European Super League

[WeePat]

Let's be clear: Apologies for how xenophobic this sounds, but it's the foreign fans that are responsible for killing the sport.

What's more, you know it's true.

Yeah you're going to have to elaborate on this mate.

 

[Jonas Jönebratt]

This is so awful. The "top 4 race" for CL spots will be gone, only a winner and nothing else in the PL. Stop this. I will start watch the championship instead.

 

[padr81]

Really don't want this.

 

[reddevil702]

Money, money, money.
Next they'll move our "home" games abroad, have you seen the size of some of those American College Stadiums - why redevelop Old Trafford, the Brits can just stream the games at 2am in the morning.

The interesting part is these stadiums in America are paid for with tax dollars. No way American owners will want to pay billions of their own money to make a new stadium. I live in Las Vegas and the Raiders stadium was built using $750 million in tax dollars.

 

[Reapersoul20]

I will be stopping watching United if this is announced as a point of principle.

I havent read the thread, but assume I'm not alone there.

 

[Cassidy]

Let's be clear: Apologies for how xenophobic this sounds, but it's the foreign fans that are responsible for killing the sport.

What's more, you know it's true.

How so?

 

[Siorac]

To be fair though, there has never been such a high profile collective reason to fight such rules before. Like I said before, I have no doubt that the clubs are confident that they have solid legal ground to eat their cake and have it too.

I think their confidence isn't based on legal grounds. They just believe, not unreasonably, that FIFA wouldn't shoot itself in the foot by banning some of the most 'attractive' players from its competitions, the ones that are the biggest draw for viewers.

 

[R'hllor]

It is believed Perez will hold the chairman's role in the new league's structure, with Liverpool's John W. Henry, Joel Glazer of Manchester United and Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke as vice-chairmen.

You cant tell who is bigger cnut among them.

For cnuts that drool all over this, dont worry about it, you will get bored by this abomination in few years, where you gonna go after that.

Also, stop using Covid as excuse for those greedy cnuts, like thats the reason for them pushing this US sports idea. Yea like super league shit havent brewing for years now, stop playing dumb. Also i find it funny attempts to blame plastics with their oil pumping owners, yea feck them for investing blood money into clubs they own, its way better to leech their clubs and just take and take and take. Kroenke and Glazers are such better owners than pricks like Abramovich, sure.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

I’m not against a league per se. But it need to be based on performance in the respective domestic league, and it cannot be a closed shop. There needs to be promotion/ relegation or qualification.

let’s be frank Liverpool and Arsenal don’t deserve to be anywhere near elite European competition next year.

 

[Klopper76]

I will be stopping watching United if this is announced as a point of principle.

I havent read the thread, but assume I'm not alone there.

I don’t think I’ll watch Liverpool if it happens. Just doesn’t interest me.

 

[VorZakone]

The interesting part is these stadiums in America are paid for with tax dollars. No way American owners will want to pay billions of their own money to make a new stadium. I live in Las Vegas and the Raiders stadium was built using $750 million in tax dollars.

I've always wondered how the cities justified it? Does it bring revenue to the city long-term?

 

[NoLogo]

Let's be clear: Apologies for how xenophobic this sounds, but it's the foreign fans that are responsible for killing the sport.

What's more, you know it's true.

Let's be real, not the interest of foreign fans is killing this sport but the greed of rich people. Like always.

 

[Boavista]

Why do some people say the Champions League has become stale? It would be nice if it wasn't the same clubs year after year, but it's often the best football you get to see all season. And the Super League doesn't solve the problem of the same teams competing for the trophy, it just makes it worse at the expense of any teams not allowed to participate.

Maybe it would be interesting to see these 15 clubs competing against each other more regularly, but it would be much more interesting to see all of it implode. I just can't see how a closed system is compatible with regular domestic football. I genuinely think it would leave the leagues almost no choice but to exclude the participating teams, because it would destroy league incentives.

Part of me almost wants to see it happen, just because I'm so intrigued about how everything plays out. Most likely just means more wealth concentration, but could it backfire and lead to more support for the remaining teams? Maybe all the teams come together and not just expel the ESL teams from domestic football but also ban any player sales to them? So many possibilities, so much drama

 

[The Plump Poet]

Money, money, money.
Next they'll move our "home" games abroad, have you seen the size of some of those American College Stadiums - why redevelop Old Trafford, the Brits can just stream the games at 2am in the morning.

You guys do understand that will legitimately actually happen? You are 'Manchester United' right now, then you'll be the 'Manchester Red Devils' as part of a rebranding.

But then you'll become 'Manchester Red Devils' with emphasis on the 'Red Devils'. Finally, the owners will scout for locations where more money can consistently be made than Manchester. The club will be moved there, and Manchester United, the grand old club, will be no more. Generations of supporters that used to frequent Old Trafford? An irrelevance.

 

[Cardboard elk]

If only all clubs had an organization where members could vote and control their clubs to avoid shit like this. Football is going down the drain. I will never ever watch a game of this new plastic competition if it becomes reality.

 

[DavidDeSchmikes]

 

[Zehner]

I absolutely hate this idea but UEFA's 'fairness' statement is hilarious. How is letting the likes of PSG and City be owned by countries 'fair'. How is not letting Newcastle do the same then 'fair' either? At the end of the day if UEFA want this shit to stop then they need to create something that doesn't allow these 'nation' state clubs to cook their books and dominate football via money only. Go talk to the likes of Lyon and the rest of French clubs about fair play.

The fecking PL allowed us to be bought by a leveraged buyout that crippled our club and are now crying about what is fair. Give me a break.

This is simply an argument between two bunch of cnuts nothing more.

Edit: if they wanted fairness then they would bring in a wage and transfer cap full stop.

A wage cap isn't possible and definitely not fair for the players. If Messi generates a club attention worth 200m annually, he deserves his share of the cake, like it or not.

Truth be told, people, countries and companies can do with their money what they want to do. That is freedom. And if an investor thinks it makes sense to spend gazillions on a club then that's his choice.

What should actually be fought is the corruption usually associated with these investments. I once read an interesting article about how Abu Dhabi seeks political influence with their football investments and that some shady things have happened in these contexts, former politicians being hired by their companies etc. That's the stuff that has to be prevented and investors will sooner rather than later stop spending more than they get out of the clubs. Drain the swamp.

 

[caid]

Dont think im interested in a euro super league. Sounds a bit shit (which is the tip of the iceberg of my objections)

 

[JJ12]

Maybe it shouldn’t but this absolutely infuriates me.

Gutted we are involved in this. Scum.

 

[Globule]

The interesting part is these stadiums in America are paid for with tax dollars. No way American owners will want to pay billions of their own money to make a new stadium. I live in Las Vegas and the Raiders stadium was built using $750 million in tax dollars.

I've always wondered how the cities justified it? Does it bring revenue to the city long-term?

Because these franchises are not fixed to a particular city or even state. The teams can threaten to simply move to another state/city willing to build a new stadium.

The future of European football.

 

[Siorac]

I know the rules. Im saying it will not stand up in court. They will lose the case in my opinion.

I don't really see how. The court would basically have to declare that FIFA aren't allowed to set the rules of its own competitions.

 

[Cassidy]

I don't really see how. The court would basically have to declare that FIFA aren't allowed to set the rules of its own competitions.

Do you remember the bosman ruling?
Rules are rules but if the rule is clearly punitive (which this would be) then I believe they will lose in court. At the end of the day they would just be doing it out of spite. And any player will win the argument in court in my opinion.

 

[Mrs Smoker]

Let's be clear: Apologies for how xenophobic this sounds, but it's the foreign fans that are responsible for killing the sport.

What's more, you know it's true.

I confess!

I'm sorry, what can I do to make it better?

 

[Globule]

Maybe it shouldn’t but this absolutely infuriates me.

Gutted we are involved in this. Scum.

No. It should. It's the wealthy few ruining the sport in the interests of their own greed.

 

[Gopher Brown]

The lack of competition is appalling and there should be no guaranteed places, but I don’t necessarily see the outrage otherwise. Or is that the main outrage?

 

[JPRouve]

I've always wondered how the cities justified it? Does it bring revenue to the city long-term?

It has been demonstrated that it only costs money, in reality from the public standpoint the gain is that people are happy to have a team to support. It would be comparable to having a very expensive park.

 

[hobbers]

More power to you then. I respect your ideological stance but I am all for this.

I understand the appeal of it as well but surely you can see where this is leading..?

Like how many games do you think would even be played at OT in a given season if this league goes ahead?

I bet the super league also ends up whoring the games out to stadiums all over the world. Be lucky if there's a handful of games even played at Old Trafford.

 

[Fortitude]

Something else: the agents and players will be abuzz with regard to what this means to them financially as those inside the bubble are sure to be renegotiating contracts with the pot in mind. Further to that, players not at these so-called 'super clubs' will be asking what it means for them on every level.

There's no way this is going to go through without these clubs and players being willing to walk fully away from the established order on every level - there's simply too much for said order to lose and they will throw every conceivable book at these clubs and players.

This one is going to be huge, unless it's simply a power play to get what they want from the CL, which I don't actually think it is. Those owner, with no relegation and all profit... it's literally perfect for them.

 

[Mickeza]

I don't really see how. The court would basically have to declare that FIFA aren't allowed to set the rules of its own competitions.

Players will be forced to pick between earning absolute millions or playing international football. Somehow I don’t think that’s going to work out how FIFA think it will.

 

[GDaly95]

It's not even a conflicting dilemma where its so morally bankrupt but at the same time it'd be so good to watch (like for example Saudis pouring money into United). It actually sounds shit.

 

[LordNinio]

You mean a much worse format in every possible way. A group stage with 18 games for every team, even thinking about it bores me.

You can look forward to a long time in the newbies with posts of that quality.

Honestly should just be booted from the site

 

[Siorac]

Dont think im interested in a euro super league. Sounds a bit shit (which is the tip of the iceberg of my objections)

Yeah, all principled objections aside, the proposed format looks really fecking tedious.

 

[RUCK4444]

I’m not up on this topic tbh.

Why would it mean less money for the ‘football pyramid’?

We would still be taking part in the PL and cups. Just the TV Rev from CL that’s lost?

 

[kidbob]

A wage cap isn't possible and definitely not fair for the players. If Messi generates a club attention worth 200m annually, he deserves his share of the cake, like it or not.

Truth be told, people, countries and companies can do with their money what they want to do. That is freedom. And if an investor thinks it makes sense to spend gazillions on a club then that's his choice.

What should actually be fought is the corruption usually associated with these investments. I once read an interesting article about how Abu Dhabi seeks political influence with their football investments and that some shady things have happened in these contexts, former politicians being hired by their companies etc. That's the stuff that has to be prevented and investors will sooner rather than later stop spending more than they get out of the clubs. Drain the swamp.

When I say wage cap, I mean a maximum budget like in the NBA. Lebron James doesn't feel undervalued at all I reckon. Bring in a maximum wage spend for clubs and a transfer cap for each season and that's that for fairness. However lets not kid ourselves that this is anything to do with fairness and instead realise it is a corrupt organisation afraid of losing their cash cows, who themselves are afraid of losing their place at the top of the game to nation funded regimes.

I absolutely agree with everything you've said otherwise. I just disagree that you can't bring in a universal cap on spending. If any of this was about fairness to the PL or UEFA or otherwise then this is exactly what would have been enacted. Everyone and their Granny knows that PSG and City are paying their staff off the book wages and I guess other clubs are getting sick of it. That's in no way to say that these clubs are innocent themselves. The fact that none of these parties involved on either side care about a fair playing field.

Edit: if UEFA want even more fairness then give the winners of the likes of the League of Ireland automatic qualification into the CL, instead of making them play 6 games to get in. The fact is there is no fairness already. I don't want a Super League but I don't want to act like things are ok the way they are right now. Why haven't Dundalk gotten to play in the CL after winning their League but the 4th place in England does? Is that fair?

 

[WeePat]

The FA weren't happy with English clubs accepting invites to compete in the European Cup back in the 50's. Prohibited Chelsea from competing in it after the 1955 title win. Chelsea obliged. They tried the same with other clubs, I think United might have been the first to promptly ignore the prohibition. Its kind of ironic to see the FA do the same again but in favour of the European Cup.

 

[ThinkTank@Cafe]

From a pragmatic (cynical if you like) standpoint Superleague will suit us. No more shitty teams who sit deep. We can tear apart any big club on the counters.

 

[JPRouve]

Let's be clear: Apologies for how xenophobic this sounds, but it's the foreign fans that are responsible for killing the sport.

What's more, you know it's true.

How did they kill the sport? By watching it?

 

[R'hllor]

I've always wondered how the cities justified it? Does it bring revenue to the city long-term?

Might be also political.

 

[Jazz]

Is this some Champions League new format?

 

[reddevil702]

I've always wondered how the cities justified it? Does it bring revenue to the city long-term?

It’s the norm here in the states so it’s not usually challenged. In cases where it is, like the Raiders, the team will just relocate. Oakland, CA didn’t want to fund a new stadium and Las Vegas did so now they’re the Las Vegas, Raiders.

This is also a big reason why relegation will never be a thing in America. Owners will not pay the franchise fee and then risk having them team drop to a lower league. Cities funding stadiums and then the team is relegated, wouldn’t be acceptable. This is the mindset in American sports and it has been extremely successful in all American leagues besides the MLS so far.