European Super League

Do you want the ESL to happen?


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altodevil

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No thanks. Half of football is the history of it, and the allure of adding to that. UEFA Champions League is firmly established now, the music, the visuals etc. This would be a massive backwards step.
 

glazed

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How is it Liverpool after waiting 30 years to lift the PL trophy, now want to screw it over?
Because their recent performance is based on the good fortune to have a particularly good manager at a particular moment. It's not sustainable success without massive spending.
 

Paxi

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I'd quit football there and then.
 

Traub

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Seems like a lot of games. Maybe the plan is to extend the season?
 

VP

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From the First Division to the European Cup to the World Cup, almost all of the successful football (or even sporting) tournaments were launched as a sporting endeavour: to identify the best team in the country, continent and the world.

As football fans we all need to ask ourselves: does football make money to exist or does football exist to make money?
 

DevilRed

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I still think its because teams like us and others end up paying those figures. The English premium has existed for years. A number of relegated clubs have struggled even with the parachute payments and recently promoted clubs have spent less and less unless financially backed by a millionaire.
There used to be a time when you could pay reasonable money for a smaller teams best player.

That all stopped when the broadcasting money ballooned and was shared relatively even.
 

awop

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True, hadn’t thought off that angle
If there is no UCL, what would be the point of mid table clubs pushing towards UCL qualification and therefore expanding their team to get closer to the top teams. It would be a slap in the face for them.
The point would be to qualify for the FIFA European Premier League 2™ that welcome the next 4 clubs from every FA and battle for slightly lesser european glory.
 

Botim

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The way I see this playing out:

This idea will ultimately be shot down, simply because there would be massive resistance. From teams missing the cut (Tottenham for example), national football associations, "lesser" leagues, politicians, fans and, most importantly, UEFA (provided they're not involved behind closed doors).

The behemoth clubs will be pissed, but soon fall back to an older idea: reforming the Champions League by expanding it and guaranteeing a select club of "elite" teams their spot every year. There still will be protest, but the argument would be that smaller teams can still make it to the big boys table. And it would be a hell of a lot easier to implement, given the structures that are already in place.
 

Valley Blue

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This is a FIFA power grab / struggle with UEFA they are desperate to get their greedy mitts on European football & the riches that comes with it.
Both organisations are corrupt to the core and are in serious need of a cleanup.
The clubs are just as money grabbing unfortunately, we have a unique pyramid in English football that are hugely important to their communities, in these trying times perhaps the top PL clubs should try supporting the pyramid before lining their pockets even further!
If this goes ahead a lot of fans may well abandon football all together, on top of the recent power grab by the the top 6, this will alienate people even more, fecking disgraceful.
 

Prodigal7

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I think I'm confused. What do you mean by domestic style ESL? And what is the problem with a strong second division and why wouldn't the English teams allow it?
The champions league is a knock out competition with a group stage not a singular league of teams that all play each other. It is their as an elite competition but no a league in itself, in the same way the euros or the World Cup aren’t leagues. Your posts idea and the ideologies of many in Europe is to turn the champions league into Europe’s top domestic league, with national leagues feeding into it. That will never be allowed to happen by English or German clubs. The champions league (ESL or whatever incarnation it takes with or without UEFA) should and will remain a knock out competition with groups, not some sort of league sitting on top of national leagues.
 

carvajal

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The champions league is a knock out competition with a group stage not a singular league of teams that all play each other. It is their as an elite competition but no a league in itself, in the same way the euros or the World Cup aren’t leagues. Your posts idea and the ideologies of many in Europe is to turn the champions league into Europe’s top domestic league, with national leagues feeding into it. That will never be allowed to happen by English or German clubs. The champions league (ESL or whatever incarnation it takes with or without UEFA) should and will remain a knock out competition with groups, not some sort of league sitting on top of national leagues.
ah, okay. I would not like a league either, since once the winner and relegation are decided there is not much else to do, but from what I understand (based on the leaks from years ago), it would be two groups of 8, for example, where the best 4 of each group would fight for the title, from quarter finals, and the worst 4, the same but to avoid relegation.
 

Prodigal7

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ah, okay. I would not like a league either, since once the winner and relegation are decided there is not much else to do, but from what I understand (based on the leaks from years ago), it would be two groups of 8, for example, where the best 4 of each group would fight for the title, from quarter finals, and the worst 4, the same but to avoid relegation.
Ok that would suffice. But you’ll be as aware as I am that Perez has pitched a 20 team world super league in the past in an American style league with no relegation. That would kill the soul of football.
 

Untied

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If there is no UCL, what would be the point of mid table clubs pushing towards UCL qualification and therefore expanding their team to get closer to the top teams. It would be a slap in the face for them.
This is true, but we also cannot pretend that there is a long tradition behind this. Up until 2000 only two sides entered the CL from each of the top associations. And obviously historically it was only for winners. Was the league spoiled before 2000?
 

carvajal

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The way I see this playing out:

This idea will ultimately be shot down, simply because there would be massive resistance. From teams missing the cut (Tottenham for example), national football associations, "lesser" leagues, politicians, fans and, most importantly, UEFA (provided they're not involved behind closed doors).

The behemoth clubs will be pissed, but soon fall back to an older idea: reforming the Champions League by expanding it and guaranteeing a select club of "elite" teams their spot every year. There still will be protest, but the argument would be that smaller teams can still make it to the big boys table. And it would be a hell of a lot easier to implement, given the structures that are already in place.
What you propose is more or less what we have now. With very few exceptions, it is difficult for Madrid, Barça, Bayern, PSG, City, United or Liverpool to lose their Champions League spot.

We could expand but to add more minor teams? We can add a multitude of groups and in the end there will be as usual 2 very clear favorites in each group and two that have practically no options and are going to be beaten.
Ok that would suffice. But you’ll be as aware as I am that Perez has pitched a 20 team world super league in the past in an American style league with no relegation. That would kill the soul of football.
I didn´t know that, and yes, I agree that would kill football but neither should we be so idealistic to think that the old football is going to return.
Red star is not going to win the European Cup if it is not with a sheikh.
 

Prodigal7

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What you propose is more or less what we have now. With very few exceptions, it is difficult for Madrid, Barça, Bayern, PSG, City, United or Liverpool to lose their Champions League spot.

We could expand but to add more minor teams? We can add a multitude of groups and in the end there will be as usual 2 very clear favorites in each group and two that have practically no options and are going to be beaten.

I didn´t know that, and yes, I agree that would kill football but neither should we be so idealistic to think that the old football is going to return.
Red star is not going to win the European Cup if it is not with a sheikh.
We’ll see if there aren’t rules about clubs being state owned not allowed to compete. Real and Barca are fine with it now because there isn’t a Man City equivalent in La Liga, but if there was and they can just throw ridiculous money at everything until they get bored and decide to build a moon base instead, those two clubs might think differently.

Madrid and Barca are uniquely protected by La Liga and the governing bodies it seems.
 

Bubz27

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As if being shite is the prime motivating factor here
Motivating factor for United? Obviously not. Why would United want to do $om£thing that makes them look rubbish?

Or the motivation factor for us as fans to be against it? Well that wouldn't make sense would it. Of course the fans are against it because it isn't really fair.

But I was just joking anyway.
 

giorno

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Madrid and Barca are uniquely protected by La Liga and the governing bodies it seems.
No, they are protected by the fact they combine for like more than half the total domestic fanbase
 

KW2006

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Probably the reason why Glazers havn't sold the club yet.
 

Yorkeontop

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This is a death knell to the CL but I believe league football as we know it will survive, thrive even. The clear naked money grab of this super league might just turn folks off and the purity found in league football (still a compelling offering as we speak) will be enhanced.
 
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giorno

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United account for about 40% of the world club fan base/viewership when you factor in China but it does us no favours with UEFA or FIFA
Ah, you meant UEFA/FIFA. Yeah, we do seem quite protected. Years of playing politics is my guess
 

redshaw

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People here keep saying that this is plan B after utter failure to get the project big picture off the ground but I actually believe this was the step 2 of initial plan. Step 1 was to reduce the number of games by downsizing the league and getting rid of the league cup and step 2 was to create use the games reduced to fit in the new European league. I really don't see how they can give everything up to simply play in this one league where United will most likely finish in bottom half every season and haemorrhage fans and sponsorship money because no one wants to be associated with Newcastle United of European league.
Yes I think so too. Either way the PL is marginalized which is the goal of Europe's clubs.

The trouble for United and Liverpool is joining this will bring PL popularity to the European League in the short term but this will shift towards capital cities and nicer places on the continent over the years.

When we're in the same pool as the other European clubs and the PL goes on the back burner, it's going to be very hard for North West small city English teams.

We already have a disadvantage in location. Joining this super league just legitimatizes PSG, it propels them out of Ligue 1 and over time we'll fall away to London Paris etc.
 

P-Nut

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This cannot be done without scrapping the premier league.
There is no way they'd scrap or expect all the teams to leave their own leagues, hence why the article says the only way it gets off the ground is if uefa back it, which is unlikely.
 

TheGame

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This is true, but we also cannot pretend that there is a long tradition behind this. Up until 2000 only two sides entered the CL from each of the top associations. And obviously historically it was only for winners. Was the league spoiled before 2000?
No but there was other European qualification and you can just undo it either as it was meant to increase top sides in the competition but now they will take that away.
 

Prodigal7

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Yes I think so too. Either way the PL is marginalized which is the goal of Europe's clubs.

The trouble for United and Liverpool is joining this will bring PL popularity to the European League in the short term but this will shift towards capital cities and nicer places on the continent over the years.

When we're in the same pool as the other European clubs and the PL goes on the back burner, it's going to be very hard for North West small city English teams.

We already have a disadvantage in location. Joining this super league just legitimatizes PSG, it propels them out of Ligue 1 and over time we'll fall away to London Paris etc.
Nail, head. It would suit the London clubs, continental capital clubs like Real, AC etc and would feck us over in the long run. The objective will be to keep the PL as Dominant as possible. The PL could invite 2 gues teams per year from ie the MLS or a China to keep its global popularity without disintegrating the National feel to too large a degree
 

MattofManchester

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Some idiot on Sky saying this will benefit grassroots football. Apparently the increased revenue will be donated.

Ha. Haha. Funny. Good joke. Try again next week.
 

e.cantona

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This will happen with or without United. So much money in the game now, just a question of if, not when. Can also be good for the second tier.
 

balaks

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This would quickly be a total bore fest and nobody would be interested - absolutely terrible idea and it's also utterly disgusting to see some of the biggest clubs in the world trying to bully the rest of football to get more money and power. It's shameful.
 

Wessex Saint

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I'd quit football there and then.
Understandable

I guess then maybe I should be grateful that little old Southampton won't ever be part of it. What will be left will effectively by like the Championship maybe, but TBH that was probably more fun than the PL. At least its a better competition where anyone can win it.

I do feel for you Big 6 supporters. The owners haven't taken you and your views into account, and are doing it for their own ends to make even more money. I guess that's the risk you run with foreign ownership. It's also a natural progression from turning football from a sport into a business.

And of course, the wonderful no relegation for founding members for a period of 20 years. That will make it fun!!!
 

Acole9

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Us and Liverpool seem to be on a crusade to piss football up the wall.