46 replies to this topic

[BSLChrisStoner]

The teams will leave if there is more $ to be had in this Super League format vs. the Champions League. 
The top players will continue to join these teams, if these teams have the most money to spend... even if it costs them National team spots. 

(My guess is ultimately the Nations will make clear to FIFA etc they want their top players to be eligible, even if they are on club teams in the Super League.) 

 

There all businesses.  The players are all professionals.  Of course it's about $. 

 

And the existing Champions League and the EPL, La Liga, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, Serie A etc...  they are just trying to protect what exists for their own ($) benefit. 
 

[BSLSteveBirrer]

The teams will leave if there is more $ to be had in this Super League format vs. the Champions League. 
The top players will continue to join these teams, if these teams have the most money to spend... even if it costs them National team spots. 

(My guess is ultimately the Nations will make clear to FIFA etc they want their top players to be eligible, even if they are on club teams in the Super League.) 

 

There all businesses.  The players are all professionals.  Of course it's about $. 

 

And the existing Champions League and the EPL, La Liga, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, Serie A etc...  they are just trying to protect what exists for their own ($) benefit. 
 

Chris, you are generally correct in your assessment that its all about the money. However, I think you are mistaken a bit about players just kissing off playing for the national team. We don't have the long time culture around soccer that the rest of the world has. Playing for your country's national team is a BIG deal to many of them. And even getting some of that in this country.

 

Pulisic publicly announced he wanted to represent the US at the Olympics. I would suspect that he might well leave Chelsea if they were to be in the Super League and therefore prevented from playing in the WC. Now I never had the opportunity to play at that level. But I can tell you without a doubt that no amount of money would have kept me off the national team had I ever had that chance. No amount of money.

[BSLChrisStoner]

No, I respect that Steve.... my take is that the players will ultimately join the teams that pay them the most. If it's these Super League teams (obviously it would be), I don't think FIFA will ultimately shoot themselves in the foot and bar those players from the National teams.

[Pedro Cerrano]

I sorta like this idea. I find the domestic leagues sort of absurd cuz the top tier teams almost always win.

But, you know, not a soccer fan. At all.

[ivanbalt]

Terrible idea.

[BSLChrisStoner]

The Ringer: The European Super League Is the Result of a Superiority Complex Run Amok

[ivanbalt]

Dominoes are starting to fall.  Chelsea and City reportedly backing out.

[BSLRoseKatz]

Ed Woodward resigns as chairman of Man U

 

https://twitter.com/...580215016460288

[Russ]

It’s falling apart.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Atletico Madrid wants out now too.

 

I'm sure based on past attempts to do something like this the parties involved expected some backlash, but I wonder if they expected it to be anywhere near as much as it has received.

[ivanbalt]

Atletico Madrid wants out now too.

 

I'm sure based on past attempts to do something like this the parties involved expected some backlash, but I wonder if they expected it to be anywhere near as much as it has received.

Only thing I can think of is that it was some type of negotiation tactic for Champions League.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Only thing I can think of is that it was some type of negotiation tactic for Champions League.

Since they went so far as to line up billions in financing from JP Morgan Chase, I don’t think it was a bluff. I think their big miscalculation, besides underestimating the pressure from outside the soccer world, was in thinking that with 12 on board they had strength in numbers so they’d have an easy time filling the rest of the field. I’m guessing they thought clubs like Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich would be sure to want in, and were very surprised they stuck with the ECA.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Outsider here. Maybe I'm crazy, but I think the best clubs in the world should regularly be playing each other for the good of the sport.

In MLB, you're watching the 30 best teams in the world. In the NFL, the best 32. In soccer, you have to watch several leagues to watch the best several teams. Which is fine. I love the tradition. Wouldn't change it.

But I like this concept, even though I think it will probably need a lot of work if it's ever going to actually come to fruition.

[ivanbalt]

Since they went so far as to line up billions in financing from JP Morgan Chase, I don’t think it was a bluff. I think their big miscalculation, besides underestimating the pressure from outside the soccer world, was in thinking that with 12 on board they had strength in numbers so they’d have an easy time filling the rest of the field. I’m guessing they thought clubs like Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich would be sure to want in, and were very surprised they stuck with the ECA.

Good point on the financing.  The whole thing is mind boggling.

 

The American owners are probably wondering how they can leverage this into taxpayer subsidies for their stadiums.

[Russ]

Outsider here. Maybe I'm crazy, but I think the best clubs in the world should regularly be playing each other for the good of the sport.

In MLB, you're watching the 30 best teams in the world. In the NFL, the best 32. In soccer, you have to watch several leagues to watch the best several teams. Which is fine. I love the tradition. Wouldn't change it.

But I like this concept, even though I think it will probably need a lot of work if it's ever going to actually come to fruition.

That’s what the Champions League is for.

[Nigel Tufnel]

This is falling apart faster than the Baltimore Sun sale.

[BSLMikeLowe]

This is falling apart faster than the Baltimore Sun sale.

 

Except in this case it's something worth celebrating.

 

 

 

(Not that I really follow European soccer, but I know enough to realize not one single person outside of the 12 club owners thought this was a good idea)

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Except in this case it's something worth celebrating.

 

 

 

(Not that I really follow European soccer, but I know enough to realize not one single person outside of the 12 club owners thought this was a good idea)

Well at least one person did.....whomever bought into this from JPMorgan Chase .....lol

[BSLSteveBirrer]

[BSLMikeLowe]

Slate: The Thrilling Collapse of the European Super League

 

But the Super League seems to have underestimated how central soccer’s league and tournament designs are to its appeal. There’s almost always something to play for in the big leagues. If it’s not a title, then it’s a place in one of the European competitions. If those are out of reach, then teams are trying to avoid getting relegated to the league below. This setup of tiered rewards and escapes is arguably what’s sustained the game as it’s grown more hegemonic, with only a handful of teams in each league challenging for the title each year.

 

That paragraph is no doubt very painful for many fans of US-based sports to read. As an Orioles fan, I'm one of them.