If this ESL goes ahead, what of the actual matches themselves? Cant help feeling alot of it will be like watching pre season friendlies.
Its right in that Sky will choose the bigger clubs, but some of the biggest viewing figures for individual games would shock you, they generally don’t release them but you would see like 2-3million viewers variance and that puts the ‘cost per second’ adverts down. Sky don’t actually have the rights to sell the PL overseas those deals are separate, Sky only operate in Italy and Germany for that, and likely will have the US market via Comcast who own Sky/NBC/Universal. The viewing figures for the Championship games are very strong, they often dwarf Champions League etc I don’t know if anyone watched Monday night football last night, but Neville and Carragher were fantastic, absolutely nailed the feeling around this **** show.
To me it is a binary issue. If these clubs have broken their contract they should be out of the league this day. If they haven't it's another matter. It will depend on what they have signed, if anything, and what the legal implications of such might be. But out for the clubs if they have. The players can choose to either join the circus, or play for another club, ( good chance they would all be entitled to free transfers as their own contracts will almost certainly have been breached by their clubs I would have thought). They will then be able to play in the Premier League, Euefa completions, The Euros and World Cups. No relegation from the top league this season, six to go up, and balance the leagues downwards in this way.
It’s really intricate how it all works, actually the real jewel in the crown for Sky is Sky Atlantic and the exclusive deals with HBO/Showtime. The amount of folk who want to watch a massive show like Game of Thrones absolutely dwarves the football, it’s only around 60% of viewers have sport. I personally, biased or otherwise, think Sky do a fantastic job with the sport (although I agree with all that they should step away from the political side), but they do an even better job with the shows and the way it all works, that’s why we had the lowest ever number of customers leaving during a pandemic. Sky will adjust, none of us want these great clubs gone from the league, of course we don’t, but if they do, we will still wanna watch football, there will be a period of readjustment and Sky will repackage it in a way that still appeals. Clubs like us, Newcastle, Everton, Leeds, West Ham and Villa would have a wonderful opportunity to grow.
Here it is for those that haven't seen it.... "Everton is saddened and disappointed to see proposals of a breakaway league pushed forward by six clubs. Six clubs acting entirely in their own interests. Six clubs tarnishing the reputation of our league and the game. Six clubs choosing to disrespect every other club with whom they sit around the Premier League table. Six clubs taking for granted and even betraying the majority of football supporters across our country and beyond. At this time of national and international crisis - and a defining period for our game - clubs should be working together collaboratively with the ideals of our game and its supporters uppermost. Instead, these clubs have been secretly conspiring to break away from a football pyramid that has served them so well. And in that Pyramid Everton salutes EVERY club, be it Leicester City, Accrington Stanley, Gillingham, Lincoln City, Morecambe, Southend United, Notts County and the rest who have, with their very being, enriched the lives of their supporters throughout the game's history. And vice versa. The self-proclaimed Super Six appear intent on disenfranchising supporters across the game - including their own - by putting the very structure that underpins the game we love under threat. The backlash is understandable and deserved – and has to be listened to. This preposterous arrogance is not wanted anywhere in football outside of the clubs that have drafted this plan. On behalf of everyone associated with Everton, we respectfully ask that the proposals are immediately withdrawn and that the private meetings and subversive practises that have brought our beautiful game to possibly its lowest ever position in terms of trust end now. Finally we would ask the owners, chairmen, and Board members of the six clubs to remember the privileged position they hold – not only as custodians of their clubs but also custodians of the game. The responsibility they carry should be taken seriously. We urge them all to consider what they wish their legacy to be. Everton FC Board of Directors"
i would like to think that if those clubs are booted from the league (hope so, as sick of hearing them bleat on about a break-away league to try and get an even bigger share of tv money) then we can move away from this 'win at all costs' style of football we have all been conditioned to watch, lately it seems the amount of goal attempts is getting lower and lower with the passing stats increasing all because the owners want more profit...snooker enjoyed a massive rise in popularity and television coverage until the 'robot' that was steve davis and the clones that followed him became predictable and boring, i don't want to see football go the same way, kids now would rather spend all day on the xbox/playstation while we would spend all day playing football. this proposed league will be nothing but cat and mouse games every single time and what little interest is left will soon wane...if they really want to 'save' football then they need to get back to teams having a go at each other, get rid of the referee conning (only use var to prove a cheat) and get rid of this 'if there is contact there is a foul' attitude...it cant be just me who has noticed the insane amount of defenders who drop to the ground on seemingly every corner now (the ref has no option but to stop the game) or when a defender gets himself into trouble facing his own goal who will stop so the attacker runs into him then flings himself to the floor, we need to get back to 'proper' competition.
It was a the same with tennis mate when Chris Evert just spent all day thrashing it from the base line, killed that sport for me. Something else to consider when these six clubs want new players all they will end up with are mercenaries can’t see most footballers wanting to end up like the Harlem Globe Trotters.
****ing Everton. Yes. I actually want this thing to go through now so those six clubs can be ****ed off. They deserve every bit of flack over the coming days.
These six English teams Board of Directors, have, in effect, set themselves up for a massive fall now....irrespective of what happens next. Their respective clubs, players and fans (whether they agree with it all, or not) will be tarnished and targeted for abuse, by opposing fans now on a weekly matchday basis now, at least (even by their own fans) Imagine being at a match now and finding their fans joining in with the opposing fans, singing the abuse songs?....Wow !
I'd back that. They're the two who currently need it least and who I had previously considered more community minded than the rest. Not sure the latter is true any more.
Wouldnt surprise me at all. Those would be my two guesses too. I was actually surprised City tagged along.
Fantastic statement from Everton. The Kickoff program about this is worth a watch - if only for True Jawdee's repeated bleating about how the PL 'rejected' Newcastle being taken over by trillionaires just to keep the big 6 clubs happy.
It broke my heart. I love what those owners have done for that ****ing citeh. Thought they were way better than that.