European super league

[KFleming]

I’ll start by saying I am not a football fan so there could easily be a really good reason I’ve missed.

Anyway, I think I understand the issue with the ESL, but admittedly haven’t followed it that closely. What I don’t understand is why the government is getting involved? Why do they give a shit? And enough of a shit to actually consider doing something about it rather than just generally agreeing with the outrage. Why say they’ll do everything they can to stop it rather than a vague “oh yes we don’t think that’s very sporting, we agree it’s outrageous, we hope they reconsider”.
I mean, they don’t run football, do they. Is it just a “stop talking about Tory corruption and lobbying and look at what we’re doing with the football!!!” type of distraction?

Government could just refuse work permits for all players and staff of super League teams and refuse entry to foreign teams coming to play in England

That would be hilarious

@Nocaloriesinchocolate

Another one who isn't a football fan. But I am puzzled. I thought the super league clubs were absolutely rolling in cash yet I read on the BBC news today that the President of Real Madrid says "we are all ruined". Are they really on the verge of bankruptcy? Liverpool, Manchester United et cetera?

I'm going back a few years, but I seem to remember reading that Real are pretty much financed by the Spanish government (or similar) so, they could well be on the verge of bankruptcy. Arsenal, Liverpool, and Spurs I'm not so sure about. United, when the Glazers bought them, are technically massively in debt because United were the security for the loans they took out to buy them rather than using their own money. City are financially OK, being funded by oil money from Abu Dhabi, until the owners get bored and move onto something else. Chelsea are financially OK, so long as Abramovich doesn't get bored with being the owner of a football club. The other Spanish teams I'm not sure about their finances and the same goes for the Italian teams, but all could be in financial trouble. Interesting that Bayern Munich, who are pretty financially OK, in comparison to the mess that is the 12 teams making up the ESL, aren't part of it. That or they were and refused, which is how Spurs ended up being one of the teams in it.

Easy PR win for the Government, isn't it? Football is huge and being seen to keep club football alive will bring in a few votes for sure.

Bayern are under the 50 1 rule, meaning that the fans have a controlling stake. The club members don't support the Super League, which means Bayern won't join.

I also don't have the first clue about football and have zero interest in it, so possibly being a bit naïve, but from a layman's perspective, I'm amazed that anyone ever thought football was about anything other than money?

It's always been about money hasn't it? The extortionate prices of tickets and replica kit, the enormous salaries players are paid and clubs get from TV rights. Why anyone is surprised that football clubs want to make more money is beyond me.

Football is about winning games of football.

They want to change it.

If teams get guaranteed money it doesn't matter if they win or lose to the owners. That's the change

Before I start, I am not a football fan.

My take on this is "why are people so surprised?" For years football as a whole has been more than happy to accept the money coming into the sport from wealthy owners who buy up clubs they have no real interest in. So why is it such a surprise that said owners would look for new ways to maximise their investment?

It is not really that dissimilar to these big hedge funds that swoop in and buy up retail brands, asset strip them and then cast them aside. They don't care about the customers, other than that they keep on buying their products, and they certainly have no sentimentality around the prestige/heritage of a brand.

Anyone who thinks that a random billionaire from another country has any interest in the "purity" of the sport of football, or a love of the heritage of a particular club, or any other such noble intentions is kidding themselves. They're in it for how much money they can make, nothing more and nothing less.

The owners of arsenal Liverpool and man utd are there purely for money. It's no surprise that they have become far worse clubs since their takeover. I think Chelsea owner wanted a passport. Man city owner trying to whitewash his money.

None of them English or had any connection to the club's previously

I'm not a football fan either. But it looks like its all been cancelled already. That was quick. Is there more to it than meets the eye.

So all of the English clubs have pulled out now!

I agree with the 'why are they surprised' comment above. These clubs accept £££ from TV companies, advertising and sponsorship. They pay their players £££. I have no problem with that (though I'm not a football fan) - if people are prepared to pay for it, it's their choice.

But don't suddenly come over all virtuous at the idea of someone looking to make more money out of it! It's all about money. If people simply wanted to watch a game of football they could go and watch local grassroots games instead.

People are upset because while money is integral to the game, the proposed super League destroys the fundamentals of football and sport overall- you are rewarded for being good at it. Why were Tottenham and arsenal being rewarded despite being absolute turd for many years yet Leicester city not included despite them winning the premier League recently and them likely to qualify for Europe this year but arsenal and Tottenham not