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Original poster

Why is the new football ESL so controversial?

320 replies

00100001 · 19/04/2021 07:54

Can some explain like I'm 5?

Why are all the fans, the government, UEFA etc up in arms?

Sorry.... Just not sure what the problem is?

OP posts:
FedUpWithBriiiiick · 20/04/2021 23:08

The oddest 48 hours in football ever!!

ElizabethTudor · 20/04/2021 23:13

Just how did they think this would be acceptable, and well received in the first place? What on earth were they thinking. Bloody bonkers.

Miljea · 20/04/2021 23:13

@ResIpsaLoquiturInterAlia

Not wishing to distract from the main discussion points but do those of us with sporting competition backgrounds (previous to parenthood) and importantly team fans believe that many team sports particularly professional top flight European men's football and say North American men's basketball, American football and ice hockey etc are now (or have been for decades but less previously discussed) all about big business, revenue generation, alleged uncomfortable quasi legal financial tax arrangements and asset transfers/convertibility, controlled by international business tycoons. That this is facilitated and goes hand in hand with relevant sports authorities that all take an active advantage of the fan base and continued devotion despite top sporting stars pocketing the equivalent of a typical true fan's annual take home pay in hours if not days etc etc? We hear much about the cheating with banned performance enhancing drugs but what about the concept of fair sporting nature amongst this and historic match fixing etc (alleged proven or otherwise). It does seem as though the long term fan is increasingly of lesser value to these sporting empires than the good old days when they were appreciated more than tourists and gamblers etc. Players themselves perpetuate the big money and fame concept themselves as again its business on the field and sporting the shirt that pays the most than any long term commitment to develop the team and nurture sustainable club sporting culture from within. Sports agents are also not to be underestimated as to their influence despite their arguably parasitic nature. Bit of a rant but I used to enjoy football until they started to pay telephone number wage bills for essentially kicking a piece of pig skin for a few minutes work. Some modest and most devoted fans save up just to purchase season tickets and travel expenses to follow and support their tribe! It's a bit upside down to me especially as most sports (many others with more sporting talent baseline requirements!) don't get the prestige nor monetary investment nor rewards. Plus it's a bit dare I suggest (well it's MumsNet after all!) not much about sex equality? Just some thoughts....for the jet set billionaires to ponder on their latest club acquisitions and changing the goal posts to best suit their interests!

Thank you for this.

And to everyone else who has helped me understand why this is such a big deal.

I am a football know-nothing. But I can see how UEFA and FIFA have essentially corrupted the game over many years, with nothing like the opposition you might expect; so can see why THIS is a bit if a natural extension to it all.

I can also see why Top Players might be keeping schtumm, maybe acknowledging the commodification of their talent, and happily going along with the dirt of salaries that buy a weekly Ferrari.

'Amused' at BoJo's sudden interest; I saw the likening of political interest in 'upper-class opera' as a comparison to 'working class footy' ('about time!' etc) but no. It's about retaining Red Wall Tories.

There is something very rotten in the state if football.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Football
AgeLikeWine · 20/04/2021 23:36

The six English clubs are now issuing statements confirming that they have withdrawn from the Super League, which has now effectively collapsed.

Man Utd and Liverpool’s statements are strikingly graceless and derisory. Only Arsenal have shown the humility to admit they made a mistake and apologise to their supporters.

Helen1990 · 20/04/2021 23:51

@bitheby twitter

ElizabethTudor · 21/04/2021 00:04

This is the Liverpool statement, in full.

“Liverpool Football Club can confirm that our involvement in proposed plans to form a European Super League has been discontinued.

In recent days, the club has received representations from various key stakeholders, both internally and externally, and we would like to thank them for their valuable contributions.”

I agree with what @AgeLikeWine said above.
It’s shockingly brief, with no apology for getting involved or for the hurt this has caused to their supporters.

adawong · 21/04/2021 00:16

Liverpool , United and Arsenal were the driving forces behind the ESL.
John W. Henry , Joel Glazer and Stan Kroenke were all vice chairmen along with Andrea Agnelli.

sadeyedladyofthelowlandsea · 21/04/2021 00:28

Jesus christ @ElizabethTudor that is almost even more insulting! So they didn't think to consult 'stakeholders' before they ripped up an unwritten contract with the fans? Let alone the contempt they've shown to their staff, players, and every single other football club. Urgh. Liverpool as a club is close to my heart because I always felt they understood they were a club, not a team. If anything good comes out of this, I hope it's that the PL teams built on debt come to realise that whilst they see football as a business, it's a business run on goodwill.

The other good thing to come out of this was the sign held up by Chelsea fans' WE WANT OUR COLD NIGHTS AT STOKE' Grin

worried3012 · 21/04/2021 00:28

As a Liverpool fan I've been disgusted by this news and the statement has pissed me off even more. So rubbish. I'm glad they withdrew but i have a sneaking suspicion that they only withdrew since everyone else was. Proud of the Liverpool players all tweeting against the Super League tonight though.

ElizabethTudor · 21/04/2021 00:33

@sadeyedladyofthelowlandsea
The other good thing to come out of this was the sign held up by Chelsea fans' WE WANT OUR COLD NIGHTS AT STOKE' grin

Ha ha - fantastic. I didn’t see that. Bloody well said those Chelsea fans. And that is exactly what these US billionaires, and Russian Oligarchs etc... just don’t understand, and never will.

Comefromaway · 21/04/2021 00:45

As someone from Stoke with a season ticket holder father I can confirm it’s cold!

Ifailed · 21/04/2021 06:04

The other good thing to come out of this was the sign held up by Chelsea fans' WE WANT OUR COLD NIGHTS AT STOKE

Any Chelsea fan come up here on a cold night and we will kick your fucking head in.

Stokie Steve.

Original poster
00100001 · 21/04/2021 06:35

@HunterHearstHelmsley

The pretend lack of understanding is tiresome. If you genuinely can't understand why people may be upset then you're lacking emotional illegentice as well as actual intelligence.

Not liking sport doesn't make you superior. It makes you soulless.

Who is pretending?

I'm not sure who this is directed at?

OP posts:
sashh · 21/04/2021 07:17

Thank you for the explanations.

The pretend lack of understanding is tiresome. If you genuinely can't understand why people may be upset then you're lacking emotional illegentice as well as actual intelligence.

Not understanding something new you have no background knowledge of means you do not have the knowledge, nothing to do with intelligence.

I can look at an ECG and tell you which part of a heart is malfunctioning, that's nothing to do with my intelligence but because I have knowledge and understanding.

Not liking sport doesn't make you superior. It makes you soulless.

There is more to sport than men's football.

GiveMeTulipsfromAmsterdam · 21/04/2021 07:22

@sweetclems

I can't help but think all this moaning and complaining is a pointless (and hypocritical) waste of time when we all know the first match (and all thereafter) in this new league will be sold out anyway. People always resist change and kick up a fuss like this but i can't believe you're all so shocked and moaning about the fact it's a money grabbing tactic when it was ALREADY shallow and all about money anyway. You can't now turn around and whinge about a problem that's been there all along and try and disguise it as 'about the integrity of the competition'
Spectacularly wrong.

The fan, players, managers etc all joined together and stopped this. United together can stop what is not wanted.

Result

GiveMeTulipsfromAmsterdam · 21/04/2021 07:24

@sashh

Thank you for the explanations.

The pretend lack of understanding is tiresome. If you genuinely can't understand why people may be upset then you're lacking emotional illegentice as well as actual intelligence.

Not understanding something new you have no background knowledge of means you do not have the knowledge, nothing to do with intelligence.

I can look at an ECG and tell you which part of a heart is malfunctioning, that's nothing to do with my intelligence but because I have knowledge and understanding.

Not liking sport doesn't make you superior. It makes you soulless.

There is more to sport than men's football.

This.

We all like different things. Looking down and sneering because of a lack of understanding..... Hmm

Brefugee · 21/04/2021 07:51

As tgr Guardian pointed out, last night's Chelsea/BHA result and match is a brilliant example of why the "big six" are wrong and the "cold night in Stoke" fans are right.

Glad it's over.

BTW is there a football board here? That might be fun

DuncinToffee · 21/04/2021 10:49

Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli says the European Super League project cannot proceed following the withdrawal of the six Premier League clubs.

Agnelli was one of the chief architects of the breakaway plans, which involved 12 clubs from England, Spain and Italy.

However, with teams withdrawing, he accepts it cannot now go ahead.

Spudlet · 21/04/2021 10:58

I don’t understand how the clubs didn’t foresee this backlash, tbh. Like I said as the beginning of the thread I’m not a follower of the game, but if I can see how the proposals were a bad thing surely it should have been obvious that fans would hate it? Did nobody do any sort of research?

bitheby · 21/04/2021 11:21

They've had a year without fans in the stadiums so it's easier to forget they exist. The main money comes from people around the globe paying to stream the games. The gate receipts are important but not that important. It shows that to these owners, the global brand is more important than the fans walking down the road to the ground.

When the glazers took over, Man United rebranded from Manchester United Football Club to Manchester United. Start of the slippery slope.

Original poster
00100001 · 21/04/2021 12:15

Because the people deciding probably just saw 🤑 and didn't for one moment consider what the fans would say....

OP posts:
EasterIssland · 21/04/2021 12:31

atletico sent to their supporters yesterday saying how much they were missing the fans and that they couldn't wait to have them back and that they'd renew their seasons for next year Angry

they've sent another email today saying how they're so sorrry about super league and that they won't be taking part of it thinking on the fans

DuncinToffee · 21/04/2021 12:42

Andy Burnham

We need to build a movement to #ReclaimOurGame.
@MetroMayorSteve & I have today set out how:
⚽️ 50+1 rule on fan control & ownership
⚽️ Independent, statutory financial regulator
⚽️Rethink of Champions League reforms
If you agree, please sign here 👇🏻

reclaimourgame.com/

BronwenFrideswide · 21/04/2021 13:25

I am surprised and delighted this ESL foundered, surprised because I thought, as always, money would talk and backhanders would seal the deal as per normal.

Finding it delicious that, for once, the extremely wealthy have been slapped in the face by the proverbial wet fish by those lesser mortals and it has worked.

The billionaire owners at the heart of this have made themselves a laughing stock.

However, there is a lot more to be done and as Andy Burnham has said football fans need to build on this not just sit back and think 'job done', because it will happen again. There needs to be wholesale restructure and reform.

I am sure the English will be blamed for the collapse of the ESL as the caving of the six English clubs caused the demise. The whole thing was ridiculous, claiming it to be a tournament of 'the best of the best' which excluded some of the very best teams in Europe never mind the rest of the disingenuous spin around it from the founders. It was all about money for the club owners, not even the clubs themselves, it was purely a way for already mega wealthy people to trouser even more money.