Looks like most of the very elite clubs in Europe are indeed planning to break away and form a closed Super League. The model would be similar to US professional leagues, where teams are not relegated to the second division (minors) after a poor season. Word is that the top teams would each be guaranteed $425 million per year, far more than what the winner of the Champion's League nets (less than $100 million). I believe that the teams would ant to continue to play in their domestic leagues on weekdays but instead of Champions League gams in the middle of the week they would play in the Super League.
UEFA and the domestic leagues are up in arms. I was at Geneva airport earlier today, which is a short drive from UEFA HQ in nearby Nyon. I had not heard today's news about the Super League but thought that something must have been up as there were numerous drivers holding up UEFA signs and picking up quite a few people coming through arrivals. Looks like UEFA is going to push back hard. Getting together with the heads of the leagues and measures could include kicking the teams out of the domestic leagues and not allowing players on the tams to play in UEFA ad FIFA sanctioned events such as the World Cup and European Cup.
Hearing that the following teams are in/probably in:
Liverpool
Manchester City
Manchester United
Chelsea
Arsenal
Tottenham Hotspur
Real Madrid
Atletico Madrid
F.C. Barcelona
Juventus
A.C. Milan
Inter Milan
This far PSG in France and the top two German clubs - Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund-have balked at joining the breakaway league. The fireworks have just begun and it will be real interesting to see how this entire thing plays out. In a sense, it could help U.S. soccer and the MSL. All the European non-Super League teams would likely take a financial hit and as the MSL continues to grow and increase revenues it could be a feasible destination for a higher quality of player-one not quite good enough to play in the Super League but certainly good enough to play at the next tier in Europe.
On a side note, I wish a group of US universities would take the same actions with respect to the NCAA and simply break away when it comes to football. The U.S. college game at the highest level is getting very sick, which the same handful of teams dominating. Something needs to be done to clean up the sport and also level the playing field. Perhaps after another dozen years of the same old 3-4 schools dominating there will be more serious incentive for change.
sports.yahoo.com
UEFA and the domestic leagues are up in arms. I was at Geneva airport earlier today, which is a short drive from UEFA HQ in nearby Nyon. I had not heard today's news about the Super League but thought that something must have been up as there were numerous drivers holding up UEFA signs and picking up quite a few people coming through arrivals. Looks like UEFA is going to push back hard. Getting together with the heads of the leagues and measures could include kicking the teams out of the domestic leagues and not allowing players on the tams to play in UEFA ad FIFA sanctioned events such as the World Cup and European Cup.
Hearing that the following teams are in/probably in:
Liverpool
Manchester City
Manchester United
Chelsea
Arsenal
Tottenham Hotspur
Real Madrid
Atletico Madrid
F.C. Barcelona
Juventus
A.C. Milan
Inter Milan
This far PSG in France and the top two German clubs - Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund-have balked at joining the breakaway league. The fireworks have just begun and it will be real interesting to see how this entire thing plays out. In a sense, it could help U.S. soccer and the MSL. All the European non-Super League teams would likely take a financial hit and as the MSL continues to grow and increase revenues it could be a feasible destination for a higher quality of player-one not quite good enough to play in the Super League but certainly good enough to play at the next tier in Europe.
On a side note, I wish a group of US universities would take the same actions with respect to the NCAA and simply break away when it comes to football. The U.S. college game at the highest level is getting very sick, which the same handful of teams dominating. Something needs to be done to clean up the sport and also level the playing field. Perhaps after another dozen years of the same old 3-4 schools dominating there will be more serious incentive for change.
European soccer's top clubs reportedly to announce 'super league' the day before Champions League changes
At least 12 clubs, including six from the Premier League, are part of super league plans.
sports.yahoo.com
