Is the European super league back? | United Statement: We remain committed to UEFA

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The new CL format isn’t much better, and the new competition is going to be revised into more of a traditional format. Not to mention it’ll be governed by the clubs to an extent that will prevent the shit that UEFA and FIFA are up to, which has more or less brought us to this point. Not to mention the fact that English clubs are pretty much excluded at this point anyway since Brexit.

First and foremost it's interesting in the sense that it could potentially threaten the stranglehold of UEFA and FIFA.



UEFA and FIFA are a disease upon football. Needs to be put down.
And Super league will be much better?
 

the_cliff

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As long as the English clubs and Bayern don't join it will never be taken seriously. I mean if it was Barca, Madrid and the Italian teams the only game that would actually get decent viewership is the Clasico. Villa vs Spurs will get more viewers than the other games.
 

putzmcgee123

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Without the English clubs this is such a dead concept
True, but if Saudi money and Messi bucks appear on the table, I suspect their tune will change pretty quickly. I don't expect the outcome of this to be an exclusively European Super League, but a more global one.
 

Devil_forever

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Without the English clubs this is such a dead concept
Not really, the CL with just English and German clubs is far less watchable than a super league with all the other major European teams plus money being pumped in by Saudi and the US.

Enlgish clubs will rue buckling to fan pressure and not singing up for this.
 

JogaBonitoRooney

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All the 'fans aren't interested' is a bunch of empty threats. Same as the 'I'll boycot the WC in Qatar!' nonsense.

End of the day, people will want to watch football. There is a lot of talk about the ESL being dead without [X] teams, that goes the other way around as well. Real, Barca, Italian teams etc. not being in the CL will essentially also kill that competition.

And again: corporate world follows the money. No way Glazers, Boehly etc. are going to skip a huge cash injection. Not expecting it to be a smooth ride but this seems to eventually replace the CL.
Only Real Madrid, Barca and maybe Juve want ESL. What do these clubs have in common? They're in leagues which have been largely ahead of the EPL in the last 40 years except for the last few years and in the late 2000s.

They're now scared of losing the battle with EPL permanently and not being able to compete. Instead of trying to fight and get back on top, they are trying to escape with their own league.

They ruined their national league which had all the resources to stay strong and ahead of EPL through their own greed. Instead of trying to fix it, they think they can create a new league. Not enough clubs will be interested. EPL clubs are already getting great business with their league, why would they risk it all for this circus?

In the end Real, Barca and Juve will be crying to stay in the CL. Perez will be crying at the end of all this. The man is a snake and can't be trusted.

Edit - Even Juve pulled out hah. Good luck Real and Barca.
 

WeePat

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I don’t know why they keep saying domestic performance have no relevance to your standing in the ESL. Surely it would make it more palatable if they just said, where you finish in the league determines what ‘tier’ you qualify for, so the 2nd and 3rd ‘divisions’ could essentially be the ESL equivalent of the Europa League and the Conference League.

If you have performed like Chelsea have this season and last, we have no business being anywhere near elite European football, but it would probably take 3 consecutive years of serious underperforming in the ESL for us to drop out completely, or we could do just enough to avoid relegation in the ESL and just stay at the elite level despite finishing 10-12th in the PL, for example.

If they want to present this as a proper alternative to the CL, they cannot render domestic performances irrelevant to qualification.
 

the_cliff

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Not really, the CL with just English and German clubs is far less watchable than a super league with all the other major European teams plus money being pumped in by Saudi and the US.

Enlgish clubs will rue buckling to fan pressure and not singing up for this.
I disagree. It's the reason this won't happen without the English clubs. Let's say the teams that want the super league join and form their own and compete with a Champions league with all the English clubs, Bayern/Dortmund, PSG, Atletico. The super league teams will end up losing money and begging to come back after one season. It's the reason this whole thing is dependant on English clubs and Perez is not daft enough to try and start one without them and compete directly with the UCL.
 

giorno

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It seems people may be overlooking the falling of enthusiasm for cross league matches as a tournament layout problem rather than a simple lack of interest
Uh? The UEFA competitions are selling for more and more money. What falling interest???
 

cyberman

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Not really, the CL with just English and German clubs is far less watchable than a super league with all the other major European teams plus money being pumped in by Saudi and the US.

Enlgish clubs will rue buckling to fan pressure and not singing up for this.
Other Spanish clubs are rejecting this. French as well
 

RedRocket9908

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I really dont understand what the massive outrage is about this, arnt giving the control and the proceeds back to the clubs and removing the need for the fans to pay extortionate subscription fees to watch the games all good things?

The only thing I dont like about it that there doesnt seem to a route for other clubs to qualify for it in subsequent seasons.
 

golden_blunder

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I really dont understand what the massive outrage is about this, arnt giving the control and the proceeds back to the clubs and removing the need for the fans to pay extortionate subscription fees to watch the games all good things?

The only thing I dont like about it that there doesnt seem to a route for other clubs to qualify for it in subsequent seasons.
If you think that no subs is a long term plan then I have a bottle of Irish air to sell you
 

HTG

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I disagree. It's the reason this won't happen without the English clubs. Let's say the teams that want the super league join and form their own and compete with a Champions league with all the English clubs, Bayern/Dortmund, PSG, Atletico. The super league teams will end up losing money and begging to come back after one season. It's the reason this whole thing is dependant on English clubs and Perez is not daft enough to try and start one without them and compete directly with the UCL.
I’d go even further and say that a champions league like this, with clubs like Ajax, Benfica, Anderlecht, Porto, Marseille or Eastern European clubs playing a much bigger role, might actually be more popular than the current format.
I mean I still remember that one good run Ajax had. The whole of Europe stood behind them and wanted them to win. Let’s do this and have Real, Barca and Juve play their shitty little competition.
 

bosnian_red

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I really dont understand what the massive outrage is about this, arnt giving the control and the proceeds back to the clubs and removing the need for the fans to pay extortionate subscription fees to watch the games all good things?

The only thing I dont like about it that there doesnt seem to a route for other clubs to qualify for it in subsequent seasons.
Free streaming service won't last, but isn't the issue anyway. Doesn't mean anything. What matters is the actual competition and format.

Domestic leagues get killed and their only purpose is to qualify into ESL (blue division) once a team falls out. Any of the clubs from smaller leagues (a large percentage of Europe) has no hope to qualify, let alone ever play in the elite tier competition. Leicester can win the PL, but never compete in the gold competition. Would take years of failure to drop out, and years of success to get in. It's a horrible idea.

It's just meant to solidify income for Barca and Real Madrid so they don't fall further behind English clubs due to financial power. That's literally all it is. They keep mentioning football is in trouble... It's nonsense. It's in trouble because they keep spending stupid amounts of money that they can't afford in the hopes that somebody bails them out. They think they are above rules and above the prospect of failure and that they have a god given right to remain at the elite of football endlessly. That is what they worry about.
 

the_cliff

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I’d go even further and say that a champions league like this, with clubs like Ajax, Benfica, Anderlecht, Porto, Marseille or Eastern European clubs playing a much bigger role, might actually be more popular than the current format.
I mean I still remember that one good run Ajax had. The whole of Europe stood behind them and wanted them to win. Let’s do this and have Real, Barca and Juve play their shitty little competition.
Of course they will and that's why as long as the English clubs/Bayern refuse to join it will be a compete failure. Madrid/Barca are doing this because of financial gains, they won't have any financial gains without the English clubs and Bayern joining. In fact, if they were to start the Super league now, teams like Ajax/Benfica and the teams you mentioned will probably be making more money than they do in their 'super league'.

EDIT: Just to add PSG owners are not at all happy with the super league idea (Considering the owners also own the broadcasting rights to the UCL in the Middle East and North Africa for the foreseeable). So that's another big team that definitely won't be involved.
 

saivet

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The problem with it, even as a product it doesn't even seem more attractive than the revamped CL.

It's better than their previous format but;
  • A 14 game group stage is potentially too long and may not be all that interested towards the end of the group. I actually prefer the new CL format of playing 8 different teams in the group stage, which I think could be interesting.
  • It still feels like there's not much jeopardy - in the top tier you have to finish bottom in your group to be relegated.
  • Despite the relegations, I still think the setup is just wholly geared towards protecting the big clubs. I think the top league would largely be the same teams every year with a the same teams getting relegated/promoted to the lower league
  • If there is a season with a surprise league winner (e.g. potentially Girona this season) their reward would be to go in the bottom tier of the Super League which I think would feel odd. To win one of the top European leagues and then be put in a tier c European competition just doesn't feel right
 

giorno

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Honestly the best thing the SL can do is to just reorganize as a direct competitor to UEFA. One directly controlled by the clubs. And then expand euro tournaments. Get one between second division teams, etc...
 

saivet

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I don’t know why they keep saying domestic performance have no relevance to your standing in the ESL. Surely it would make it more palatable if they just said, where you finish in the league determines what ‘tier’ you qualify for, so the 2nd and 3rd ‘divisions’ could essentially be the ESL equivalent of the Europa League and the Conference League.

If you have performed like Chelsea have this season and last, we have no business being anywhere near elite European football, but it would probably take 3 consecutive years of serious underperforming in the ESL for us to drop out completely, or we could do just enough to avoid relegation in the ESL and just stay at the elite level despite finishing 10-12th in the PL, for example.

If they want to present this as a proper alternative to the CL, they cannot render domestic performances irrelevant to qualification.
This is what I think is silly about the concept. Similar applies to a great season for an underdog team (e.g. Girona this season) is you get put into the bottom tier of the ESL.
 

Ralaks

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So they mention people lose interest in completely point less group games and their solution is to double the amount of group games? Am i missing something or wont there just be even more irrelevant games.

2 teams getting relegated is also just completely laughable. Might as well have no relegation. Increase it to all the teams not qualifying for play offs, ie. 50% and i might be inclined to not laught this off immediately
 

Big Ben Foster

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Yes, against it.
Remain committed to uefa competition etc
Statement didn't say anything specifically about being against it. Much more noncommittal than that. It was more along the lines of "this ruling doesn't change our view on anything".
 

Telsim

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The parasites are staying on precisely because of the ESL, they are counting on it, so I don't believe that statement or anything it implies. They will try again and the fans must remain resolute in the face of it. UEFA is shit, but what's the point if the cure is worse than the disease?
 

Big Ben Foster

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I fear it would come to a point where teams would play weakened teams in the PL for this and for that reason I’m out
To be fair, we've been doing exactly that all season :nervous:
Not really but you know what I mean
 

Chesterlestreet

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It'll happen alright in some shape or form.

And it will include the Saudi teams.

Just prepare for the inevitable.

And if you're up for it, make a stand - protest in any way you can, as a fan of one of the biggest football clubs in the world, it could (maybe) make a difference.
 

Bosnian_fan

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64 clubs would participate, while currently, 96 teams participate in group stages of European competitions alone, with that number climbing well over 200 if we count the qualifying rounds.

I'm really curious to see how all these clubs would feel knowing they have no reward money from UEFA anymore. This would kill any league outside top 15, maybe top 20 in Europe.

UEFA is bad, no point in debating it, but this is even worse. All the reforms in football ever since the introduction of Champions League are essentially contributing towards cutting down number of clubs capable of winning things. Eventual forming of Superleague would just reduce number of competitive clubs further. The concept UEFA should have started chasing decades ago is reducing the role the money has, reducing its effects on football. I'm not going to pretend I know how it could have been achieved, but there's a fine difference between attempting to make competitions actually competitive and doing what UEFA did long time ago.
 

Zen86

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Let’s not pretend the CL is as alluring as it used to be. Most of the teams taking part are bobbins now due to the financial disparity between leagues. 20 years ago there was still a genuine mystique to the competition and every game was engaging. Now it’s swept up by an ever smaller number of clubs every year and the majority of games are there to make up the numbers. Most of the “big” games in the CL are big in name only, featuring clubs with historic names but often little actual quality. That’s the only thing which keeps the CL chugging along.

If the majority of top clubs across Europe opt for a Super League, the CL will be dead, with or without the PL clubs.