Proposed European Super League

WolfeTone said:
Reading the comments of Florentino Perez, Real Madrid President, this morning on Sky Sports - this is to "save football at this critical moment".

"Audiences are decreasing and rights are decreasing and something had to be done. We are all ruined. Television has to change so we can adapt. Young people are no longer interested in football. Why not? Because there are a lot of poor quality games and they are not interested, they have other platforms on which to distract themselves."

I think he has a point. But he is delusional in thinking he is providing an answer.

Football, like all sports, is competing for market share.

Perez, FSG Fenway, Roman Abramovich, Abu Dhabi United Group et al, as owners of these clubs should be mindful of some things. They may be the legal owners, and control the business and commercial side of their respective clubs but they do not own the history, tradition and culture that is the centre of gravity of these clubs. They are using long standing institutions, embedded in the fabric of English and European culture to boost revenues and market share in the name of their respective companies. That is all, that is their job.

But instead of using iconic branding like Man Utd or Liverpool FC, they should do the decent thing and rename the clubs FSG Fenway FC, Glazer FC etc

Supporters can then tune in to watch Abramovich FC v Abu Dhabi United Group in what would be, no doubt, a pulsating and epic battle in front of zero supporters (post-Covid).

Perez talks the talk about too many boring low quality games, he has a point. But I when I lived in Dublin I did not attend League of Ireland matches in November for the razzmatazz!
Boring, low quality games are a characteristic of football, and of all sports in general. Thats because, unlike a 9 season -180 episode Netflix series, the events are not automatically formulated and scripted to leave the viewer hanging for more at the end of each event. Disappointment and dejection come with watching competing teams and players.

Perez wants us to believe that this is about producing 20 elite teams that will enthrall the audiences week in- week out. All anyone has to do to observe how this franchise, elite format works, is to look to NFL and NBA and MLB in the USA.
I'm not expert on these sports, but I know I boring basketball game or a boring American football game when I see one, and there are plenty of low quality games on display in those 'elite' leagues also.

This is money-grabbing, never-let-a-crisis go to waste and opportunistic ego-massaging exercise.
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Perez has a point but only because some clubs (like his) spent vast amounts to try to keep up with the clubs owned by very deep pockets - started by Chelsea but mainly Man City, PSG etc. Perez and others gambled on TV rights continuing to increase but in the last 2 years the rights have peaked - essentially his gamble didn't pay off

It's not about football - or sport even. Perez has for a while talked about turning football into a form of content creation aimed at mobile and online consumption (e.g. he has suggested putting the last 15 mins of games behind paywalls). So I think he is thinking more about creating a Netflix mini-series more like The Crown than a football league
 
If Perez wants to save football, he can start by not offering people like Bale and Hazard contracts of over €600,0000 per week......

Wonder who will be the first club to jump ship....I think it will be City...
 
This is another case of the "rich" clubs wanting to get richer and to hell with the rest of the decent clubs..
 
joer said:
This is another case of the "rich" clubs wanting to get richer and to hell with the rest of the decent clubs..
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Again, they sold their souls 20 years ago. They aren't clubs, they are businesses with one single aim; make money for their owners. I don't know why anyone is surprised by this.

Everyone here with a premium rate subscription or who has spent €50 on a replica shirt is part of the problem. The owners know that many of the same people who are now irate will keep feeding the monster so they keep growing the monster.
 
Sunny said:
If Perez wants to save football, he can start by not offering people like Bale and Hazard contracts of over €600,0000 per week......

Wonder who will be the first club to jump ship....I think it will be City...
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I wonder if the threat of expulsion from this year's competition has City spooked with them so close
 
I am just gobsmacked that they think this will work.
I am not scandalised by the money aspect. In fact money is a very democratic force. If TV revenues go up it is coz folk are tuning in more, I just can't see how that will happen but I guess they know their business better than I.
The format has clearly been designed to maximise interest through the season. At least one of the "leagues" should maintain interest and knock-outs always retain interest. By contrast, what a bore the Premiership this season has turned out to be with the only interest remaining being as to who will fill the third and fourth slots.
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Duke of Marmalade said:
I am just gobsmacked that they think this will work.
I am not scandalised by the money aspect. In fact money is a very democratic force. If TV revenues go up it is coz folk are tuning in more, I just can't see how that will happen but I guess they know their business better than I.
The format has clearly been designed to maximise interest through the season. At least one of the "leagues" should maintain interest and knock-outs always retain interest. By contrast, what a bore the Premiership this season has turned out to be with the only interest remaining being as to who will fill the third and fourth slots.
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If the main title race is a dud, we won't even have that in the consolation in the premiership i.e. the race for the champions league places will be no more? I can't see them accomodating a 7th english team based on 'performance' or whatever.
 
Purple said:
Everyone here with a premium rate subscription or who has spent €50 on a replica shirt is part of the problem. The owners know that many of the same people who are now irate will keep feeding the monster so they keep growing the monster.
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Yes and no.
Football is an entertainment business for sure. Always has been, but as you point out the milking of that cash cow only began in earnest with the Premier League.
Football in the '80s was hooliganism and and decaying stadiums - Hysel, Bradford, Hillsborough. Money brought a lot of goods things, fán safety, families, better facilities, better coaching and footballers.

As a subscriber, I'm simply paying for access to a service I enjoy. A big part of that service is that I more or less have an armchair season ticket watch my favourite team, Liverpool FC.
A team steeped in glory, with a huge European tradition, who have won only ONE Premier League title in 30YRS!! Just one!
And for that, they are awarded a guaranteed position in a ESL?

Not quite, they are guaranteed a position in a ESL because of their branding and revenue streams, not because of their success on the football field.

Someone paying subscriptions to endure the pain and dejection of losing, in hope of experiencing the elation and joy of winning a game of football are being rolled over and squeezed by people who get their kicks out of a surplus income and expenditure account, or a big contract for merchandise rights.

I have no issue issue with a ESL, because there is one already, called the Champions League.
But when UEFA banned Man City for breaches of Financial Fair Play it was probably only a matter of time before other elite owners decided it was time for change.

That is the battle here, the money men versus the hearts and minds of the football supporters.
Jurgen Klopp asked "who wants to see Liverpool v Real Madrid every year for next 10yrs", meaning, part of the allure of European competition is the big clubs playing each other on merit, not by regulation.

But unfortunately he said that as Liverpool were to take the field against Leeds Utd.
No disrespect to Leeds.
 
WolfeTone said:
No disrespect to Leeds.
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Not after the game anyway. ;)
WolfeTone said:
they are guaranteed a position in a ESL because of their branding and revenue streams, not because of their success on the football field.
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Yep, same with Arsenal and Tottenham, clubs that have won nothing worth winning for decades.
The reality is that Liverpool can make more money in Nigeria than they can from fans in their home city. The brand is what holds value. In fact you might see Liverpool move to London in order to attract players and overseas fans (better access for fans and, lets face it, Liverpool is a kip). Same for one of the Manchester clubs. They will be franchises, just like the NFL.
 
I have a great interest in the Premier League and have never bought a jersey of any kind .
That said my son has bought lots of Newcastle jerseys since he was very young. I know I know what a frustrated magpie he is :)
 
Another point about this ESL. Their statement shows a total disregard for women's football by only providing a token, long-fingered, mention of their being a women's ESL.
It's 2021, professional women footballers should not have to put with this clear gender bias that there will be a women's ESL in due course.
 
Can't believe Spurs haven't been knocked out yet. They will probably be the last to drop out and claim to have won the competition. Sorry Deise! I honestly do like Spurs!!!
 
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