with the Superleague? Do they have better music? I don't think that's possible.

 

[newsdevil]

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[GhastlyHun]

I love how they've given PSG less time than the Germans to accept, to prevent them from winning the Champions League first and then deciding to join. Cnuts.

Pretty sure it's because PSG does not have to run this by their fans/members, unlike Bundesliga clubs.

 

[Olly Gunnar Solskjær]

yep. howard webb and collina have been secretly breeding an army of new super refs. each one balder than the last.

Completely hairless all over their body so they can glide over the pitch with hardly any air resistance at all.

 

[The Firestarter]

I guess we will be kicked out of the EL too?

Donny would feel sad , unable to get his 10 minutes in the second semifinal.

 

[Dave Smith]

Apprantly Perez is already in rehearsals for the presenting of the first ESL final:

 

[stevoc]

Something I can't wrap my head around , why these dumbspiracy leaders announced it in the business end of the season, when titles and cups are being chased , and not immediately after? Now they are risking the trophies they are about to win as well, effectively rendering the work of their players useless. They really don't care about any of this don't they? Probably view their own players as mindless automatons.

Because UEFA were announcing their CL reform plans today I would imagine.

 

[Rado_N]

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Just when sign making businesses thought the covid boom might be coming to an end, football steps up to the plate.

Football fans sure do love a banner.

 

[unplayable]

What happens with the CL anthem?

That also ends with the Superleague? Do they have better music? I don't think that's possible.

Asking the important questions. I'm out, if I don't see Ronaldo singing the anthem.

 

[bleedred]

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As much as I would like to see that happen, I think UEFA and other FAs haven't got the balls to do it. At this point its a game of who folds first.

 

[Drainy]

Fantastic way to endear yourself to fans... litigate your way to victory.

Well, if UEFA are acting illegally..

 

[Devil may care]

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In crayon?