halfcenturyup
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 12 Oct 2009
- Messages
- 9,570
I'm not so sure.
The Premier League is clearly the most successful league in football, and six rich teams is probably enough to sustain things. It's not popular because Villa or Everton might make a run into the top four once a decade.
There's no major reason why United and Chelsea shouldn't be able to challenge again, given their current financial size. Spurs new stadium has pushed their revenue up massively, and we've seen that Arsenal are again able to compete. With a fifth CL spot it'll be even easier for the rich six to sustain.
The six gives some semblance of competition, and it's certainly more than any of the other big leagues. People always used to talk about cycles, but the financial gaps have become so great, that I don't see how other European leagues could catch up, and if the PL remains the most popular, then the money continues to flow in.
That's a pretty narrow view, imho. The PL is a mess at the minute and everyone knows it. Surely?
Strategically and more long term, though, an organisation that stands still slowly withers. The PL should be encouraging inward investment in all clubs so that more and more can compete and the league and the pyramid are strengthened.
Just keeping 4 or 6 teams strong and then thinking the PL isn't under threat from the other leagues at the moment is a poor strategic decision in my book. The sort of thing a marketing man may think of, but not a business executive.
All imho, of course.