I've been praying for that for about many years. I remember when it was 1st mooted, I absolutely rejected but within a few years I was a total convert. 10 years on (ish), probably more than I care to remember, I honestly believe it would be a breath of fresh air to all the European prem leagues. Please let them all **** off so we can at least start again.
Be honest, would you be able to follow you team into Europe every two weeks for a league game? The idea is beyond stupid.
No but we might finally get a crack at a league title But yeah in seriousness it's a ridiculous idea, it won't happen.
The reason it could happen would have nothing to do with the fans here, it would be the global fanbase who would much prefer to watch Man Utd v Barcelona a few times a season in a league than watching the big teams play the likes of ourselves, Stoke etc. If it were to ever happen it would be interesting to see the knockon effects, wages/advertising/turnover of the clubs left behind would drop massively imo as all the money would go into this super league with every player aspiring to play in it. I used to think that it was just a matter of time before it happened because all that needs to happen is for someone to throw enough money at the clubs and they would go, but I am not so sure now.
What I mean by no appetite here is the clubs themselves. The big boys abroad want it cos they're jealous of the PL money and want a slice of that pie, whereas to United/Liverpool etc. it just wouldn't be worth it. On another note I think PL tv money will only have one more rise before a levelling out / a drop, due to streaming meaning Sky and BT losing customers at a big rate. When is the next contract due to be re negotiated anyone know?
All depends on the money etc, and if there was a league set up with Barca/Real/Juve/PSG etc all in it then some of the money from the PL would go to that league and that would attract the top teams.
Massive clamp down on streaming going on at the moment, expect a warning in the post in the next few months.
True, I see your point. I just don't think the big boys here want it as much as the likes of Juve/Bayern/Milan clubs etc. Can see why particuarly Milan clubs would want it though, frankly it's ridiculous that clubs like us are just as if not richer than them.
Yeah I have noticed but in practice is much harder to stop though unless it's a worldwide clamp down, which simply won't happen.
I think British based providers will be forced to block the sites that stream, true there are ways around this but It will stop the majority of users from doing it.
Yeah I doubt they are as bothered by it, but if those clubs all got together and arranged it then I don't think it would take long for the big clubs here to go and join. The biggest thing would be trying to decide who they would want in the league and they have to draw the line somewhere
Agree it will make it harder so will stop a lot from doing it... for a while at least. Same as 4/5 years ago only a select people knew how to stream games but now most people of all ages can do it quite easily. Would only be a matter of time before it gets up to that again. The last point is interesting as like you say you'd have to draw the line somewhere. You couldn't have say 5 teams from here but only 2 from Germany for example.
I think the issue won't be where they draw the line, but how they manage any relegation and promotion - If they bother. None of them want a Leicester in it.
Who would make up the crowd for Super League matches? ManU v Chelsea would sell out, but (at the moment) ManU v foreign side would consist almost totally of local fans. Fans couldn't afford to follow their team abroad on a regular basis. Would take an entirely different mind set to develop over a period of time. And richer fans. Us old style fans would be left behind and it would be even harder to keep youngsters on the true path as they would follow the glitz and....heaven forfend...we might end up raising Barcelona fans as well as United ones! We would think it was boring without any chance of relegation, but I can see a time when such considerations won't matter to the new razzamataz fans. The future is another country....they do things differently there.
I would welcome a European league on the basis that any team in it cannot enter any of the home grown cup competitions, even with a youth or u23 team. Let's see how many fans they lose when they aren't winning anything. The glory hunters would drop like stones and may actually support a local team
I'd like to think that is true, but times are a'changing. People have lower attention spans now and expect things to be always exciting...a Super League could tempt them in by having all the bells and whistles. Wasn't long ago that no one would believe British fans would be interested in American football....style over content. As for not allowing their U23s in the PL! Now you have put that idea in my head it has taken root. That is exactly what they would try and do.
