Would a more democratic Super League be acceptable to Arsenal fans?

A new version of the Super League is being proposed by Dan Smith

There are whispers circulating that plans for the Super League are not over.

That’s what Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus are hoping, with Mr Perez maintaining that the original founding members have a legal obligation to adhere to the original contract they signed.

Napoli’s Aurelio De Laurentiis has suggested a few tweaks will make the tournament acceptable. The Italian’s are not even one of the 12 participants of the scheme, so their president is trying to invite himself to the party.

His proposal is to get rid of the closed shop idea. Sides can be relegated, and anyone can qualify to take part, based on where they finish in their domestic table.

From a sporting principle, which makes sense, there should be a consequence if you win or lose.

‘The system doesn’t work any more,’ argues De Laurentiis. ‘The Champions and Europa League don’t generate sufficient income for the clubs to justify participating in it.

‘To be competitive, you need more top-class players. That means you have to spend more money — and the prize money from the European competitions doesn’t account for that.

‘That is why the clubs need to speak to each other to come up with a more modern and lucrative tournament for everyone in it.

Mr Laurentiis – a Belgian Film Producer – has been doing his research and believes his version of the competition could be worth approx. 8-10 billion toward the European Game.

He claims numbers show that interest in Football has stagnated between those aged 8-25 and that to protect the future of the sport UEFA’S current model is not sustainable.

His key points are that there is an over exposure towards Football. He wants less games but matches with a higher quality. This is why if he had his way domestic Leagues would be reduced. It’s ironic that the 72-year-old speaks about protecting the industry yet in the next sentence wants to destroy the pyramid system that exists.

It’s okay for his club who traditionally challenge to be in the top 4 of Serie A but what happens to the smaller clubs in the division?

Any owner who deep down wants to launch a new SL will have to compromise their stand on relegation/promotion.

For many, including the Kroenke Family, this was the main selling point in the first place. The idea that you would be handed 300 million for just participating, even if you finished last, suits their portfolio.

That’s not a criticism. They are Americans who logically have been brought up on the NBA, NHL, etc making money on the brand, not any incentive of where you finish.

Why Arsenal essentially would have died in a Super League is that there is zero ambition to try and win the thing and zero consequence if we lost every week. Therefore, there would be zero incentive to improve the squad.

If that affected attendances, you would be compensated by the 300 million participation payment and no doubt some (eventually all) ‘home’ fixtures would be abroad.

I truly believe our business model was based on this break away league happening. If you’re mid-table in the Prem, it’s just as well to be uncompetitive elsewhere and make more money.

Taking part in a set up where you can be relegated (meaning you would have to invest to keep your squad strong) might not be viewed as enough reason for Stan Kroenke to alienate his customers.

I think the majority of the English clubs feel the same way. Unlike the likes of Spain, TV contracts have ensured that the ‘big six’ could still spend big this transfer window, while the likes of Barcelona and Inter Milan have taken a financial hit.

In any business the priority is to make money, yet the English sides will only make a U-turn on the apology they made to their fans if it’s too good to turn down.

Looking at where the money is right now, the SL need the English clubs more than the other way round.

Why do you think Mr Laurentiis is now getting involved in an idea that wasn’t even his? Because due to Covid he’s worried about the financial future so would like a nice piece of a pie worth 300 million a year.

To safeguard their futures, I can see many chairmen jumping on the train if the SL is an open shop. You can understand that’s an answer to their money troubles.

For those in the English top flight, the juice might not be worth the squeeze…

Especially considering in April it reached the point where Prince William and the government were prepared to step in to ‘protect the national game.’

If it was Mr Laurentiis’ version, would you be more open to Arsenal joining the Super League?

 

Be Kind in The Comments

Dan

Tags Laurentiis

16 Comments

  1. Relegation/ participation system based on the clubs’ final positions in their domestic tables is a good idea and I bet UEFA wouldn’t mind as long as the participants are still competing in UEFA competitions

    However, I don’t agree with his other statement, about more money required to compete in UEFA competitions. If the clubs don’t have enough money to buy top-class players, they shouldn’t have done it to appease their fans

    FIFA and UEFA should’ve also limited the price tags of the players and the managerial turnovers, so oil clubs like Man City/ PSG can’t buy a 100+ M player and Chelsea can’t replace their manager each season. Chelsea’s sacking/ hiring practices are unfair to smaller clubs and I’m surprised nobody in UEFA has done something to stop this

    1. How can a team like Arsenal even think of joining a Super League when there are so many better sides in the Premier League? We are not in a fit state, as a club, to participate. In theory there may be a formula that could work, but obviously not with us. Better we try to finish better than somewhere than 10th this season. We are nowhere near a Super League team.

      1. On economic point of view, ESL is only interested to gather clubs with the biggest fan bases and not competence.

    2. I’m with you on putting limits for player transfer fees, but to not allow clubs to change manager’s every season? That’s just foolish to be honest

  2. I am against it in any way, shape or form. It’s not like there’s not enough money in football already and I don’t see why the best players should earn even more money.

    If anything they should restrict ticket prices, wages and everything else and prevent clubs being funded by nations/billionaires.

    I don’t buy any arguments about not being able to afford the best players if there’s less money in football across the board. Any professional would want to play anyways.

    1. The competition itself is not at fault. Honestly, if you think about it, isnt it gonna be exciting to watch europe’s big clubs competing in a league competition.

      Rather, I think the issue is on club ownership. In my opinion, a club should not be 100% owned by someone. They should have made rules to limit club ownership to say 50%, and the rest is owned by members.

  3. I’d much rather have the ESL than this Conference League to be honest….not that we should be in either based on current form.

  4. Lol to little money? or to greedy players? i mean barca had 103% wage costs compared to income after messi left 😉 Arsenals dealings now with riddiculus contracts so we cant get rid of em, have to actually give em away…

    Covid-19 make em to lower wages due to diminishing income, or lots of boats are going to sink, imo we dont need an other league, im fine with this corrupt system no illusions that this would be better, start with we need more cash hahaha…. just crazy money when ppl suffer imo….

  5. I dont have any objection to the ESL, either in the previous form or in this form. It presented a chance for fans (especially majority of the 18-25 age group fans outside Europe) to see Arsenal compete with the best clubs, amazing viewing experience in TV, great for a comparison game and all that good stuff. But I believe it would take a lot of time to materialize in any form right now.

  6. Even in this re – jigged format, the outcome would be the death of football from the grass roots upwards.
    Money a problem????
    Pull the other one – Aubameyang on a reported £300,000 a week / Saha being suggested to be offered near £400,000 a week for example.
    Some thought covid would stop this ludicrous throwing about of money, but it hasn’t.
    We don’t need a super league, it’s the greedy owners, associations and players / managers /agents who want to change the system for their benefit.

    We’ve had our reputation tarnished already by kronkie wanting to take us out of the English game – let’s not full further into the mire, by backing this sordid excuse for money grabbing parasites, intent on ruining the game.

  7. I mean a Super League with promotion/relegations fed by domestic leagues is the natural progression of European football.

    It’s actually much fairer on the big domestic teams from weak countries than the current system like Porto, Ajax, Salzburg who basically have no chance of competing for the CL every year.

    There’s plenty of things that need to be fixed in football, but the existence of a Super League doesn’t really change much unless it’s an awful, closed shop version like the one rejected.

  8. IT WOULD MEAN THE CERTAIN DEATH OF THE FOOTBALL WE HAVE KNOWN ALL OUR LIVES.

    I will fight this obscenity, IF it arises as a serious prospect, which I much doubt anyway, with every breath in my body.

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