SuperLeague a done deal (Part 2)

[hatterson]

Am I the only one that loves the Super League? I’m an extremely casual soccer fan but this has me pumped. The hardcore fans are always going to watch. Even the fans freaking out now screaming boycott will watch. This will attract the casuals and grow the game significantly. Can’t wait for this thing to get going.

Pretty much seems like it, yea.

What team do you root for?

 

[Cloned]

The difference between the mentality in NA vs. Europe is pretty stark here.

The Super League concept (which is basically what a NHL/MLB/NBA system is) is getting roundly criticized in Europe.

Meanwhile, a system of relegations and promotions (which is the way it is currently in European soccer) would get shot down just as hard here in North America.

Pretty interesting stuff.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

They obviously have had some legal advice beforehand. I don't know details about these cases and it's DM but:

"confidence in the Super League case is based in part on the fact that two European courts have now passed judgements overturning similar moves by other sporting federations, making the threat by football's governing bodies appear hollow.
The European Commission has previously ruled that the International Skating Union cannot prevent speed skaters from participating in new money-spinning events. That decision was supported in a judgement in Europe's second highest court, the General Court in Luxembourg, in December.
Orth says there have been other cases, too, in Sweden and in Italy, to name a few.
The fledgling Super League has not revealed which courts it has lodged papers with, but Orth believes they are likely to be the High Court in London and in Italy.
Although the UK is now outside of the European Union the law that applies in this area is largely unchanged. By taking their case to a court on the continent, the Super League opens the way to a judgement in the European Court of Justice."

European Super League clubs would WIN any court case brought by UEFA or FIFA, says legal expert | Daily Mail Online

What is making me laugh is not that he might be right. As you pointed out, they certainly looked at all legal avenues before making their move. What is making me laugh is how arrogant he is about all this.

Typical Flo.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Am I the only one that loves the Super League? I’m an extremely casual soccer fan but this has me pumped. The hardcore fans are always going to watch. Even the fans freaking out now screaming boycott will watch. This will attract the casuals and grow the game significantly. Can’t wait for this thing to get going.

Watching Bayern-Madrid multiple times every single year will lose its allure pretty quickly. And that’s after we throw 100’s of years of cities and clubs history’s in the trash and light it on fire.

 

[Moncherry]

Isn't that the relegation rule in Argentina or at least was some years ago? Average points over last 3 or 5 seasons?

Yes, it's what happened to River Plate. But they at least weren't granted immunity from relegation and still ended up going down, regardless of that lifeline.

 

[gary69]

He guaranteed Madrid/City/Chelsea will play this year the CL games that they have left. GUARANTEED.

We'll at least Real and Chelsea can easily agree to play two matches against each other. And call it a CL SF (to be confirmed by UEFA at later date).

 

[robertmac43]

It seems you guys are wanting to cling to the fantasy of teams being able rise through pro/rel and selling off their best players to build and eventually challenge the biggest clubs for years. It doesn't happen. Not in the UK, not anywhere. What you do find is sometimes a club with potential (underserved market) gets a new owner or investment group, they dump a bunch of money in, and create a competitive team. Or they'll have a promising crop of young players come through and lead them to success before they're eventually sold off. Almost all of these attempts do not work in the long run. Manchester City and Chelsea are the exceptions only because their owners don't care about dumping obscene amounts of money on players in perpetuity.

Where is the fantasy? teams do rise. You seem to think they need to be a Leicester-level story to be significant, which is far from the case. Again, I'm going to use Brighton as an example. Do you think Brighton fans expect to sell Lampety, Bissouma, Alzate, etc; build and then become a mid-table team that might challenge for Europe? No, we don't think that. However, we are at a point where we can establish ourselves in the Prem, beat the big teams every now and again, and go on a cup run. All these things would be a fantasy 15 years ago.

 

[Savi]

Ah I see some of the Florentino stuff has already been posted. I just read the whole thing, crazy interview. The arrogance is insane.

 

[robertmac43]

Am I the only one that loves the Super League? I’m an extremely casual soccer fan but this has me pumped. The hardcore fans are always going to watch. Even the fans freaking out now screaming boycott will watch. This will attract the casuals and grow the game significantly. Can’t wait for this thing to get going.

This checks out, you don't get it.

 

[Burke's Evil Spirit]

Man, I hope Florentino has a bodyguard...

 

[Avs44]

Looking at the highlights of the Perez interview:

- He reiterates, repeatedly, that this plan is "saving football" and that 'football is in danger,' etc etc etc. This is a constant refrain...he's just unashamedly arrogant about himself and his role as a savior.
- Guarantees Madrid is not getting booted from La Liga; guarantees nobody is getting booted from this year's CL; guarantees players will still play international matches.
- Talks about limiting salaries, salary cap.
- Basically says UEFA has to go. Complains about its lack of transparency and corruption, nobody knows where its money goes. Funny coming from him.
- Pretty open that there is no going back. The proposed CL reforms aren't enough. The CL has been declining because in his opinion nobody wants to watch the matchups involving smaller clubs.
- Talks a bit about attracting younger viewers. I think he believes that younger viewers want to watch super matchups above all else, it's all about the star power in the match.
- Basically just affirms that all that really matters are the big clubs. He honestly does not give a **** about small clubs.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

The difference between the mentality in NA vs. Europe is pretty stark here.

The Super League concept (which is basically what a NHL/MLB/NBA system is) is getting roundly criticized in Europe.

Meanwhile, a system of relegations and promotions (which is the way it is currently in European soccer) would get shot down just as hard here in North America.

Pretty interesting stuff.

I don't think Americans are against pro rel in American sports out of principle.

 

[robertmac43]

I don't think Americans are against pro rel in American sports out of principle.

I think many of us would love to see it use more in NA soccer.

 

[DanielPlainview]

Where is the fantasy? teams do rise. You seem to think they need to be a Leicester-level story to be significant, which is far from the case. Again, I'm going to use Brighton as an example. Do you think Brighton fans expect to sell Lampety, Bissouma, Alzate, etc; build and then become a mid-table team that might challenge for Europe? No, we don't think that. However, we are at a point where we can establish ourselves in the Prem, beat the big teams every now and again, and go on a cup run. All these things would be a fantasy 15 years ago.

If you don't expect to sell them, I've got news for you: as soon a big club knocks on the door, they're gone. The money they'd get from selling those guys would be more money than they've probably ever had. If you want even a shot at long term Premiership success, you have to sell and reinvest that money in the club. Of course, what I'm talking about is going along this path to compete with the big European clubs, which you seem to understand on some level is not something that's likely to happen

 

[Cloned]

I don't think Americans are against pro rel in American sports out of principle.

I don't think it would have much support.

 

[Cloned]

I think many of us would love to see it use more in NA soccer.

In soccer maybe, but only because of the tradition involved. I don't think it would fly if it was proposed in basketball or hockey, for example.

 

[Savi]

What I also don't understand is how easily Florentino/Madrid are willing to throw CL out the window. You're by all means, and this hurts to say as a Barça fan, the Kings of that competition, you've won it a record amount of titles and in return it has made you the biggest club in the world. Doesn't that mean anything?

 

[robertmac43]

In soccer maybe, but only because of the tradition involved. I don't think it would fly if it was proposed in basketball or hockey, for example.

For sure, owners would never go for it and fans would't be able to live with the potential risk of going down.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

What I also don't understand is how easily Florentino/Madrid are willing to throw CL out the window. You're by all means, and this hurts to say as a Barça fan, the Kings of that competition, you've won it a record amount of titles and in return it has made you the biggest club in the world. Doesn't that mean anything?

To me, as a supporter, it does.

To Flo? All that matters is his ego.

 

[Jack Straw]

In soccer maybe, but only because of the tradition involved. I don't think it would fly if it was proposed in basketball or hockey, for example.

Do the European hockey and basketball leagues have relegation?

 

[DoyleG]

If you don't expect to sell them, I've got news for you: as soon a big club knocks on the door, they're gone. The money they'd get from selling those guys would be more money than they've probably ever had. If you want even a shot at long term Premiership success, you have to sell and reinvest that money in the club. Of course, what I'm talking about is going along this path to compete with the big European clubs, which you seem to understand on some level is not something that's likely to happen

Are you asking to be lynched?

 

[Cloned]

Do the European hockey and basketball leagues have relegation?

Some do.

European sports in general has a lot more of that type of merit-based league hierarchy.

Which again speaks to the difference in mentality between European and North American sports.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

I think many of us would love to see it use more in NA soccer.

I think most of the opposition to it here is more we just don't have this organic collection of hundreds of clubs that could be meaningfully organized into a workable system. Soccer is probably the closest, but the lower tier leagues have a lot of ways to go to make it a reasonable proposition. I think the other leagues that have minor league systems are just too entrenched in their system to be able to adapt. The other issue is how the NCAA fits in.

While the parallels to our closed leagues are obvious, it still feels like this is more akin to the NHL O6 teams trying to splinter into their own league, or an NFL Super League with just the Cowboys, Giants, Patriots, Packers, Steelers, Raiders, Eagles, and Bears, etc...

 

[Avs44]

What I also don't understand is how easily Florentino/Madrid are willing to throw CL out the window. You're by all means, and this hurts to say as a Barça fan, the Kings of that competition, you've won it a record amount of titles and in return it has made you the biggest club in the world. Doesn't that mean anything?

Oh, Perez has an answer for this: They will count CL and hypothetical Super League titles as one and the same. Says if Madrid wins the CL this year (#14) then their first Super League win would be their fifteenth title. They just want to appropriate the entire history.

 

[Chimaera]

That's one of the reasons domestic leagues like EPL shoudn't totally burn the bridges with these Superleague teams. They might want to come back in a couple of seasons, if the door is left open for that. UEFA would be idiots to ban clubs/players now for the rest of the season. That would end any chance of reconciliation in the future.

It’s also simpler than that. If they go that way, and the Super League table, they’ll be back.