If they get paid enough. There is nothing stopping a breakaway league from setting up. It's happened lots of times in lots of sports. History tells us that the vast majority either fold or return to the fold within a relatively short time frame. I think a Super League wouldn't have long term success and would give one 3 years tops, but there is still nothing stopping them trying. Realistically I think proponents of the super league idea with permanent franchises will try to stay in the fold either with UEFA or FIFA, but they could still set up a league if they wanted to. They may even see that as the best way to get one up and running within UEFA. Set one up in competition then strike a deal a year or two down the track.
Do you really think it is just a question of salary? Any league in the world would be able to attract world class talent if they just pay enough? Very few players chose to move away from UEFA club to pursue a paycheck; I can only think of Oscar (ex-Chelsea). He never played for Brazil again. Casemiro, isn't playing CL this year, but he already has plenty of CL trophies so moving to Man U isn't really the same as a move (in his prime) to a team outside top European teams. True, EPL is actually a breakaway league! However, it wasn't a multi-national league and neither the English FA, UEFA nor FIFA opposed its creation. We are talking about the extreme (nuclear) option of breaking away from the most successful league in club in the world and also breaking from UEFA and FIFA. I see not upside potential for an EPL club to leave EPL and CL to set up a ESL which might as you say not even work out. If they don't play FA leagues they would come back at the bottom of the pyramid. The only possibility for an upside potential would be for them to remain in EPL and play in SL instead of CL, but FA, UEFA and FIFA won't tolerate that. This would only happen if the majority of fans are on board, and there would be no UEFA, FA punishment. I do expect UEFA to punish any team which wants to breakaway from UEFA competitions.
The EPL is still a member of the FA, the only reason why the FA agreed to it in the first place was because it promised to keep the status quo. In affect very little changed, the fans accepted the Premier League, they will not accept the proposals that have been made concerning some kind of 'sod you I'm alright Jack' league. It took the fans 24 hours to bring down the last proposal and unless any Super League proposal is accepted by the people with real power - ie the fans then its going to be a non-starter.
Do you think there is a clause in every player's contract that says if the club plays in a league outside UEFA's jurisdiction that contracts are void? Lots of players in the platter part of their career would leave UEFA for a big payday, some do already. The EPL was a break from the English League, but it stayed within the English FA's jurisdiction. It would be the same as if UEFA had approved the idea of a super league. I also don't see an upside and wouldn't expect a breakaway super league from UEFA to last more than 2 to 3 seasons before some deal was struck to bring them back into the fold and some new sort of UEFA league was established combining elements of the UCL and any SL. My experience is that most fans would follow their club where ever they ended up, even if they weren't happy they broke away. Protests would soon subside. A SL may have trouble attracting neutral supporters in the initial stages, but would probably have great success in attracting good broadcast deals from organisations currently not holding UEFA broadcast rights. I would add that I'm not a supporter of the SL concept. It seems like an attempt by some rich clubs to maintain their status and incomes at the expense of others and not an attempt to grow the football pie. However my dislike isn't enough to prevent them going ahead if thats what they want.
I dunno how much you've been following about the esl. The point was that their initial goal to go alone and leave the domestic leagues proved financially wishfull thinking, so they aimed at staying in and at the same time do a closed "CL"aka as esl. This was attacked by the UEFA and the national FA's, with threats that they would be kicked out of the domestic leagues immediately and players playing for that esl would be suspended. The esl took it to court and the end result is that the highest European Court has a preliminary ruling they can do it. So what you're suggesting already is impossible. Any club that goes rogue actually commits suicide.
I'm fully aware that that players and clubs that join a super league are subject to being banned from domestic leagues and other competitions that UEFA may organise. I'm not even sure why a court had to rule that way. I'm equally confident that there is no legal impediment to a breakaway starting up. The constraints are financial rather than legal. If the SL gets sufficient financial backing they probably wont care about getting banned and organise a full season league with an associated cup competition. It all depends on if the money is right. I don't think such a setup has a long term future on its own but after a bit of bleeding on both sides a settlement will be reached that suits both organisations within UEFA's oversight.
A court had to rule it as the esl clubs challenged the threat made to them. Why did they challenge the threatened ban? Brcause they were incapable of doing their parasite move without the umbilical cord attached to their domestic leagues feeding them. Years ago I already predicted that the whole financial story behind the first set up of the esl (completely break away into the esl without any ties left with FA's and UEFA) was magical thinking. The esl projected revenues that were impossible. The eleven permanent members each at least must receive the current revenues made from tv rights plus the CL revenues. That would be around 800 million to just break even with the current situation. Add to that the 5 "invited" non permanent clubs (in total equal to the last 16 in the CL), which amounts to a whopping 13 billion. But to start it you will have to cough up for about two years that amount, 26 billions, without any earnings, because you can't start it with a pusjh at the button. It takes at least two years of ironing out legal issues (the UK after Brexit no longer in the EU, which means tax etc. issues have to be solved, permission to play in the EU, etc.). Given the aversion in Europe towards the whole project, these legal and political issues could take forever. You can't have a club not playing for years, which was very much the reality looming. Nobody is going to give you at least 26 billion for nothing in return. That's why they came up with the parasite option, to stay in the leagues and trying to cannibalize the CL revenues via the esl matches. That route has been cut off by the ruling of the European court. There's only one option left, go rogue completely, but that's commercially impossible. The esl for a huge part is founded on non European viewers via internet/cable tv. The problem with that is that either the time zone of the Americas or the Asian timezones are unpractical and you have to compete within Europe with non esl matches.
I believe we have a very different view of what soccer (football) represents for a soccer mad country. Soccer is part of the culture; being fan of a team is part of your identity same as belonging to a city/region. Also, you are born into a team, you don't get to chose, nor change. You root for your family's team, your local team. In SA, ppl actually fight to death because of football rivalry (which is actually stupid beyond worlds), this is how much a team (and fan base) is part of your identity. Technically you are 100% correct there wasn't a law that would prevent someone buying a club and breakaway from FA sponsored competition to join/start a new league. But the idea of going completely rogue and breaking away with national FA, UEFA and FIFA would be a suicide, IMHO. This would be treating EPL clubs as a financial enterprise and soccer as entertainment, which is an American concept not very popular around the footballing world. I truly do not think English/European fans would put up with that. RB Leipzig is the most hatted team in Bundesliga because of this money for entertainment mentality of RB buying soccer clubs. Anyway, all this discussion is theoretical and now muted; the England government is creating an independent football regulator to avoid big teams breaking away from FA/UEFA/FIFA sponsored competition. I still think 50+1 rule is the best solution but it is a start.
A counter institution to the elite clubs ECA, Union of European Clubs, has been launched. https://www.football-legal.com/content/creation-of-the-union-of-european-clubs Creation of the Union of European Clubs On 24 April 2023, the Union of European Clubs, which aims to represent and give a voice to European professional clubs independently of their size, was launched in Brussels, the European capital.
It already has the support of the European Union. https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-supports-new-football-body-for-aspirational-pro-clubs/ By Ali Walker April 24, 2023 7:48 pm CET 3 minutes read BRUSSELS — The EU on Monday signaled its support for a new football organization in Europe representing small- and medium-sized clubs. The Union of European Clubs, which launched Monday in Brussels and brands itself as the “down to earth” football organization, was endorsed by European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas in remarks to POLITICO. “I don’t see this as a problem or contributing to fragmentation [of European football]. It’s part of the same ecosystem, the same galaxy. It’s a positive thing,” Schinas said. “It makes sense in this European model of sport that clubs, regardless of their size, are part of the broader ecosystem. This is yet another planet that is coming to a galaxy that needs to work in harmony,” he added, after wrapping up his opening speech at the UEC’s launch event. The UEC aims to represent the hundreds of European professional clubs not under the umbrella of the powerful European Club Association, currently led by Paris Saint-Germain’s Qatari boss Nasser al-Khelaifi. Other speakers at the event slammed the ECA, setting up a potential conflict between the nascent organization and the long-established club body, which is officially recognized by European football’s governing body UEFA. Javier Tebas, president of Spain’s La Liga and an archrival of al-Khelaifi, said the ECA was only open for “tea, coffee, nice dinners and fantastic hotels” — but not for voting and decision-making. The UEC wants to run its organization on a one-member-one-vote basis, and provide a “voice” for unrepresented European professional football clubs, it said. It is the brainchild of Katarina Pijetlovic, who serves as the UEC’s general secretary; Dennis Gudasic, executive director at NK Lokomotiva Zagreb; and Gareth Farrelly, an Irish lawyer and former English Premier League footballer. Following the launch event, which was attended by 40 clubs from 25 countries, it will now begin the process of signing up official members. It will be open to professional first- and second-division clubs from across Europe, organizers said. Just don’t call them small clubs. We’re “aspirational,” said Crystal Palace Chairman Steve Parish, who was at the event on a fact-finding mission, along with four other English Premier League clubs. The organizers insisted they are not bidding to disrupt European football, which has been rocked for the past two years by a breakaway Super League attempt, but just want a seat at the table where decisions are made. Alex Muzio, chairman of Brussels club Union Saint-Gilloise which hosted the inaugural UEC event, said he felt the “ECA is dominated by bigger teams and the voice of clubs like [mine] is not really there.” In a statement, the ECA responded to the criticism: “ECA is open to clubs of all sizes from all 55 UEFA nations and will soon have over 330 voting members plus another 200 clubs contributing their voices to a network of common international interests. The vast majority of ECA’s members would regard any Premier League or LaLiga club as an ‘elite’ club, having access to vastly more financial and sporting resources than they do.” This article has been updated with the ECA response.
Juve leaves the superleague building https://www.washingtonpost.com › sports › soccer › 2023 › 06 › 06 › soccer-juventus-super-league-uefa › 7389d6f2-049a-11ee-b74a-5bdd335d4fa2_story.html Juventus plans to leave Super League project after season of legal ... VandaagBy Associated Press June 6, 2023 at 2:46 p.m. EDT Gift Article Share TURIN, Italy — Juventus plans to leave the Super League project still being pursued by Real Madrid and Barcelona, though the... https://www.forbes.com › sites › tomsanderson › 2023 › 06 › 06 › juventus-reportedly-tell-fc-barcelona-and-real-madrid-they-will-quit-european-super-league Juventus Tell FC Barcelona They'll Quit European Super League ... - Forbes VandaagJuventus Tell FC Barcelona And Real Madrid They Will Quit European Super League: Reports Tom Sanderson Contributor 0 Jun 6, 2023,10:58am EDT Listen to article Share to Facebook Share to Twitter... https://theathletic.com › 4586395 › 2023 › 06 › 06 › juventus-european-super-league-exit Juventus reveal plan to pull out of European Super League VandaagJuventus have confirmed they plan to pull out of the European Super League. The Italian side revealed on Tuesday that they have written to Barcelona and Real Madrid, the two remaining sides, to...
They would if they didn't have a say in it. If the English government pass a law that stipulates that 51% of shares must be owned by local fans; they would be forced to sell. Also, no one expect them to just give it away, they would sell it at market price. Simple as that. But, as far as I can tell there is little to no political will to impose such law and the fan base isn't as organized as needed to pass something like that. So as long as no owner mentions SL the status quo will remain the same in EPL.
The UK government iirc has mentioned a law that will erect a football governing body in which fans will have a big say. I have the info in one of the other supeleague threads. So it isnot that far fetched. I even can see in the near future in the EU a law installed limiting the influence of state owned unlimited funds football entities, because of the disruptive impact on the health of the football culture in Europe.
I saw that the news about this special purpose body, but this is not 51% rule it is a compromise to keep the status quo the same. But a step in the right direction, IMO.
You actually don't need 51% of the shares. If you issue a "Golden share" with special powers in the hands of a a "Fan Foundation", you're already on track.
A number of the attempts to create a European Super League down the years. 1934 Original plan for European cup a European league (in a league only format) 1968, then UEFA general secretary Hans Bangerter proposed the creation of "European Football League Championship", a unique club-competition combining group and knockout matches. 1988 Silvio Berlusconi tries to create a European Super League (in a league only format) 1992 Ken Bates: How I foiled a European Super League plot in the 1990s - and how I would stop it today (telegraph.co.uk) 1998 Media Partners tried but fails to create European Super League. 2021 12 clubs try and fail to make a European Super League. (combining group and knockout matches). 2023 proposed resurrection of the 2021 European Super League was published in February 2023, stating that the league would be a multi-divisional competition with promotion and relegations based on merit when the next attempt will be is anybody's guess but I think there will be another attempt at creating a European super league as money seems to drive thing in football as there is a lot of money in a European super league for those involved in it.
The main problem these imbecils overlook is that what they strive for only exists in the USA with an artificial barren landscape of only a couple of pro clubs in all their major sports. This has created the American tv supporter as there's no way a US sportsfan is able to watch a pro team unless he's lucky to live nearby one of the clubs out of the scarce ones. Here in Europe you're not more than a few miles from a local pro club and we're not going to turn into a tv football fan. To get to those billions for the few like the American sports, you have to be able to knock out all those pro clubs and unravel that closely nitted web of clubs covering the continent. Good luck with that. The greed has blinded their senses for reality in Europe and the impossibility to transplant an American cartel system onto a rampant capitalistic one.
Well, it seems like the oil traders are trying to create a super league of their own. Mbappe is offered a 700 million wage and PSG a transfer sum of 300 million by Al-Hilal.
The money in football has gone from outrageous to sickening! As China found out though you can't 'buy' your way into popularity! Even if they bought Mbappi and all the top 10 players on the planet I can't see anybody outside the Middle East having much interest in a game between Al Hadi and El Wadi. After Ronaldo moved over there one particular newspaper 'over here' was printing reports from his games, the 'comments section' at the bottom of the reports were full of people asking "why are you reporting on this we don't care", "why is this here we're not interested" etc. It puzzled me too, it didn't seem to make any sense, and then somebody pointed out (probably correctly) that they wouldn't be surprised if the 'oil states' were paying the newspaper to run the reports!! Suddenly it 'made some sense', it also made me realise exactly what money can buy, but it can't 'make' people care, as a Dutch person I'm sure that next season your interest is going to be in FC Twente and Ajax no matter who is kicking a ball in Saudi Arabia.
If they manage to build a league with the best players, people will watch. I currently only watch EPL because they have many of the best players, coaches, and the financial resources to consistently sign great players and prospects. La Liga used to be the only 'foreign' league that I watched, but EPL surpassed La Liga a few years back, and now I can't even remember the last time I saw a full La Liga match. I don't really care about the German, Italian, Spanish, French, or other leagues at all. They could all go bust for all I care. I only watch teams from those leagues when they are in the Champions League, which is currently the best soccer tournament in the world. In terms of quality, it's even better than the World Cup. But if a hypothetical 'Oil Nation Champions League' has better quality, I not sure why I should care about UEFA's CL. If 'oil money' build the best quality league in the world. So be it, they will attack soccer fans.
I don't think they're targeting European fans, but the Asian ones, who are more like star gazers and not primarily local club fans like almost all of European and South-American fans are. Well, primarily the 3 Rotterdam clubs Feyenoord, Excelsior and Sparta, but indeed the Dutch Eredivisie clubs.