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

[GatoLoco]

The Superleague will never take place.

It will never succeed.

Ceferin will defeat De Laurentiis, Scaroni, Laporta and Pérez.

A league of 4 teams, if they play 8 games per season it won't be entertaining, will it?

Dead before even born.

no mate.
You know what killed football?

Darwen FC in 1878.

 

[Demyanenko_square_jaw]

The format they propose already pretty much gives up the game

The one condition the SL must clear to have any chance of getting off the ground is at least same qualification system as the current UEFA cups. It's amazing they still haven't accepted that reality

Yeah, Uefa's reputation is so low nowadays that there's never been an easier time for something to challenge them, but this lot can't even competently disguise that they would be even worse.

 

[Arios]

Yeah, Uefa's reputation is so low nowadays that there's never been an easier time for something to challenge them, but this lot can't even competently disguise that they would be even worse.

problems seems to be getting other teams on the ship
How would a continental league works? giving Uks live in their happy island?

How would you guys do it?
shifting power from UEFA to clubs


I'd like a kind of system that doesn't let clubs build debt at the end of the year.
That give those partecipating a fair chance to compete for final victory
That isn't boring
That's new

But some things are really impossible though

How can you lvl the difference between different markets? Some teams are better off with products sales ... some are better off with ticketing.
So the best way would be like a draft kind NBA style where the Clubs buy players from around the world and draft them to those in the league

 

[Melbourne Red]

no mate.
You know what killed football?
The Sheikh Al-Berluscon getting Milan in 1986 and doing what PSG and City doing in the past years.
Inflating the market.
That was the start. Everyone started to spend much more and get debt to keep up with Berlusconi offers.

Interesting perspective. I tend to trace it back to the big club cartel and their involvement in the foundation of the Champions League but it's thought-provoking to trace it back further. Who were the clubs that started overspending after that?

 

[giorno]

problems seems to be getting other teams on the ship
How would a continental league works? giving Uks live in their happy island?

How would you guys do it?
shifting power from UEFA to club

well, the simplest way would be for the clubs to form a european league to run the various european competitions, with UEFA acting as an external regulator instead of organizers. Kinda like the PL with the FA...

Largely keeping the current formats in place, since they're perfectly fine(if they REALLY need more money, just expand the CL to 48 teams ffs)

 

[Bosnian_fan]

Interesting perspective. I tend to trace it back to the big club cartel and their involvement in the foundation of the Champions League but it's thought-provoking to trace it back further. Who were the clubs that started overspending after that?

Five years after Berlusconi bought Milan, Crvena zvezda won Champions League. Two years later, Marseille too. Further two years on, Ajax. Of course Berlusconi could have contributed, but it is an overstatement to say he killed the competitiveness.

I agree with his opinion on Bosman ruling though, that, coupled with introduction of Champions League, and ongoing globalisation, set up a platform in which only a very few select clubs could thrive.

 

[Melbourne Red]

Five years after Berlusconi bought Milan, Crvena zvezda won Champions League. Two years later, Marseille too. Further two years on, Ajax. Of course Berlusconi could have contributed, but it is an overstatement to say he killed the competitiveness.

I agree with his opinion on Bosman ruling though, that, coupled with introduction of Champions League, and ongoing globalisation, set up a platform in which only a very few select clubs could thrive.

Yeah tbf I was thinking that about Red Star...

 

[Arios]

Five years after Berlusconi bought Milan, Crvena zvezda won Champions League. Two years later, Marseille too. Further two years on, Ajax. Of course Berlusconi could have contributed, but it is an overstatement to say he killed the competitiveness.

I agree with his opinion on Bosman ruling though, that, coupled with introduction of Champions League, and ongoing globalisation, set up a platform in which only a very few select clubs could thrive.

what I meant is that after berlusconi started to act like Abramovic,Al-Kelaifi and Manchester City owners the other italians teams followed: Lazio (went bankrupt) , Parma (went bankrupt), Inter (Moratti spent 1,5b in what? 10-12years?), Juventus as well had to spend a lot of money, Roma (owners went almost bankrupt), Fiorentina (went bankrupt), Napoli went bankrupt as well.

Basically Serie A golden era relied on crazy spendings.
Yeah sure the thing didn't start immediatly... but once Italy as a country started this trend they started buying every good player they could. Impoverishing the other leagues
Before we had teams as you said Marseille, Red Star and so on.
But then those countries couldn't hold their best players since Italy was paying what nowdays PL is paying.
So it might not have been istant impact but the 90' and early 2000 showed the results.
Before Abramovich started pumping massive money PL wasn't relevant. With only 2 teams being United and Arsenal being relevant on EU scene.

you get what I mean? before a certain point money weren't as relevant as today.
Countries weren't as leveled. Ajax was a powerhouse. Nowdays how a Netherland team could afford to attract big players or keep their best players?
They can't.
Because someone from PL,Liga,Bundes will get them meaning any team outside of those countries will hardly play a relevant role on CL or EL tournament.

This led bigger clubs from bigger and richer countries/leagues to be even more leaving nothing to others.

That's why I said that to me Berlusconi and Bosman ruined EU football.
They were the trigger to what happened in the next 20-30years.

Now unless a super rich or a country buyout a smaller team and start pumping money like shit we'll probably never see a smaller team win Champions League or Europa League.

And people want to keep this status quo?
Are you happy that only Real,Bayern,PL teams and PSG have a chance at it since financially they can compete?

I understand UK lobbiers. They have most paid league in the world and they don't want anything to compete against PL financial power but I don't understand the other teams from other countries.

We need in EU to find a solution to this problem and lacking of fair chances.
And to me only chances could bring fresh air to the sport.
Else for us what's left? hoping that a super-bilionaire or a country buyout my team and start doing what PSG and City are doing?


Also old Champions League format gave chances even to "less rich" teams.
As luck played a part but now that to access final 16 you need to play 6 games it's next to impossible for a dark horse to raise and shine.
I mean it happens did they ever win? nope.
While back then how it was? 16 or 32 teams random pots and directly start eliminating each others from get to go.
This led many times to winners that weren't "the best". The teams with the strongest players and so on.

 

[Scandi Red]

In a poll on Redcafe 63% backed Qatari ownership of your club because you thought it was the best way to compete in the PL. Please spare me the lectures on football morality.

Hey, don't forget us enlightened, honorable, big dick posters who are against state ownership AND the ESL!

I almost get teary-eyed when I realise how based we are.

 

[Bosnian_fan]

what I meant is that after berlusconi started to act like Abramovic,Al-Kelaifi and Manchester City owners the other italians teams followed: Lazio (went bankrupt) , Parma (went bankrupt), Inter (Moratti spent 1,5b in what? 10-12years?), Juventus as well had to spend a lot of money, Roma (owners went almost bankrupt), Fiorentina (went bankrupt), Napoli went bankrupt as well.

Basically Serie A golden era relied on crazy spendings.
Yeah sure the thing didn't start immediatly... but once Italy as a country started this trend they started buying every good player they could. Impoverishing the other leagues
Before we had teams as you said Marseille, Red Star and so on.
But then those countries couldn't hold their best players since Italy was paying what nowdays PL is paying.
So it might not have been istant impact but the 90' and early 2000 showed the results.
Before Abramovich started pumping massive money PL wasn't relevant. With only 2 teams being United and Arsenal being relevant on EU scene.

you get what I mean? before a certain point money weren't as relevant as today.
Countries weren't as leveled. Ajax was a powerhouse. Nowdays how a Netherland team could afford to attract big players or keep their best players?
They can't.
Because someone from PL,Liga,Bundes will get them meaning any team outside of those countries will hardly play a relevant role on CL or EL tournament.

This led bigger clubs from bigger and richer countries/leagues to be even more leaving nothing to others.

That's why I said that to me Berlusconi and Bosman ruined EU football.
They were the trigger to what happened in the next 20-30years.

Now unless a super rich or a country buyout a smaller team and start pumping money like shit we'll probably never see a smaller team win Champions League or Europa League.

And people want to keep this status quo?
Are you happy that only Real,Bayern,PL teams and PSG have a chance at it since financially they can compete?

I understand UK lobbiers. They have most paid league in the world and they don't want anything to compete against PL financial power but I don't understand the other teams from other countries.

We need in EU to find a solution to this problem and lacking of fair chances.
And to me only chances could bring fresh air to the sport.
Else for us what's left? hoping that a super-bilionaire or a country buyout my team and start doing what PSG and City are doing?


Also old Champions League format gave chances even to "less rich" teams.
As luck played a part but now that to access final 16 you need to play 6 games it's next to impossible for a dark horse to raise and shine.
I mean it happens did they ever win? nope.
While back then how it was? 16 or 32 teams random pots and directly start eliminating each others from get to go.
This led many times to winners that weren't "the best". The teams with the strongest players and so on.

Yeah, I agree with everything you say there, but I don't think some sort of Superleague is solution.

 

[Arios]

Yeah, I agree with everything you say there, but I don't think some sort of Superleague is solution.

then what's the solution? doing nothing and go as it is?
Results are that since 2015 Premier League spent +10b on transfers while the other biggest leagues can't even half that.
ESL might not be the solution but better than doing nothing and I don't see proposals beside "increase number of games to be played in CL/EL/Conference" when most of national leagues already have 20 teams and with internationals games we're close to 70games/year.

I'm in for this ESL maybe not this format but something has to be done

 

[Demyanenko_square_jaw]

Speaking of Red Star, I've got to say I've ended up increasingly missing the old socialist structural model for sports. It wasn't particularly different than the various less extreme contemporary capitalist approaches of that era in terms of stopping lower-level sporting corruption or increasing competitiveness, but it seems like it would have been easier to shield the sport from most of the current issues if that perspective of where sports fit within a society had been able to have a more lasting influence. A modified version of that ethos with just enough regulated, varied investment to ensure the game remains an appealing, valid career choice would be more appropriate to me than the approach western leagues have taken since the '90s. I look at the state of many parts of the world, the looming threat of climate disaster, and I just can't find a convincing humanistic justification for the amount of money that is pumped into professional sports any more.

 

[Galactic]

Let’s back UEFA/FIFA. They are the best.

 

[Arios]

Let’s back UEFA/FIFA. They are the best.

says the one ignoring everything that happened in the past 20 years

 

[jasT1981]

 

[NotChatGPT]

With Ceferin wanting to extend his UEFA reign with a third period, completely against his initial ideas about UEFA, i wonder if people will think differently in terms of clubs challenging both UEFA and FIFA with the so called European Super League.

As long as a Super League is built up as a traditional tournament and it doesn’t interfere with leagues in general, why are people under the belief that sticking with UEFA and FIFA is the way forward?

UEFA and FIFA are working hard to introduce as many matches as possible in order to generate more revenue, FIFA with backing from UEFA are expanding their club world cup, we get more and more national team matches. The traditional Champions League format is pretty much dead with the changes that are being implemented (partially in order to please the big clubs).

 

[Krakenzero]

With Ceferin wanting to extend his UEFA reign with a third period, completely against his initial ideas about UEFA, i wonder if people will think differently in terms of clubs challenging both UEFA and FIFA with the so called European Super League.

As long as a Super League is built up as a traditional tournament and it doesn’t interfere with leagues in general, why are people under the belief that sticking with UEFA and FIFA is the way forward?

UEFA and FIFA are working hard to introduce as many matches as possible in order to generate more revenue, FIFA with backing from UEFA are expanding their club world cup, we get more and more national team matches. The traditional Champions League format is pretty much dead with the changes that are being implemented (partially in order to please the big clubs).

I don't know if "the way forward" is accurate, I'd say that people correctly identified the Super League alternative as a con job (mainly because the scammers said the quiet part out loud from the beginning) and acted accordingly. Which isn't the same as UEFA and FIFA doing the right things (IMO their leaders have been as much as incompetent and shady as their predecessors, if not more).

 

[saivet]

I thought that one of the key selling points was that it would be free to watch?

 

[carvajal]

I thought that one of the key selling points was that it would be free to watch?

From what I read (an ITK from Madrid, nothing official) there would be a free option with ads and one without

 

[Big Ben Foster]

From what I read (an ITK from Madrid, nothing official) there would be a free option with ads and one without

How would that work? Ads during the game? Right now you get ads at halftime, when no action is taking place - I don't think anyone particularly cares about halftime being ad-free.

 

[Red in STL]

How would that work? Ads during the game? Right now you get ads at halftime, when no action is taking place - I don't think anyone particularly cares about halftime being ad-free.

I suspect it'll be scrolling ads on the top or bottom of the screen, probably both, won't obstruct the action but they'll be as annoying as hell!

 

[noodlehair]

The cynic in me thinks part of the reason for all the VAR/injury feigning/water break stoppages and reluctance to curtail them is about building to having add breaks during the game.

 

[golden_blunder]

With Ceferin wanting to extend his UEFA reign with a third period, completely against his initial ideas about UEFA, i wonder if people will think differently in terms of clubs challenging both UEFA and FIFA with the so called European Super League.

As long as a Super League is built up as a traditional tournament and it doesn’t interfere with leagues in general, why are people under the belief that sticking with UEFA and FIFA is the way forward?

UEFA and FIFA are working hard to introduce as many matches as possible in order to generate more revenue, FIFA with backing from UEFA are expanding their club world cup, we get more and more national team matches. The traditional Champions League format is pretty much dead with the changes that are being implemented (partially in order to please the big clubs).

Let’s be honest, certain clubs wanted to hog the money to themselves. Only because there was such a backlash did they go back to the drawing board. Certain clubs see it as a way to get themselves out of the mess they’re in after decades of hoovering up the best players. So feck them. They didn’t have anyone elses interests at heart other than their own

 

[golden_blunder]

I thought that one of the key selling points was that it would be free to watch?

Yes, although most here saw through that BS. It’ll get more expensive than 10e too

 

[redshaw]

How would that work? Ads during the game? Right now you get ads at halftime, when no action is taking place - I don't think anyone particularly cares about halftime being ad-free.

Setanta currently reduce the screen size of the match to fit ads at one side and underneath. That's one way they could do ads during the game.

 

[Teja]

The cynic in me thinks part of the reason for all the VAR/injury feigning/water break stoppages and reluctance to curtail them is about building to having add breaks during the game.

Might as well just change the rules to play in quarters like the NBA and do ads properly. Add timeouts on top.

 

[noodlehair]

Might as well just change the rules to play in quarters like the NBA and do ads properly. Add timeouts on top.

However it happens it'll probably be when I stop watching altogether.

I already watch games 20 mi uses behind so I can fast forward through the bullsh*t, and even then I'm usually more or less caught up by half time

 

[NotChatGPT]

Let’s be honest, certain clubs wanted to hog the money to themselves. Only because there was such a backlash did they go back to the drawing board. Certain clubs see it as a way to get themselves out of the mess they’re in after decades of hoovering up the best players. So feck them. They didn’t have anyone elses interests at heart other than their own

Some self interests aligns with others, and i’m not sure if i understand the argument here. The above is pretty much one of the very reasons the Champions League format is what it is now, to the point where the Norwegian champions struggles badly to even make it to the group stages in the Europa League due to all the knockout matches they have to go through. The new CL format is closer to the Super League than the original CL format.

Either way, it’s becoming more and more about the positions of FIFA and UEFA, their need to create more revenue by adding more matches. More meaningless national team matches, the nations league, the world cup expansions, fifa club world cup expansion, to an already congested fixture list. FIFA couldn’t be less bothered about the implications of turning the football calender upside down by moving the World Cup to the winter. FIFA will continue to challenge UEFA‘s Champions League format, the agreements over the super league had a cost and the expansion of the club world cup is one of them.

I really couldn’t be less bothered about the actual super league, just as i’m not really bothered about watching the new CL format that is coming. The only thing important of importance to me is clubs challenging FIFA and UEFA before it’s too late.

 

[golden_blunder]

Some self interests aligns with others, and i’m not sure if i understand the argument here. The above is pretty much one of the very reasons the Champions League format is what it is now, to the point where the Norwegian champions struggles badly to even make it to the group stages in the Europa League due to all the knockout matches they have to go through. The new CL format is closer to the Super League than the original CL format.

Either way, it’s becoming more and more about the positions of FIFA and UEFA, their need to create more revenue by adding more matches. More meaningless national team matches, the nations league, the world cup expansions, fifa club world cup expansion, to an already congested fixture list. FIFA couldn’t be less bothered about the implications of turning the football calender upside down by moving the World Cup to the winter. FIFA will continue to challenge UEFA‘s Champions League format, the agreements over the super league had a cost and the expansion of the club world cup is one of them.

I really couldn’t be less bothered about the actual super league, just as i’m not really bothered about watching the new CL format that is coming. The only thing important of importance to me is clubs challenging FIFA and UEFA before it’s too late.

And i for one would rather they challenge and reform rather than reinvent the wheel to dig certain clubs out

 

[NotChatGPT]

And i for one would rather they challenge and reform rather than reinvent the wheel to dig certain clubs out

The last challenger and reformer now wants to change the rules so that he can enjoy a third term at the helm. His last election was won without any challengers. After Blatter we only thought Fifa could get better.

I think it's rather clear that we're well past challenging and reforming UEFA and FIFA. It's as efficient as sending thoughts and prayers in a facebook status update.

Digging certain clubs out is a rather small price to pay compared to an even stronger FIFA and UEFA

 

[giorno]

I suspect it'll be scrolling ads on the top or bottom of the screen, probably both, won't obstruct the action but they'll be as annoying as hell!

Also split screen/2 seconds ads during breaks in play

 

[giorno]

And i for one would rather they challenge and reform rather than reinvent the wheel to dig certain clubs out

"Certain clubs" really means every big club in Italy, Spain and France not named Real Madrid or PSG(and for the former it's a slow slide into irrelevancy against the rise of the SuperPremier League)...which is why my belief is those three FAs should come together for a SL between them. Nearly every club other than those 2 is in dire financial straits...

Feel like the superleague is kind of a necessity at this point. Just have to make one that isn't unacceptable in every way

 

[stevoc]

What can he even do about it?

The better question is why would he do anything about it?

Why is it in the interests of football fans that one organisation retain a monopoly on European football?

What could happen is all of Europe's big clubs eventually leave UEFA for a super league and because of some law English clubs are stuck in UEFA comps playing Celtic and Russian teams.

 

[Juice Juiced]

So, there would be super league, ecl, el, confederation cup? There is just to many games to care. Maybe im getting old but imho there is limit how much you can watch games per week.

And what I did noticed with younger generation (my kids and their friends) they are willing to watch local games but not so to watch footie on TV.

 

[golden_blunder]

then what's the solution? doing nothing and go as it is?
Results are that since 2015 Premier League spent +10b on transfers while the other biggest leagues can't even half that.
ESL might not be the solution but better than doing nothing and I don't see proposals beside "increase number of games to be played in CL/EL/Conference" when most of national leagues already have 20 teams and with internationals games we're close to 70games/year.

I'm in for this ESL maybe not this format but something has to be done

Did you ever consider that since the start of the PL other leagues have considered it a golden goose? United want player X from Holland, get quoted 50m, a team from Germany buys him for less than 20m. There’s a reason why the stats show the PL outspending other countries, because they get quoted nonsense prices in the first place.

secondly it hasn’t stopped Madrid or Bayern hoovering up the best players with different tactics

 

[golden_blunder]

"Certain clubs" really means every big club in Italy, Spain and France not named Real Madrid or PSG(and for the former it's a slow slide into irrelevancy against the rise of the SuperPremier League)...which is why my belief is those three FAs should come together for a SL between them. Nearly every club other than those 2 is in dire financial straits...

Feel like the superleague is kind of a necessity at this point. Just have to make one that isn't unacceptable in every way

To be honest I’ve no sympathy for Madrid or Barca at all. They’ve spent decades riding off the backs of other clubs taking their best players.

 

[Ekkie Thump]

How would that work? Ads during the game? Right now you get ads at halftime, when no action is taking place - I don't think anyone particularly cares about halftime being ad-free.

When some American channels want to show an advert the game image gets squashed into the top right 2/3 of the screen. The rest of the screen gives way to a silent advert. Maybe something like this?

 

[giorno]

To be honest I’ve no sympathy for Madrid or Barca at all. They’ve spent decades riding off the backs of other clubs taking their best players.

Yeah but the difference is for Madrid the superleague is about not losing relevance against the PL. For pretty much every one else from those countries, it would be about survival...

 

[pacifictheme]

Nevermind the debate on the SL, I find the Brexit backing UK government ignoring the ECJ in order to keep english clubs from leaving a european competition (while european clubs are able to do so) absolutely hilarious.

He's not part of the government.

 

[golden_blunder]

Yeah but the difference is for Madrid the superleague is about not losing relevance against the PL. For pretty much every one else from those countries, it would be about survival...

Why is it that the PL is getting the blame?