I'm a traditional City fan and I'm no more keen on this proposal than most other posters on this thread. But the world is changing apace, and there are realities which we must face up to.
The world is 'going digital' at a rapid pace, and Covid lockdowns, match attendance bans and closed borders have only accelerated this trend. The reality is that the largest, most successful clubs will be those which embrace the global fanbase who view their football online. And that doesn't mean just those who live hundreds of miles from the stadium. Just read other threads right here on Bluemoon. How many familiar posters have been writing that they might not return to matchday attendance post-Covid? And they're the ones who can afford to make the choice. As others have pointed out, the age profile of those attending games is rising. Younger fans are used to viewing their entertainment through digital media and are quite at ease with that format. Plus they can't afford match tickets and associated travel costs anyway. So TV coverage and streaming is everything for them. And they are the future.
The largest clubs have no choice but to embrace a business model aimed principally at attracting digital viewers watching matches remotely. Those which do will thrive and remain relevant. The matchgoing fan is fast becoming an afterthought, representing relatively little in the way of income. Indeed, a club might be wise to sell match access at low ticket prices, attracting a younger, more passionate crowd who will enhance the atmosphere for the all-important remote digital audience.
It has seemed inevitable to me that a European Super League has been coming in one form or another. Of course, we fans want a merit-based pyramid and the chance for all clubs to dream, but we'll have no say in that. I just hope that the revised competition - be it administered by UEFA, FIFA, or whoever else, will offer a level playing field rather than preferential payments to clubs boasting "history" (which is so open to interpretation).
Whilst this new structure comes across as objectionable, is it so much worse than the regime currently presided over by UEFA? They have spent a decade trying to stitch up City, and their recent appointment of Tebag to a senior role confirms that there is no sign of reform coming from that quarter. Our choice lies between a competition administered by the Devil or one administered by Satan. Just look at the unsavoury characters named across both structures.
One change which does have to come is the way in which football viewing packages are sold. You can sign up with Sky and / or BT at great expense and get coverage of a handful of City matches - plus a load of peripheral dross which is of limited interest to many. There is a need for a format which allows subscribers to choose a club-based package: ie. live access to ALL MCFC matches for a season in a single payment. This would be more attractive to partisan fans than the present arrangements which don't appeal to a significant proportion of the potential audience. And the clubs will presumably want TV / streaming income to reflect the number of fans choosing their specific package ... which is really little different in principle than those with high-capacity stadia and large fanbases keeping more matchday income than smaller clubs can.
The reality is that the clubs are not equal, and their owners will want rewards commensurate with the reach of their business. We're stuck with that, and evolution is coming one way or another. Threats to ban players / clubs from certain competitions is short-term grandstanding. There is no product left if the best players cannot be viewed by fans, be that in the PL, breakaway league, or World Cup. Remember too that national associations have been getting a free-ride using and abusing elite players at the expense of clubs ... perhaps some rethinking of this arrangement is in order? City's owners cannot afford to be left behind in this evolution. The best we can hope for is that they can be persuaded to stand up for principles of fairness in income distribution and a meritocratic structure on the field of play. The status quo cannot continue, change is inevitable. Our best bet is to defend the core principles of fairness and competition.
So which European format appeals to you? The one run by Tebag and co, or the Glazers & John W Henry spectacular? Tough call.
