I've just been doing some checking on the so called G14, 18 European clubs who claim to represent the interests of all club soccer in Europe versus UEFA and FIFA. Since they have locked out all other clubs why doesn't someone start a cartel of the other 1,000 or so professional clubs in Europe. I'd call it the Group of 99, from the Big Audio Dynamite lyrics: "I ain't with the 100th power, I'm with the 99..." This group would truly fight for the rights of small clubs, and guarantee a fairer allocation of UEFA Champions League revenues to all league members, not just those clubs big enough to step on their brethrens heads, to get to the money teats of European club soccer and stay there. Relegation fodder of the world unite. You have nothing to lose but your debt.
Basically because the collective worth of those 18 clubs is worth more. There are, obviously, a very few exceptions - but on the whole that is about the sum of it.
True, but in Serie A: Ancona, Brescia, Chievo, Empoli and Perugia recently threatened to strike if their demands for equal(er) shares of TV money weren't met.
Well yes. But then Chievo, Ancona and their ilk are rather more important to Serie A than they are to, say, the Champions League. Picture the scene: "And finally, a new pressure group was formed in football today. The 'G-99' group, comprising small, debt-ridden football clubs with no brand value, barely regional interest and tiny supporter communities from all over Europe have banded together to make their demands for a bigger slice of the European football pie known to UEFA, the game's governing body in Europe. Lorraine Rogers, Chairwoman of English Second Division side Tranmere Rovers, put the case for the G-99 to the world's media: 'It's quite simple - if our demands for more equitable access to the riches of the game are not met, we are going to boycott participation in the Champions League and all other European competition!' UEFA spokesman Mike Lee was unavailable for comment. His secretary, stifling what appeared to be a giggle, said he had popped out for a an early lunch as there wasn't much on by way of issues to be dealt with today."
From what I can tell, the G14 pretty much lobby for things that benefit them financially and competitively- TV money, International release dates etc. They also encourage/expect limits on each member's salary expenditures to ensure continued profitability. Few really take them seriously and negotiate with them because apparently, they would not negotiate in good faith with FIFA a couple of years ago. The clubs have no real leverage because it would be difficult and probably unbeneficial to them to start their own league, even though they have enough teams to do so.
Well, the G99 would be all of the clubs who are not the G14. And has been seen in Italy, those little clubs can be a real pain. No, they don't own much of the material wealth, but can you play the Premiership season with just Arsenal, Liverpool and Man United? Plus, over half the teams in the first round of the Champions League are not in the G14. So if the G14 do start to have success as a breakaway group, you can bet the envious other 99% will want a slice of the pie.
I did some checking and UEFA actually has a subcommittee group of the top 102 clubs in Europe. This subcommittee deals with these types of issues, so while UEFA isn't dealing directly with the G14, the G14 has forced UEFA to acknowledge club concerns. None of this is new news, as this committee has been in existence since 2002. What it actually does and how, I still don't know.