N O
They are ruining football every day with every change they do nowdays.
They are ruining football every day with every change they do nowdays.
European Super League
- Thread starter esmufc07
- Start date
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
These are gigantic organisations with armies of data analysts working for them. You'd have to think they have conducted their market research and financial projections. Did they seriously find that these horrendous plans are what the fans, who they ultimately need to pay for all of this, want? What is this data they're looking that suggests this is good financially in the long run? Maybe it will attract a lot of fans outside of Europe with the glamour of the big fixtures initially, but surely once the novelty wears off, the product won't be as profitable.
Feck it. Im all for it now
Is it not just ancillary, or will it actually aim to replace the CL? There's no way they'd be able to phase that out, it's the biggest club competition
It’s only the biggest because the best teams are in it, without them it’s absolutely nothing unfortunately. What’s a champions league without any of the big champions?
Just a load of PR tosh... better than saying he single handedly trashed the club.
Obviously Barcelona would be invited to join, league doesn't exist yet and won't for a long time, if ever.
Like United fans continuing to pump their own money into matches/kits/sky etc even though we hate the Glazers?
Fans will always pay, and if some don't, most of the others will.
That is very different. There will always be enough customers that pay for a top product even if there are moral objections or question marks around it. What we are talking about here is a significantly lower quality product. Manchester United fans will most definitely not pay if the current mediocrity continues. The new generation of fans will not be as interested etc ... There is no business in the world that can get away with a lower quality product, only difference is how long it takes.
Utter scum, feck this and feck them, those who support this abomination feck you too.
This feels rather American. I mean are there promotions/relegations?
This project will kill diversity. “Diversity” equals “ability to compete” in XXI century. I would like to have an option to watch Shakhtar vs Lazio instead of endless PSG vs City with no options. No.
I like the idea of stripping the massive clubs from their perspective leagues. It’s boring knowing Bayern, PSG, Real, Barca, etc will steamroll to the title every year. Better for the PL to have 18 or 20 title contenders every year. FFP was supposed to ensure that, but that didn’t work. Maybe this will.
The triumph of the club, greek polis-style. When a club becomes bigger than its national league and NT. Awesome.
I was for this, but you’ve convinced me
Proposal is just that, a proposal.
He can accept it all he likes but it may never be actualised.
He can accept it all he likes but it may never be actualised.
FFP was designed to do exactly the opposite, that is to prevent the rise of any more state or oligarch backed clubs that might compete with the existing elite.
It's really only in England that we still have competitive clubs beyond the top 2. Even then, the dominance of Man City and Liverpool has shown the English clubs aren't that far off from the rest of Europe.
In most European leagues, there will always be one or two clubs that dominate the league every single year. Juventus in Italy, Bayern in Germany, PSG in France, the Madrid clubs/Barca in Spain. Even in the minor European leagues, things are more or less the same. Ajax in Netherlands, Celtic/Glasgow in Scotland, and etc.
Might as well let the super-clubs form their own league at this point, and the rest of the leagues can actually be more competitive than what it is today. Maybe have some allocated slots for the top teams of the original national leagues to have a season in the European league if they won their title season.
So you have a league of the big teams that won't be relegated:
R. Madrid
Barcelona
A. Madrid
PSG
Bayern
Dortmund
Man Utd
Arsenal
Chelsea
Liverpool
Man City
Tottenham
Ajax
Juventus
Inter
The remaining 5 spots can be opened to teams from the bigger European league that won their domestic league.
England
France
Germany
Italy
Spain
If the league is going to expand beyond 20 teams, a 24 team format may allow 4 more additional spots for teams in the minor European leagues, and they can have a qualification round.
In most European leagues, there will always be one or two clubs that dominate the league every single year. Juventus in Italy, Bayern in Germany, PSG in France, the Madrid clubs/Barca in Spain. Even in the minor European leagues, things are more or less the same. Ajax in Netherlands, Celtic/Glasgow in Scotland, and etc.
Might as well let the super-clubs form their own league at this point, and the rest of the leagues can actually be more competitive than what it is today. Maybe have some allocated slots for the top teams of the original national leagues to have a season in the European league if they won their title season.
So you have a league of the big teams that won't be relegated:
R. Madrid
Barcelona
A. Madrid
PSG
Bayern
Dortmund
Man Utd
Arsenal
Chelsea
Liverpool
Man City
Tottenham
Ajax
Juventus
Inter
The remaining 5 spots can be opened to teams from the bigger European league that won their domestic league.
England
France
Germany
Italy
Spain
If the league is going to expand beyond 20 teams, a 24 team format may allow 4 more additional spots for teams in the minor European leagues, and they can have a qualification round.
Bartomeu has resigned so not much truth in it.
So, 18 teams? Who do you think would make the cut? This would be my assumption
1. Manchester United
2. Manchester City
3. Liverpool
4. Chelsea
5. Arsenal
6. Tottenham
7. Real Madrid
8. Barcelona
9. Athletico Madrid
10. Juventus
11. Internazionale
12. AC Milan
13. Bayern Munich
14. Borussia Dortmund
15. Ajax
16. Benfica
17. PSG
18. Marseille/Lyon
In actual size terms I'm sure you can make arguments for clubs like Celtic/Everton/Zenit possibly being bigger than some of those clubs but they haven't really been relevant all that much in recent years
1. Manchester United
2. Manchester City
3. Liverpool
4. Chelsea
5. Arsenal
6. Tottenham
7. Real Madrid
8. Barcelona
9. Athletico Madrid
10. Juventus
11. Internazionale
12. AC Milan
13. Bayern Munich
14. Borussia Dortmund
15. Ajax
16. Benfica
17. PSG
18. Marseille/Lyon
In actual size terms I'm sure you can make arguments for clubs like Celtic/Everton/Zenit possibly being bigger than some of those clubs but they haven't really been relevant all that much in recent years
Drama queen
Anyone thinking this would make the original leagues more competitive and exciting is kidding themselves. It would suck the life out of all of them and any glory from winning a second rate trophy without the top teams in it would be lackluster at best.
This is a league killer and it would all be for some terrible constant Champions League.
Horrendous idea and one that would kill off any interest I had in the game.
This is a league killer and it would all be for some terrible constant Champions League.
Horrendous idea and one that would kill off any interest I had in the game.
It is the American franchise model - no threat of relegation, consistent broadcast income, locked-in fanbase.
Ironic that Serie A and La Liga are looking most competitive for a long while this season (only 6-7 games in but from what I've seen Barca, Real Madrid and Juve are going to be dropping plenty more points than on average).
Rather than any financial controls on clubs it's more the pandemic forcing disrupted and short pre seasons which has narrrowed the gap in the short term.
Rather than any financial controls on clubs it's more the pandemic forcing disrupted and short pre seasons which has narrrowed the gap in the short term.
Nope. Finishing 2nd = finishing bottom. Even the title, if you win it in this soulless league, so what?
It would be interesting to hear what the footballers themselves think about this.
Maybe I missed some previous discussion, but why would the product be of significantly lower quality?
To my mind, the best comparison here is with the NFL: no promotion/relegation, just one league (no sideshows like the CL or FA Cup), and only big clubs with very few rivalries, apart from what playing in the same league gradually created. That may sound boring to football (soccer) fans, but commercially, the NFL is the most successful league in North America.
I think a European Super League would go the same way. To my mind, very few people outside the UK care to see United play Everton (to even name a fairly big club). For them, what's not to like about a roster with only the biggest clubs?
I mean, I don't like the concept and prefer the current setup (out of nostalgia?). But I absolutely can see a good financial scenario here.
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Barto going out swinging. That’s one hell of a last shot to leave at Barcelona.
This European super league will never happen for one big reason. With all the historical giant clubs competing in a league, someone has to be last, someone has to be second to last, etc. A decade or so of this and said team will no longer be generating any new fans. I can’t see any club going along with this when the prospect is there that they end up being in the bottom rungs and lose out on the glory (and thus attraction of fans) that comes with being one of the better teams in their own league.
This European super league will never happen for one big reason. With all the historical giant clubs competing in a league, someone has to be last, someone has to be second to last, etc. A decade or so of this and said team will no longer be generating any new fans. I can’t see any club going along with this when the prospect is there that they end up being in the bottom rungs and lose out on the glory (and thus attraction of fans) that comes with being one of the better teams in their own league.
You’re wrong on this count. I’m only speaking for the people I know in my country (Outside the UK) but everyone religiously watches all the matches of their teams and look forward to all of them, not just the clashes between the top teams.
Yeah, the only way this works if there would be similar salary cap, trade, and pick systems as in the big North American leagues. Otherwise there is really no incentive for a 'smaller' club; why would they want to join this and go from local top dogs to being minnows in a new league.
Well, I'd be happy to be wrong. But: would it matter to those people if the English teams that United plays would be replaced by European teams of higher stature? And would they like it better or worse? Personally, I'd assume that the main thing is watching the team they support, and that there is more fun in watching them play better opposition with more famous players; but happy to be wrong again.
It's only really iconic if you weren't a football follower before it's conception. The European cup was only contested by winners of countries respective leagues and for that alone, it holds more prestige in the sense that if you didn't win your domestic league, you weren't invited!
The champions league is a watered down format that is massively overhyped for TV subscriptions and advertising revenue etc to ensure that ( for the most part) the biggest names in European football play each other on a semi regular basis.
A prelude to a European super league is probably the long term goal.
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100% agreed. Too much of ANYTHING is bad
If this happens, I'll finally stop watching football for good. This would be final confirmation that I'm not the target audience in the eyes of football's decision makers.
Great point.
On the other hand, one can never underestimate the idiocy of money men to chase capital in the short term. Many a great, seemingly invincible company has been ruined in the past. Look at Boeing now, for example.
As for the idea itself, if there's any seriousness to it at all, then all the ex-pros and old-school club administrators (if there are any left anywhere other than at Bayern) have to come swinging against it. European football is interesting to a worldwide audience because of its history and tradition. No serious cricket fans in India for example care about the IPL with its gaudy kits, fixed teams, and trades of players. It's for teenagers and the Instagram-generation who seek quick, quick consumption of meaningless, bat-biased, every-moment-is-a-thrill spectacle. But it's not sport and it won't last on its own without the foundation of a sense of tradition.
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As you can see from his statement, all that these CEOs/presidents care about is the financial security and benefit of their own club. That's why they shouldn't really be driving the future of the sport - same goes for Woodward or anyone else. They're in it for their own club's monetary benefit and not that of the sport.
Do remember that it's an alternative to the Champions League. Not the Premier League. Or any other league for that that matter.
Seems a lot of you think it's a replacement for Premier League.
Seems a lot of you think it's a replacement for Premier League.
I am feeling that way too. No matter how horrible we are I still get up to watch our matches, this new league might be what breaks the camels back for me.
To UEFA the ninja zombie market has never been that lucrative.
This may sound stupid but if Bartomeu is leaving he doesnt have a say in Barcelona agreeing or not?
Saying all that it sounds horrible and I hope it will never come true. I will lose interest in football all together. I dont watch football so much as I used to, theres so many matches going around and I have family and life to live so dont have so much time for all the games.
This superleague stuff will probably cement that forever in the sense that I'll probably just check the results at the most.
As it was said here its like Christmas every week, it will soon be boring for many. Champions league is watered down as it is but at least not the same clubs are playing it every year.
This super league or what will be called will be like when I played master league in PES with all the best clubs. At first it's fun but after 6, 7 or so games it becomes boring. Not to mention no relegation or promotion. Its a way to americanize the sport definitely. American sport has its advantages and good sides, making a league like its NBA is not a way to go though.
Saying all that it sounds horrible and I hope it will never come true. I will lose interest in football all together. I dont watch football so much as I used to, theres so many matches going around and I have family and life to live so dont have so much time for all the games.
This superleague stuff will probably cement that forever in the sense that I'll probably just check the results at the most.As it was said here its like Christmas every week, it will soon be boring for many. Champions league is watered down as it is but at least not the same clubs are playing it every year.
This super league or what will be called will be like when I played master league in PES with all the best clubs. At first it's fun but after 6, 7 or so games it becomes boring. Not to mention no relegation or promotion. Its a way to americanize the sport definitely. American sport has its advantages and good sides, making a league like its NBA is not a way to go though.