18 Apr 2021 17:31:47
Hi ed. a few years back you gave us a synopsis of the European super League, I've been reading articles today on the breakaway league, and I was wondering if you could post a link to your original post, I tried the search function. I remember it was long so I won't ask you to re-type it.

Enjoy your day.

{Ed002's Note - It is something like this right now:

There are several counter-proposals to the proposed pan-European breakaway that have been backed by UEFA to try and save their own skin. The first proposal was to rename and change the format of the UEFA Champions League to make it an elite closed-shop pan-European league with a fixed number of teams – and these would be the same teams every year and be based on past winners of the Champions League and European Cup and a few (not specified) more. It would then require the restructuring of the Europa League and the introduction of a lower-tier European competition again (which is happening regardless). Although they have yet to flesh out the detail and there is now a major concern that the impetus for this is not coming from Europe, although one major Football Association has given their support and discussions have also been held with the leading clubs from England (Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal). The American backer, Stephen Ross of the Miami Dolphins, has on several occasions requested a meeting with an extant group of sides considering the pan-European breakaway to discuss his proposals. They have no interest in such a discussion but having identified the source of much of the funding (and that raising a concern) will wish to discuss it between themselves again. This has dragged on for three years and nothing has happened - and I doubt it will. Ross with the help of Liverpool owners FSG organised a meeting of a number of clubs in Paris during January 2020 including Arsenal, Bayern Munich, PSG, Atletico, Manchester United, Juventus, Liverpool in order to discuss expanding the pre-season International Champions Cup to a much larger event where clubs would be members of the tournament through a debenture type system but need to commit to playing their first team in all games. Ajax, Chelsea, both Milan sides, Borussia Dortmund, Monaco, Marseille, Real Madrid and Spurs refused invitations to attend. Ross wants UEFA to formally recognise the tournament (there has been a discussion already) which would be a money spinner but will add many more first team games to the annual schedule.

However, UEFA are still also considering a variant proposal that would see some places in the CL fixed (probably to previous winners) and then see it supplemented by Champions and second place sides each season. This complicates matters again as it means the re-introduction of a third competition or the significant restructuring of the EL. The plan being put to clubs is a summer/preseason tournament that will evolve into a parallel league, and of course eventually into a complete breakaway for these clubs. As a first step to all of this, UEFA have negotiated minor changes that will see the four entrants from England, Germany, Spain and Italy enter the existing Champions’ League group stages without any qualification beyond their National League position (so no entry to qualifying rounds). This has been agreed by the European Club Association but UEFA did not want to discuss it with the separate group of “elite” sides discussing the Pan European League (and that “elite” group includes three English sides) as they are aware they will get no more than a shrug and no long-term support - and that is where we are now.

The new UEFA plans, which would come into force in 2024, state that the 32-team Champions League for the 2024/25 season would be chosen based on UEFAs domestic club rankings from the period between the 2020/21 and 2023/24 seasons, effectively shutting out clubs who are not doing well prior to 2024. What it does is make an early start for a breakaway (pre 2024) very unlikely. Timing wise, two very prominent clubs wanted it to happen as soon as possible (2021 was the most recently proposed date) and they have the support of a third club - but most are looking at 2023 to 2025 being a good option. A few clubs are looking at 2025 to 2028 and I suspect that could end up as the reality. Changes to this proposal (which would see the expansion to 36 sides and other minor changes are being voted on April 19. Some clubs want leverage, and this is the likely reason for the announcement today.

Right now, of the 21 clubs involved in the “elite” club discussions, two have said they will not be in any breakaway league and three have said they may not compete. That will likely change by the time anything eventually happens and talks will continue. The primary UEFA plans, which would come into force in 2024, state that the 32-team Champions League for the 2024/25 season would be chosen based on UEFAs domestic club rankings from the period between the 2020/21 and 2023/24 seasons, effectively shutting out clubs who are not doing well prior to 2024. What it does is make an early start for the Elite to move on (pre 2024) very unlikely. Timing wise, two very prominent clubs wanted it to happen as soon as possible (2021 was the most recently proposed date) and they have the support of a third club - but most are looking at 2023 to 2025 being a good option. A few clubs are looking at 2025 to 2028 and I suspect that could end up as the reality. They will meet later this week to consider what UEFA have sais and some clubs are involved in this latest proposal.

The other major counter proposal is a Chinese proposal from the Dalian Wanda Group proposes to open up the lucrative Chinese and Far Eastern media markets by extending the league to include Chinese and South American clubs. This has yet to be discussed by the "elite" sides as a group although the proposals have been presented to a number of them already on an individual basis. The proposals are very broad-based and lack detail - their selling point is significant additional income for the "elite". The general feeling from informal discussions over cocktails is that the "elite" would not want it on a league basis but could be open to including other sides in some sort of expanded World Club – and that is where FIFA would come in. The pandemic will have done for this for now.

Liverpool has failed in attempt to disrupt the English game to support an expanded Club World Cup on a debenture basis. The FA have tried to work a proposal that would see a smaller Premier League and introduce a Premier League 2 - the idea being with fewer Premier League games the higher-profile sides would be able to compete in any reshaped European competition whilst maintaining a their position in England - this appeals to some clubs (e.g. Chelsea) and allows The FA to keep control. Liverpool and Manchester United were involved in discussions but turned against it wanting more control themselves - and that led Liverpool to say they will form their own breakaway league. Attempts at a compromise solution have fallen apart. This was Project Big Foot and is about FSG wanting more money, and that is to some extent what is behind this and why JP Morgan have been roped in.

If the proposal for a breakaway goes ahead, there is every likelihood that the big money from television, sponsorship etc. would go with a breakaway league. It would completely rupture the operations of UEFA and I would expect it would require national associations like the FA to restructure their leagues. Nobody wants this but it is the eventual consequence I would expect. Initially it could be that there is a single 16 team league with 2 or 3 EPL teams making the initial plunge. If I had to speculate, I would think (1) you might eventually see something like five or six EPL teams leave for two-tier pan European league - but it won't be based on the UEFA rankings; (2) the Premier League would be disbanded as an organisation; (3) the FA would restructure in to two 20 team divisions with lower leagues regionalised as they were many years ago; (4) FIFA would ban all players from the breakaway teams from International football - perhaps rescinding that position to stop FIFA breaking up as well - they don't want further issues but the troubles are not going to go away. I could also see many teams lose their professional status. I would think we are probably 10 years away from any significant move at this time. UEFA would exclude all of the teams from their competitions.

I hold a reasonably strong view in terms of the need to restructure football in Europe in any case. For me an eventual a breakaway pan-European league would force the restructuring of many of the national leagues, possibly resulting in a British league with perhaps only a couple of professional tiers and then regionalised amateur leagues below that. Financially I do not see that so many pro sides can be sustained within the sport which, like it or not, will see more and more money going in to the highest levels of the game. Governments will ensure that grassroots sport get funding but everything in the middle (Southern, Northern, Conference, Division 2, Scottish Divisions 1-3, League of Wales will not get the funding needed to continue on any sort of professional basis. For me, clubs should already recognise this and put their efforts in to getting there finances in order to see if they can make it to a British professional league that will need to flourish without perhaps six sides that have eventually gone down the pan-European route - and have gone for good (it would be two or perhaps three initially). Clubs like Accrington Stanley will need to carry on as amateurs or face extinction (yet again). Recently Hartlepool has been struggling - again it needs to adapt. The mighty Third Lanark have started their long journey back to the top - it can be done.

The game has changed significantly and will continue to do so whether the Liverpool supporters like it or not. Football at the highest level is big business and attracts the sponsorship it does because the sponsors wish to tap into the disposable income of the fans and ride the back of the advertising that flows naturally from the success some clubs achieve. Long gone are the days of the cloth-capped, hobnailed-booted, chimney sweep making his way, rattle in hand, to cheer on his team at Anfield on a Saturday afternoon. I have explained that there will be changes, probably within the next 10 to 12 years, which will force the restructuring of all of the leagues in Europe and likely do away with the likes of UEFA. You will have the opportunity to see the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Juventus and the other major European sides play in week-on-week regular competition at The Emirates, St James Park, Stamford Bridge or wherever. Fans of the sides who take the plunge will have the opportunity to visit cities such as Milan, Barcelona, Munich, etc. every couple of weeks to watch their team play. If you want to don your cloth cap, have a pint of wallop with your chums before going off to the local match through the grim, wet and cobbled streets of the Northwest of England where there is smog, dead & dying pit ponies laying on the street and only chips and fried curry to eat., perhaps one of the sides from the suburbs will have survived so you can go and watch them?

It was thought that a possible option might have resulted from a potential landmark decision that UEFA were to make in June or July 2017 - and that could facilitate the ownership of lower-tier sides by the more senior sides and then work as a feeder club. However – the need to make that decision was avoided.

The ramifications will be that clubs are kicked out of domestic, UEFA and FIFA competition - and this is just another option that is on the table for now. Nothing will happen overnight and there are huge legal issues that would need to be addressed before the UEFA proposed changes for 2024 which they will further amend and vote on tomorrow). There will be a push by some clubs to make the Champions League a closed shop to some extent (but not completely) and this will be used to leverage they situation with UEFA. In reality some clubs just want leverage. The “elite” sides will meet later this week after one side requested it today (April 18). That might be more telling.

1.) 18 Apr 2021
18 Apr 2021 22:05:32
Thank you very much.

2.) 20 Apr 2021
20 Apr 2021 09:31:41
Brilliant Ed thank you it's all a bit clearer to me now.

3.) 21 Apr 2021
20 Apr 2021 17:30:43
So is your opinion still that this won't happen ed002?

The interview from Perez was a lot of lies from what I saw, the business side was quite evident that he was posturing for negotiations.

If the superleague contract they signed is unbreakable according to Perez which also makes no sense, how can there be a commitment without a delivery of product.

{Ed002's Note - Something will happen at some point. I would forget the contracts signed for this attempted breakaway, it is FSG and the Glazers carrying out their threat made after Project Bigfoot failed last year. Son of Bigfoot is not the solution and will fall apart very soon.}

4.) 22 Apr 2021
22 Apr 2021 13:37:10
Will there be a change in ownership at any of the club's, the fans are angry about this and something has to give.

Thanks for your responses.

{Ed002's Note - Which clubs?}

5.) 24 Apr 2021
24 Apr 2021 01:40:47
The English clubs that left the superleague. Fans want change are any of the owners pressured.

{Ed002's Note - I have no idea what that means.}

6.) 24 Apr 2021
24 Apr 2021 11:32:25
No worries. thanks for the response.