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11 Nov 2015 17:53:03
Long time reader, sporadic poster.

Interesting start for Klopp, can see his methods coming through but yet to properly click with the team although that's understandable.

My question is not related to Liverpool as much, but with the rumours in Spain about Catalonia wanting to become a separate entity would Barcelona push for a breakaway Euro league.

I think it was ED002 who talked about this in posts and mentioned two clubs looked to create one, I assume it was the two Spanish clubs?

{Ed002's Note - The breakaway league will happen regardless of whatever happens with Catalona and Barcelona will not be joining any Catalan league. If any side is eventually impacted by such an event then it would be the Barcelona B side. Meetings have been with Spanish RFEF to discuss the complications that arise when the breakaway clubs run for the pan-European league. The Spanish clubs know that opens up the Real Madrid and Barcelona second string sides to La Liga - so they want assurances that (a) they can only use the extant stadia, and not the main stadia, and (b) the television rights will then be shared equally - regardless. This has been raised in a meeting of the breakaway sides in Monte Carlo last year with UEFA present and an unbiased journalist sat in to moderate - at the agreement of all parties. Some clubs (three voted for it this past August) are still looking to accelerate the pan-European league breakaway. They won't get it before all clubs agree.}

Agree0 Disagree0

11 Nov 2015 19:15:38
What will happen to league winners etc, would there be a European competition for them to qualify for or will it just be domestic, or would there be a relegation from the pan euro league.

{Ed002's Note - It remains very much an on-going issue with regular discussions on the matter between a dozen or more clubs.

Without going in to too much detail: (a) A number of clubs take the opportunity a once or twice a year to discuss various issues including changes in rules, television rights, the power of UEFA, exploitation issues for new technology streams, etc.. These discussions, the last of which were in late August in Monte Carlo, also always turn to the possibility and structure of a breakaway pan European league. Several are ex-G14 clubs, several are not, and some clubs decline involvement in such discussions. The next meeting will be in December. (b) The plan is that at some point a number of clubs would break away from their national leagues and UEFA. They accept that they would be banned from all existing club competition and the players would initially be banned from all FIFA competitions as well, but know that FIFA would be looking to negotiate in any case. It would be the end of UEFA in all probability and UEFA are very aware of this. It would also result in a restructuring of many of the national leagues. (c) The clubs would renegotiate their television rights, rights of distribution via other streams etc.. (d) It remains the greatest fear of UEFA and all major national authorities that one day this will happen. (e) Timing wise, two very prominent clubs want it to happen as soon as possible (2018) and they have the support of a third club but most are looking at 2022 being a good option. Realistically, a few clubs are looking at 2025 to 2027 and I suspect that could end up as the reality.

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.

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.}

11 Nov 2015 19:49:24
Cheers ed.

11 Nov 2015 20:09:01
It will be the end of football as European football can be very boring, so it will not interest people and there will be less ticket sales, less TV interest so less TV package sales, the interest just won't be there.

11 Nov 2015 20:58:24
It'll never happen.

{Ed002's Note - It is going to happen Chris.}

11 Nov 2015 20:58:29
Didn't you listen to a word ed002 said mighty red? . He said "all the big money from television, sponsorship etc. would go with a breakaway league". So I don't know were you got this idea that there would be less interest.

11 Nov 2015 21:06:56
At last. Somebody uses the correct plural = Stadia!

11 Nov 2015 21:23:49
The television money will only go with it if it interest people as people will simply not pay.

{Ed002's Note - You are looking at it from the perspective of a Liverpool supporter who has seen very little European football in recent years. There have already been approaches made by media companies from across the world.}

11 Nov 2015 22:26:00
Not at all ed2 I have seen plenty of european football over the years, a lot of it can be very boring, we will see if it happens what level of interest it brings but it could be very much the death of football. European football is meant to be unique once it loses its appeal to fans we will then see what happens, I am sure playing in front of half full stadia is what's it all about then.

{Ed002's Note - It certainly won't be like that. It will be a step change.}

11 Nov 2015 23:28:33
Catalonia will never gain it's independence.

Look at Scotland!

Democracy doesn't matter in these cases when political power and greed are at the forefront of an agenda to keep them together.

Anyway, Spain is already on it's back-side, so the central power will push (in what ever ways or means) to keep them together.

It's all corrupt, just like the two biggest teams in Spain.

11 Nov 2015 23:57:27
So say the best teams from around Europe go into the league, is there relagation and promotion to the league? Where does it leave domestic leagues? The epl would be poor without say city Arsenal Chelsea.

{Ed002's Note - I have already answered that above.}

12 Nov 2015 02:23:17
I can only hope that once it happens it is a resounding failure with and the outrage from the fans is such that it fails.

The only reason people even care about derby days, competitions like the FA cup, European cup, Premier League, Serie A is the history behind them. Take out some of the biggest contributors to the history of these competitions and place them in some nonsensical new European league where tickets prices are even more ridiculous and fans become completely alienated.

Everyone knows football needs restructuring but my god I would absolutely hate this 'solution'. Are there any fans that would actually want this?

Forget English football for a moment I can't imagine Torino being invited to play in this league along with Juventus despite it being a huge Italian game. Espanyol and Barca? Lazio - Roma? Chelsea - West Ham? Tottenham - Arsenal? Would we have to say bye to some of these fixtures forever?

I know ed002 said it will happen, I sincerely hope however small the chance, that it doesn't and if it does I hope it is a stupendous failure. It would in my opinion be one of the tragedies of football to see the history leave in the pursuit of a European breakaway. For me it can be sad enough to see big clubs with history fall down the ladder because of financial mismanagement like Leeds, Rangers, Portsmouth but at least there is the notion that one day they will play, however infrequent, competitive games with other storied clubs. To see big clubs move away completely would be even worse.

Apologies for the long post.

12 Nov 2015 09:00:04
completely agree Imred. i think a lot of people would lose interest.

{Ed002's Note - No more football then.}

12 Nov 2015 10:35:49
It will happen.

12 Nov 2015 12:34:52
I love the concept of 'a lot of European games as boring so no-one will watch this league'. Cause Watford vs Stoke is a fixture on your calendar each year?

12 Nov 2015 13:25:52
Be careful what you wish for.







 

 

 
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