26 Aug 2014 18:59:12
Evening Ed. You've mentioned Wednesdays get together of clubs to discuss the potential European breakaway league. Can I ask which teams are at this moment considering breaking away? Also, do u expect it to ever happen, and what affects do u believe it would have on the remaining domestic leagues around the world.

I haven't put a lot of thought into it as I didn't believe it would ever happen, but I can't see it been good for the match day fans!

I understand your very busy this week, but would live to know your thoughts on this!

Regards

{Ed002's Note - There is a whole bunch of clubs that have been involved in the discussions over recent years. I have no doubts that it will one day happen. As for the impact, I wrote this a while back and it pretty much covers my views on the matter:

Putting aside the whole argument of what people can, can't, should, may be able to afford etc. (which does nothing but reinforce my point that we should avoid discussion of money), the game has changed significantly and will continue to do so. Football at the highest level is big business and attracts the sponsorship it does because the sponsors wish to tap in to the disposable income of the fans and ride the back of the advertising that flows naturally from the success some clubs achieve. Long gone are the days of the cloth-capped, hobnailed-booted, chimney sweep making his way, rattle in hand, to cheer on his team at Old Trafford on a Saturday afternoon. I have explained before that there will be changes, probably within the next 10 to 15 years, which will force the restructuring of all of the leagues in Europe and likely do away with the likes of UEFA. You will have the opportunity to see the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Juventus and the other major European sides play in week-on-week regular competition at The Emirates, Stamford Bridge etc.. You will have the opportunity to visit Milan, Barcelona, Monaco, etc. every couple of weeks to watch your team play - if they make the cut. If you want to don your cloth cap, have a pint of wallop with your chums before going off to the local match, perhaps one of the sides from the suburbs will have survived so you can go and watch them?}

Without going in to too much detail: (a) A number of clubs take the opportunity a once or twice a year to discuss various issues including changes in rules, television rights, the power of UEFA, exploitation issues for new technology streams, etc.. These discussions, the last of which were in late March in Monte Carlo the next take place this Wednesday in Monte Carlo, also always turn to the possibility and structure of a breakaway pan European league. Several are ex-G14 clubs, several are not, and some clubs decline involvement in such discussions. (b) The plan is that at some point a number of clubs would break away from their national leagues and UEFA. They accept that they would be banned from all existing club competition and the players would initially be banned from all FIFA competitions as well, but know that FIFA would be looking to negotiate in any case. It would be the end of UEFA in all probability and UEFA are very aware of this. It would also result in a restructuring of many of the national leagues. (c) The clubs would renegotiate their television rights, rights of distribution via other streams etc.. (d) It remains the greatest fear of UEFA and all major national authorities that one day this will happen.

There is every likelihood that the big money from television, sponsorship etc. would go with a breakaway league. It would completely rupture the operations of UEFA and I would expect it would require national associations like the FA to restructure their leagues. Nobody wants this but it is the eventual consequence I would expect. If I had to speculate, I would think (1) you might eventually see something like five or six EPL teams leave for two-tier pan European league - perhaps after a short period with three or four departing for a single division; (2) the Premier League would be disbanded as an organisation; (3) the FA would restructure in to two 20 team divisions with lower leagues regionalised as they were many years ago; (4) FIFA would ban all players from the breakaway teams from International football - perhaps rescinding that position to stop FIFA breaking up as well. I could also see many teams lose their professional status. I would think we are probably 10 years away from any significant move at this time.

I hold a reasonably strong view in terms of the need to restructure football in Europe in any case. For me an eventual a breakaway pan-European league would force the restructuring of many of the national leagues, possibly resulting in a British league with perhaps only a couple of professional tiers and then regionalised amateur leagues below that. Financially I do not see that so many pro sides can be sustained within the sport which, like it or not, will see more and more money going in to the highest levels of the game. Governments will ensure that grassroots sport get funding but everything in the middle (Southern, Northern, Conference, Division 2, Scottish Divisions 1-3, League of Wales will not get the funding needed to continue on any sort of professional basis.}


1.) 27 Aug 2014
Thanks Ed! Nice change to read some none transfer or doom and gloom about current form stuff!


2.) 27 Aug 2014
Even though I think a lot of what is written on here from both sides is conjecture and guesswork, I have to say that your piece on the future of Football is IMO succinct, accurate and well written. I've been telling people for years that the lower leagues need to lose the professional status as 'financial football' at that level is unsustainable although I didn't put it quite as well as you've done.


3.) 27 Aug 2014
27 Aug 2014 13:25:21
Great info Ed002, can I ask will United be represented at these gatherings?

Thanks

{Ed002's Note - Just today.}