European Super League.

[Neilly]

3 minutes ago, San Starko Rover said:

Man U - Big club
Liverpool - Big club
Arsenal - they were a big club a few years back
Chelsea - they were a big club a few years back as someone threw money at an average team
Man City - weren’t they league one a few years back
Spurs - What the actual f**k

There’s bigger clubs than half this lot around the continent, Spurs are in but Ajax can GTF. When did Spurs win anything of note.

I think you have missed the whole point.

[accies1874]

Does PSG need two new left backs??

I'm sure some monied Lowland League club will be happy to take them on a one-month loan.

[Left Back]

14 minutes ago, Michael W said:

The much-coveted Chinese Market will be all over this. If Amazon can punt a good few million subs there on top of whatever they get in the countries the teams are actually from, they'll be jumping to get involved. 

The likes of Sky and other "traditional" broadcasters are about to learn a very harsh lesson, here. 

This arrangement is intended to be permanent as well. 

Amazon will be well aware how much potential cash is in sports broadcasting.  They’re already in it and I’d fully expect them to be the main broadcaster.  They have more money than any of the others to buy the rights but it’s you and I that will end up paying for it in the end.

[charger29]

https://apnews.com/article/europe-international-soccer-champions-league-gianni-infantino-barcelona-749ce4257b0f9a17b3fc34d60cccd00c

[RandomGuy.]

I don't bother with the Champions League much at all these days, bar the Final if it looks good, so this feels like it would be the same. Guess I'm not the target audience though.

If its reached this stage then its probably pretty close to being done. There's also no chance UEFA/Domestic leagues actually punt them out IMO.

I don't believe this will be some death knell for levels below, either, tbh. Money will be entirely from sponsors outwith Europe, and the viewers will be the same. 

It's a bit shit but until these clubs actually leave their domestic league, then it's nothing more than just another cup competition.

[San Starko Rover]

Some good points made here

https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/sport/19241835.reasons-european-super-league-great-football/?ref=fbshr&fbclid=IwAR1a2W655HlxCTb49fZBaUzMiuvMUcjWRaxQinJjR66zL-emYsht09w29U0

[rainbowrising]

Just now, RandomGuy. said:

I don't bother with the Champions League much at all these days, bar the Final if it looks good, so this feels like it would be the same. Guess I'm not the target audience though.

If its reached this stage then its probably pretty close to being done. There's also no chance UEFA/Domestic leagues actually punt them out IMO.

I don't believe this will be some death knell for levels below, either, tbh. Money will be entirely from sponsors outwith Europe, and the viewers will be the same. 

It's a bit shit but until these clubs actually leave their domestic league, then it's nothing more than just another cup competition.

Pretty much what I said on the Dees thread. If they are guaranteed big crowds, large viewing figures and a multi billion TV contract it will happen. Maybe not by August but clubs are now putting their names to this. Longer term I would see an NFL style franchise league that isnt involved with the usual national leagues.

As you say, I quit watching CL a few seasons back. It's basically a fake super league anyway. 

[San Starko Rover]

I think you have missed the whole point.

I think you missed the joke, it’s obviously being done with the most marketable teams.

[Sherrif John Bunnell]

Streaming services are flinging money at sport everywhere, so this new league won't have any shortage of suitors for broadcasting rights. NBC have just paid $1bn to show wrestling for the next five years on their streaming service.

I'm sure even Sky will warm to the Super League when they realise not many people are going to pay them to watch West Ham and Leicester battle it out at the top of the rEPL when Apple TV are showing Barcelona vs Liverpool at the same time.

[Bairnardo]

The whole thing is a easily predictable minter. Just a bit surprised at the acceleration of it.

It confirms a few things though. Chiefly that top level football is not only no longer for the fans that want to go to games, but also that the clubs arentired of pretending over it.

The Champions League reforms were bad enough.

Can only hope from a Scottish pov this drives interest bacl towards our leagues but probably a pipe dream

[Lambie's Pigeon Feed]

Football at the highest level has been a pantomime for years now, this is what it deserves.

[jamamafegan]

[George Parr]

This is obviously an abomination but UEFA, the PL, Sky and (to a lessar extent) FIFA's salty tears are genuinely delicious.

[RossBFaeDundee]

7 minutes ago, Pato said:

can't wait for that court case to land on FIFA's desk and them to just fling this back in their faces:

 

Any attempt at legal action over the very real threat is ludicrous, but I strongly believe the leagues, UEFA and FIFA will bottle it and won't kick them out because they couldn't bear to lose that revenue.

Edited April 19, 2021 by RossBFaeDundee

[Michael W]

27 minutes ago, Left Back said:

Amazon will be well aware how much potential cash is in sports broadcasting.  They’re already in it and I’d fully expect them to be the main broadcaster.  They have more money than any of the others to buy the rights but it’s you and I that will end up paying for it in the end.

Absolutely. And of it goes horrifically wrong and the anticipated demand doesn't materialise, Amazon are much better placed than the rest to take a bath on a couple of billion.

Key aspect is, as ever, what people are prepared to pay. I have a Prime subscription that will be thrown in the bin if they start chucking the price up for this. Maybe they'll create a new PPV service for it, probably priced at £25a month or something. 

A lot of football fans are mug punters so many will pay it despite the grumblings. 

[Caledonian1]

Would be fantastic for players to rebel against this....see a few pages back that Klopp rumoured to be tendering his resignation if Liverpool proceed.

Quite a number of players must surely value playing for their country and winning a world cup....that is still the ultimate in football.......far far greater than winning the champions League every few years.  Would love to see the likes of Ramos, Ronaldo and Messi telling their clubs to get stuffed.

 

Just a pity Gretna were not still around - this would be right up their street

[Bully Wee Villa]

2 minutes ago, Michael W said:

Absolutely. And of it goes horrifically wrong and the anticipated demand doesn't materialise, Amazon are much better placed than the rest to take a bath on a couple of billion.

Key aspect is, as ever, what people are prepared to pay. I have a Prime subscription that will be thrown in the bin if they start chucking the price up for this. Maybe they'll create a new PPV service for it, probably priced at £25a month or something. 

A lot of football fans are mug punters so many will pay it despite the grumblings. 

DAZN seem to be in the running for television rights, with clubs allowed to show four games each per year "on their own platforms".

[RossBFaeDundee]

"Can you imagine a world where the governing bodies actually kept the member clubs in check?"

Edited April 19, 2021 by RossBFaeDundee

[Michael W]

3 minutes ago, Bully Wee Villa said:

DAZN seem to be in the running for television rights, with clubs allowed to show four games each per year "on their own platforms".

May apathy to other sports must be showing here, but I've never heard of DAZN. Assume they show US sports or something? 

[Benjamin_Nevis]

I don't think the threat of Messi and Ronaldo being banned from a World Cup is really that big a deal. Ronaldo is at the arse end of his career and Messi's relationship with Barca isn't exactly brilliant. Hasn't he also "retired" from International football before? I doubt he would really give a f**k anyway.