Whilst it was still just whispers, yes that was probably the case, it's been done numerous times before but this is far beyond that point now. This isn't just threats and posturing anymore, this is happening (at least in their eyes it is)
imagine the talking about it stage being like a wife threatening to leave her husband if things don't change, what happened last night was that wife packing her bags, emptying the bank account and moving into a hotel whilst she finds a new home.
It's "simple" to set up a breakaway international tournament? On par with the World Cup? Not sure how I understand how simple this is.There is a huge amount of emotion surrounding discussion of all this. Entirely understandable too. But those running football don't think in terms of emotion. For them it is all about money. So looking at this from a purely financial perspective - as the characters involved in this upheaval will - how is this likely to play out?
Firstly, IMO, the breakaway clubs hold all the aces here. UEFA can ban these clubs all they like. But UEFA needs these elite clubs, and the elite clubs don't need them. Domestic leagues can impose bans and sanctions to make a point, but that would be suicidal. The PL stripped of the appeal of these six clubs is a crippled brand. If those six are excluded, just how much will broadcasters be prepared to pay for rights to cover the rest? How much sponsorship will be forthcoming? The simple reality is that the Premier League MUST reach an amicable settlement with the breakaway six. The alternative is a PL doomed to die by noble gesture.
Meanwhile, consider the options from the perspective of the breakaway clubs. If they're banned from domestic competitions the solution for them could hardly be more straightforward. Reformat the new competition to a full 38-game home-and-away season for the 20 clubs involved. Incorporate some element of cup football either in the form of a play-off format, or via a new dedicated cup competition. No shortage of lucrative fixtures to stream now.
And what if the players are banned from representing their national teams? Simple. The breakaway league sets up a new international tournament - they will have access to all the best players, after all. If UEFA and FIFA don't play along, it is they who will go the way of the dinosaurs, not the breakaway clubs.
Many of we fans who post on here view football in analog terms. We think of the beautiful game broadly as it has functioned for the last 100 years or more. But that financial model is extinct. Clubs can no longer survive based on matchday income. Football is consumed digitally now. Yes, I will attract ire for saying that - but it is the truth. The future for the elite football clubs revolves purely around digital income from global media rights. And from the merchandising and betting revenue streams arising from that. The kind of money brought in by those who attend matches on the day is close to irrelevant at this level. Many on here are saying they will no longer attend games because they don't approve of the new paradigm (fair enough). Others won't return because they've left this expensive weekend routine behind during the Covid reset. The reality is that these big clubs won't care about this. In a business model dominated by digital TV / streaming coverage, the role of the matchday crowd is to provide atmosphere and visual spectacle for the worldwide online audience. The clubs can afford to price the matchday seats to sell using dynamic algorithms like those used by no-frills airlines. And if those tickets are cheaper, perhaps afew younger (and more animated) fans will be able to afford the gig again ... win-win for the clubs.
Meanwhile, a huge new revenue stream arises for the clubs if they can sell football coverage via their own fan channels. Purists on Bluemoon may say NEVER, but a substantial new audience will be attracted to subscribe to a package which grants live access to ALL Manchester City matches for a full season (or whichever club they prefer). The clubs will make a killing from this. Sadly, how many fans of these six clubs sit through live TV coverage of matches such as Brighton v Burnley which their expensive Sky / BT package currently foists upon them in place of the match they really want to see?
When you pause to consider the strong position that the breakaway clubs are in from a financial perspective, it becomes obvious that for all their posturing it is UEFA and the domestic leagues which will need to give ground if any kind of accord is to be negotiated. Being banned from the UCL at the semi-final stage is galling, but UEFA can only impose this sanction once. And it will be an act of gross financial self-harm if they go through with it. And given that UEFA has behaved so objectionably for so many years, I struggle to raise one iota of sympathy for their predicament now. Their appointment of the odious Tebag to a position of influence just this week shows that this toxic coven is not minded to change its ways any time soon. UEFA is a horrible governing body. The new incarnation can only be 'just as bad' at the very worst.
My expectation is that urgent and constructive peace talks must ensue. This breakaway represents an existential threat to domestic leagues generally (if these clubs are excluded), and to UEFA in particular. In public they may rant about how harshly they can punish and ostracise the breakaway elite clubs. But in private they must do whatever it takes to keep these clubs securely in the fold. Failure to do so dooms THEM to irrelevance, not the elite clubs. That is the stark reality.
I'm aware that this line of thinking isn't something that purists of a certain age want to contemplate. But it is the financial reality in this new digital age, and it is the distribution of monetary rewards which will ultimately decide the outcome of this. UEFA must offer big concessions to appease the elite clubs. And the domestic leagues will have no choice other than to back down or become a meaningless sideshow compared with what they once were.
We live in interesting times. But upsetting as all this is, I still want the best possible outcome for Manchester City FC. It's CTID for me, whichever tournament they happen to be competing in. For as long as they play in Manchester and retain the name I've always supported, count me in.
It’s not €3bn each ... it’s €3.5bn total ... works out to about €233m each really ... and it’s all debt, front-loaded on to be paid back by when the Super League gets it back from fans (subscribers) ... and of course with interest. JP Morgan’s isn’t anyone’s kind uncle!€3bn each! United need not worry about their tiny debt any longer.. Liverpool miss out on top4.. no problem!
these clubs won’t be bothered about leaving their domestic leagues entirely, that threat won’t work. Unbelievable stuff
The clubs don't hold all the cards though. You say they don't need the PL but the PL needs them, this isn't true. The PL would be substantially weaker without them clearly but they'd survive, football would continue for the rest of the teams, if the founding 6 don't have the PL though they have nothing, a club can't exist without a domestic league to compete in. sure they can attempt to create a super league between themselves in its void but that's not sustainable for anybody.There is a huge amount of emotion surrounding discussion of all this. Entirely understandable too. But those running football don't think in terms of emotion. For them it is all about money. So looking at this from a purely financial perspective - as the characters involved in this upheaval will - how is this likely to play out?
Firstly, IMO, the breakaway clubs hold all the aces here. UEFA can ban these clubs all they like. But UEFA needs these elite clubs, and the elite clubs don't need them. Domestic leagues can impose bans and sanctions to make a point, but that would be suicidal. The PL stripped of the appeal of these six clubs is a crippled brand. If those six are excluded, just how much will broadcasters be prepared to pay for rights to cover the rest? How much sponsorship will be forthcoming? The simple reality is that the Premier League MUST reach an amicable settlement with the breakaway six. The alternative is a PL doomed to die by noble gesture.
Meanwhile, consider the options from the perspective of the breakaway clubs. If they're banned from domestic competitions the solution for them could hardly be more straightforward. Reformat the new competition to a full 38-game home-and-away season for the 20 clubs involved. Incorporate some element of cup football either in the form of a play-off format, or via a new dedicated cup competition. No shortage of lucrative fixtures to stream now.
And what if the players are banned from representing their national teams? Simple. The breakaway league sets up a new international tournament - they will have access to all the best players, after all. If UEFA and FIFA don't play along, it is they who will go the way of the dinosaurs, not the breakaway clubs.
Many of we fans who post on here view football in analog terms. We think of the beautiful game broadly as it has functioned for the last 100 years or more. But that financial model is extinct. Clubs can no longer survive based on matchday income. Football is consumed digitally now. Yes, I will attract ire for saying that - but it is the truth. The future for the elite football clubs revolves purely around digital income from global media rights. And from the merchandising and betting revenue streams arising from that. The kind of money brought in by those who attend matches on the day is close to irrelevant at this level. Many on here are saying they will no longer attend games because they don't approve of the new paradigm (fair enough). Others won't return because they've left this expensive weekend routine behind during the Covid reset. The reality is that these big clubs won't care about this. In a business model dominated by digital TV / streaming coverage, the role of the matchday crowd is to provide atmosphere and visual spectacle for the worldwide online audience. The clubs can afford to price the matchday seats to sell using dynamic algorithms like those used by no-frills airlines. And if those tickets are cheaper, perhaps afew younger (and more animated) fans will be able to afford the gig again ... win-win for the clubs.
Meanwhile, a huge new revenue stream arises for the clubs if they can sell football coverage via their own fan channels. Purists on Bluemoon may say NEVER, but a substantial new audience will be attracted to subscribe to a package which grants live access to ALL Manchester City matches for a full season (or whichever club they prefer). The clubs will make a killing from this. Sadly, how many fans of these six clubs sit through live TV coverage of matches such as Brighton v Burnley which their expensive Sky / BT package currently foists upon them in place of the match they really want to see?
When you pause to consider the strong position that the breakaway clubs are in from a financial perspective, it becomes obvious that for all their posturing it is UEFA and the domestic leagues which will need to give ground if any kind of accord is to be negotiated. Being banned from the UCL at the semi-final stage is galling, but UEFA can only impose this sanction once. And it will be an act of gross financial self-harm if they go through with it. And given that UEFA has behaved so objectionably for so many years, I struggle to raise one iota of sympathy for their predicament now. Their appointment of the odious Tebag to a position of influence just this week shows that this toxic coven is not minded to change its ways any time soon. UEFA is a horrible governing body. The new incarnation can only be 'just as bad' at the very worst.
My expectation is that urgent and constructive peace talks must ensue. This breakaway represents an existential threat to domestic leagues generally (if these clubs are excluded), and to UEFA in particular. In public they may rant about how harshly they can punish and ostracise the breakaway elite clubs. But in private they must do whatever it takes to keep these clubs securely in the fold. Failure to do so dooms THEM to irrelevance, not the elite clubs. That is the stark reality.
I'm aware that this line of thinking isn't something that purists of a certain age want to contemplate. But it is the financial reality in this new digital age, and it is the distribution of monetary rewards which will ultimately decide the outcome of this. UEFA must offer big concessions to appease the elite clubs. And the domestic leagues will have no choice other than to back down or become a meaningless sideshow compared with what they once were.
We live in interesting times. But upsetting as all this is, I still want the best possible outcome for Manchester City FC. It's CTID for me, whichever tournament they happen to be competing in. For as long as they play in Manchester and retain the name I've always supported, count me in.
the more they have, the more they want, utter greed.I was naive to think our owner is rich enough that he will need not any more money
Perhaps you should consider the alternative. A FIFA-administered international tournament in which all of the elite players are excluded ... by order of FIFA. How much sponsorship is that going to bring in? How many viewers will tune in? How many advertising slots will be sold? And at what price-point? How many countries will compete to host this?It's "simple" to set up a breakaway international tournament? On par with the World Cup? Not sure how I understand how simple this is.
Question is -- if we are the first to back out and lead a domino train, how will we feel then?We are fu%%ed and the other clubs, even the government are going for us.
This is the biggest own goal of all time, congratulations to Khaldoon for fucking up a wonderful season, destroying my club and destroying football.
I don't think UEFA can do that now. For uefa to maintain any resemblance of credibility (I know) they can't bow down to their demands, it makes them look like powerless chumps and it shows the world who is really ruining the show and deems them redundant. if they get into bed with the super league now they'll cease to exist within a yearExactly this is the real threat.
There was posturing in the media previously, but look at the outrage across the world of football do you think they didn't anticipate this?
My gut tells me that within two weeks these clubs will all be around a table with UEFA keen to solve it they will have some sort of agreement and normal service is resumed.
We had the chance to show we care about football, we could have told the other clubs to do one, it would have been incredible PR for our club, and lets be honest, we need it.Question is -- if we are the first to back out and lead a domino train, how will we feel then?
Good points mate.What a horrible choice.
Stick with the PL who tried to shaft us with domestic FFP and show solidarity with Burnley, Wolves and the rest of the shithouses putting their names to letters trying to shaft us ? Support UEFA and the likes of Tebas and the Bayern and Dortmund hierarchy who have slagged us off at every available opportunity ?
Or go with the absolute vermin who did their utmost to destroy us and are now systematically destroying English football ?
I don't believe for one second that the PL, UEFA and FIFA will go through with their threats of expulsion, but, if they did, what would stop the American owners from throwing us out in a couple of years to replace us with someone more "historically worthy" (i.e. American owned) ?
The only thing we can say with absolute certainty is that we can't trust anyone
"All"? They have 20 clubs worth of elite players. I don't watch the fucking World Cup to see elite players; I watch to see my country do well, and failing that (which is inevitable), other countries I like. Do you think I root for the US because we're any good? How many of the millions and millions of Americans who watch the WC can name seven footballers apart from Messi and Ronaldo who aren't American? How do you think the Olympics do? How do you think they did the year the US or Russia boycotted them? No one gave a shit -- it was easier for their countrypeople to win! These clubs are trying to leverage their brands. Well, the WORLD CUP, like THE OLYMPICS, will ALWAYS be bigger brands than fucking "Juventus" or (lord knows) "Tottenham" globally, whatever/whoever is in them.Perhaps you should consider the alternative. A FIFA-administered international tournament in which all of the elite players are excluded ... by order of FIFA. How much sponsorship is that going to bring in? How many viewers will tune in? How many advertising slots will be sold? And at what price-point? How many countries will compete to host this?
Note that I didn't say that organising any tournament is simple in logistical terms. It is the solution to the breakaway clubs' dilemma which is a simple choice. They have the elite players. They have world-class stadia. They have global media giants on board. They can organise a tournament themselves if the traditional organisers choose to ostracise their players. They're amply resourced. And they'd probably make loads of money in the process too.
So the breakaway clubs are not corrupt?My initial reaction was pretty much one of horror at the thought of this. I saw the impassioned pleas of Neville and nodded along,
The clubs though have a point. How long have City fans hated UEFA, called it corrupt, despised the CL?
This is a breakaway from UEFA not the PL, we would still play in the PL and without UEFA squad limits we could easily afford a squad of 40 players that are registered for both competitions.
Covid has shown that the appetite for live football on TV remains even if no fans attend, so don't think that fans will be important, there not already.
I don't like the people involved with setting it up, that is the downside, but they also have dealings with UEFA and if like us as fans they see UEFA as corrupt then can you blame them for wanting out?
The proposed changes to the CL are ridiculous so why not fuck UEFA off and go it alone. Leave them and their shitty CL to be played for by clubs finishing 4th in domestic leagues. UEFA have brought this on themselves. Fuck em
Orthe more they have, the more they want, utter greed.
Love you mate but you need to catch up. This is a simple precursor to a closed Super League with 38 weekend games per side (and those five open slots will also be closed as soon as the SL figures out which five European clubs can make the league the most money I assure you). If this goes through it will only be a matter of time -- perhaps almost no time -- before we either bin the Prem or it bins us.This is a breakaway from UEFA not the PL, we would still play in the PL and without UEFA squad limits we could easily afford a squad of 40 players that are registered for both competitions.