Project of European Super League seems collapsed because clubs from England are withdrawing from it because of how they say "growing unrest among fans". Majority of fans are against it, because it went against sport spirit, fair play and possibility for other clubs if they are good to participate. It's closeness was one reason for downfall. I can agree it's selfish project which doesn't count interests of all other clubs from Europe. However that business model and idea was not that bad at all.
Other and not less important moment is statement of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson who said this need to stop and called parliament to make laws against this. Probably then some personal from high positions like 'man in black' called oily owners of Manchester City and Chelsea and explain them what kind of problems they can have in their every day businesses if they continue. Concerned fans started gathering outside clubs facilities and masters of oil decided to withdraw from project. Soon after all other clubs from England withdrew from it.
UEFA already went out with more or less same proposal for competition which should start from year 2024. However big clubs could be dead until then, because you know they need to pay wages to players like Messi, Ronaldo etc... meanwhile. Wages they projected with fans in stadiums buying souvenirs of club on three floor marketing center on stadium now look to big because first is not happening for more than year now because of covid-19. With all respect toward smaller clubs, their budget is smaller and they can handle crises maybe easier.
UEFA than proclaimed victory and we can read winning senseless statements like "football belongs to fans" etc... Like it didn't stop to belong to fans on moment when they decided players can't run behind goal to celebrate it with fans and prevent fans coming from working class to watch it because of to high prices. No one talked seriously about UEFA's taking away 30% of revenue, it's Eastern European voting machine and corruption.
Superleague owners and founders made few crucial mistakes:
- Think only about them and didn't care much about rest of clubs in Europe and made all of them hard core opposition to idea.
- Made practically closed competition against sport spirit.
- Didn't ensure governments in their countries support it, didn't explain them how UEFA tyranny is working right now.
- Didn't explain idea and their present situation good to fans.
- Underestimated a lot of people and business (like tv houses) who already bought rights for Premier League and their loses in case top 6 went out of it and their possible influence on fans by unleashing some pundits barking about death of football.
So what's solution ? Sit with governments in your country explain them UEFA tyranny, tell them story about UEFA corrupted personal whose main problem is how to spend all that money robbed from football earned for doing nothing or in other words 30% of revenue for UEFA bureaucracy. Explain them how that bureaucracy is working and fact that Lichenstein, Moldova, Luxemburg have 3 votes while England only one. Tell them how from 4-5 billions of Euros which come to UEFA every year corrupted personnel takes away at least 30% and invest in more corruption into politicians in their countries and election of more toxic personal in UEFA. Tell them you are not willing to bear it any more and if that continues you are going into bankruptcy and all your fans will go in front of Dawning Street 10 asking politicians what is happening ?
Didn't you organized Brexit Boris Johnson ? Would you sit in EU where your vote is equal to vote of some minor country somewhere where are plenty of them ? Would you let Moldova decide about destiny of people in UK and enforce laws in your country ? Of course not! Now organize UEFA-exit but not alone but together with big 5 countries or in worse case enforce some big reform in UEFA. I feel like even 10% for UEFA bureaucracy is to much and 30% is pure armed robbery. If UEFA reform can't be done then when other 5 big countries agree on this decide to make new football organization where people from England, Germany, Spain, Italy and France will have key role. England as country which invented this sport should have final word about it.
Now ask yourself football fans what do you like to watch more ? Manchester City trashing Burnly 5:0, Real Madrid trashing I don't know on example Elche or Manchester City - Real Madrid or Elche-Burnly ? What makes football interesting is uncertainty. A lot would say oh Burnly against Manchester City I won't watch that grinding, but Manchester City - Real Madrid of course yes and Burnley - Elche why not if there isn't some better game at the moment ? It's uncertain. Some would say but Burnley can sometimes win City! I agree, but those are very rare situations.
Solution for me is multilevel European Legue. I found national competitions maybe obsolete drilled with 5-6 very bad clubs unable to seriosly compete with others. European League of 5 or more ranks covering first 16 in European League 1, next 16 in European League 2, next 16 in European League 3 etc... Chose first 16 based on results so far, history, fan base, popularity everything. Then chose next 16 etc... Let them play this model with 1 home 1 away game then pickup first 8 to play play off in two leg cup system 1st against 8th etc... Let's say first 8 from European League 2 play playoff until 2 of them remain and then those two play playoff-playout with last 2 from European League 1 which might come there after playout between last 8 in that league.
Approach like that with competition like this, governed by honest non corrupted people would bring us games like Manchester City - Real Madrid in European League 1 or like Roma-Betis in League 2 or Fulham-Parma at some lower rank. Real Madrid will have good opponent in every game. Uncertainty and excitement would be guaranteed on all levels. What if on example Parma have better team than it's current league and is stuck there ? I have you covered! There should be European Cup too - a cup based competition where all can participate so Parma or Burnley could face Real Madrid if they are good or get them on draw. Winner of that Cup could play European Supercup after against Champions of European League 1.
Let's see if someone could win double there! Sounds like challenge for Pep! Of course let Eastern European clubs participate in range of their current value and level. Why not ? Maybe Partizan or Red Star could win Fulham or Parma? If not them maybe they can compete against QPR or Nottingham Forest now ? That could be interesting for QPR and Nottingham Forest too. Rest of clubs bellow some margin could continue to play in their national leagues and first few could get promoted in lower ranked European league while last from lower ranked European League could got relegated to it's own national league similar like they go down now from Division 2 into Conference in England. Worst one or two from some country in lowest European League should play play off with national league champion or first two there for spot or spots in European League lower tier. Sounds interesting ? :)
They might play preliminary rounds for European Cup nationalwide. So even Zlatibor if can pass preliminary rounds could theoretically get Real Madrid in Cup. Imagine that cultural shock in Western Serbia if Real Madrid comes to Zlatibor and boost for football in region. :) That could concentrate similar quality in leagues uncertainty and excitement would be guaranteed, all would be involved and not only first 12 or 20. I know bureaucracies in national leagues would not like the idea but it's worth thinking about.
Explain all that to fans check if they support or not the idea. I think even Burnly fans would like to compete in such competition and to have chance to play with the best in Cup. Why not Burnley - Barcelona in Cup ? Why not have chance to see Messi in flesh and blood ? Good for Burnley and promotion of football there. While I am not sure how Burnley fans would feel about it, I know such approach would return fans on stadiums in countries like Serbia. Imagine Partizan-Fulham, Red Star-Parma or similar every week instead of boring Partizan - Metalac or Red Star - Rad. Would be interesting. Red Star and Partizan would not have support of referees or influence on them and Fulham or Parma would not let them win easy for sure. If Fulham is to strong, I accept QPR and Nottingham Forest just to watch serious football. :)
Only real problem I see here is to much traveling on away games, but with airplanes and all costs covered by leagues and TV rights I don't think it's to big problem. In NBA they travel and play every few days. It might be solution for surviving for struggling Eastern European clubs jammed in local competition rigged by local power monger politician as well as for football giants struggling to pay salaries for players like Messi and Ronaldo to have more big games and more income. All of that open for everyone.
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