The end of football as we know it or the re-birth?

[Brend'Watkins]

The football played by the super rich clubs of the Champions League is better but does it have the excitement of the Premier league? 

Assuming that the PL is the most watched football league around the world wouldn't PL clubs (the big 4 or 5) be wary of jumping ship for something that might not bring them anything above what they are already getting? 

They have two TV revenue streams already so why would they want to give up one?

[cdward]

 Football will go wherever the money is, if that means English teams make more money from TV games in a Euro super league, where a global TV audience is willing to pay, compared to playing in front of a local crowd against local teams, then that is where it will go.
If millions of armchair fans in Asia generate more revenue than 40, 000 inside VP, i am pretty sure i know where the chairman (rightly or wrongly) would go.
Interesting that our new sponsors have the name written in English and what i guess is Chinese/Malay, it is fairly obvious where football is going.
TV is where the money is at, look at how the PL has flexed it's financial muscle over the years to move kick off times and days which suit the TV audience but not the fans at the games, and now the CL has moved the FA Cup final around to suit itself.
AVFC will just jump to the tune of the money the same as everyone else, sad but true.

[enigma]

If it happens I'd be finished with football. I'd feel the same even if Villa were invited in.

A Super League without promotion / relegation with us below that competing against Man Utd and Chelsea's reserves isn't a game I'm interested in.

[midnite]

Isn't this more to do with these clubs complaining at the proposed extra international games by FIFA and UEFA? And they're actnually complaining about that rather than an actual break away league?

Away games are going to to mighty expensive!!!

[Meanwood Villa]

Won't happen. Domestic leauges are still big enough cash cows to keep their interest. The top clubs moan about international football but they won't be able to get rid of it because, if nothing else, the majority of players take pride in playing international football. I know this will probably lead to a lot of disparaging comments about the commitment of certain England internationals but ask any player if they'd like a World Cup win in their collection & I think I know the answer.

PS if it does happen good riddance to them

[Tony Boucher]

Wouldn't this just mean the UEFA Champion's League becomes The Champion's League or the Pepsi Champion's League or whatever?  Other than that, I don't see what would change.

This European Super League nonsense has been talked about for years, but we're no closer to getting it & there doesn't appear to be any desire from the clubs to break away from the domestic leagues. 

[RonBurgundy]

I think the breakaway league would be midweek as the Champions League is now, leaving the weekends for the Premier League. I can foresee a time when there will be two leagues - a domestic at the weekend and a midweek European one, probably with two tiers (we'd be in the second tier) with a playoff to get promoted.

[LeeS]

I think the breakaway league would be midweek as the Champions League is now, leaving the weekends for the Premier League. I can foresee a time when there will be two leagues - a domestic at the weekend and a midweek European one, probably with two tiers (we'd be in the second tier) with a playoff to get promoted.

Unless I've missed the point that cant happen. Breakign away form FIFA and UEFA means breaking away from the FA too. Clubs who arent part of this (hopefully we wouldnt be) would be banned from playing games against them.

[CJ]

If it happens, good riddance to them. Those left behind would have a far more competitive league on a more level playing field.

In the unlikely event that Villa were part of it, it would be bye bye Villa hello Kidderminster Harriers for me. My eldest son already prefers lower/non-league football to the PL although he still comes down the Villa with me when he's home, and to be honest I'm starting to lean that way too.  Non-league day may yet have a significant impact on me!

Just a thought - If the proposed super-duper league broke away from FIFA and UEFA, would it impact on any players' eligibility for internationals, given that it's already being mooted that the players wouldn't take part in friendlies?

[Big Dick Edwards]

There's been talk of a breakaway super league for 15 years. I just wish they'd fuck off and do it. Fans would soon get bored of watching a league with no promotion or relegation. Once the fans interest drops, tv will soon follow. What will these Billy Big Bollocks teams do then, with no tv revenue and falling attendances?

[CJ]

There's been talk of a breakaway super league for 15 years. I just wish they'd fuck off and do it. Fans would soon get bored of watching a league with no promotion or relegation. Once the fans interest drops, tv will soon follow. What will these Billy Big Bollocks teams do then, with no tv revenue and falling attendances?

We'd welcome them back with open arms - once they'd played their way back through their local Blue Square/Conference/League 2/League 1/Championship same as any other new team 

[Steve R]

It's the right idea to question the true value EUFA and FIFA - and agents, but the motivation (more money please) and end result (a closed shop) are not going to do anything for the game as a whole. Yet another organisation where money takes precedence over true competition. I'm not sure I want to be part of a reality show whose true function is to provide titilation for audiences in the far east at a price.

Forget about issues over whether there should be promotion and relegation. Over time promotion to a European super league will be as pyrrhic as climbing from the Championship to the Premier League currently is. If we are not in at the ground floor, forget it. And on the whole I would be happy to do so.

I am surprised that Clubs have not challenged EUFA/FIFA before, or tried to do something about collectively addressing where all the money goes. "When you have every club losing money every year and the only winners the players and Fifa..." - no shit, Sherlock.

I did wonder whether Blatter had gone too far for his and FIFA's own good.

There's more to democracy than putting an X on a ballot paper. The current constitution of FIFA has left us with a situation where the tail is wagging the dog. In all the recent shenanigans over World Cup venues the names that cropped up as the true powerbrokers were inevitably from an FA that otherwise was pretty insignificant. The countries that would ultimately provide the teams for the knockout stages, not to mention delivering the bulk of the TV revenues, virtually had no say at all and got little else for their trouble than a kick in the nadgers.

It's a bit like having a House of Commons where the Isle of Sky and London both have a single representative.

There are a lot of rotten boroughs in football. A number that could well increase by one.

Football could well die as a result. As long as it remained a community resource - however widely you define community - it had a strength of its own. As soon as it decided it was a product and put itself in competition with X-Boxes, social networking technology and so on, and merely competed for people's time and money it was always likely to struggle in the long term.

[oldtimernow]

I think as a founding member of league football it is important if not beholden upon us to take a leading role in this sort of decision making.

I would be quite happy for the Sky$4 to clear off and play in what would possibly become a sort of display competition whilst we could then be left involved in something  more competitive, interesting and enjoyable.

[ian c.]

I thI would be quite happy for the Sky$4 to clear off and play in what would possibly become a sort of display competition whilst we could then be left involved in something  more competitive, interesting and enjoyable.

Sounds good in theory, but how many of the "second tier" clubs that were left behind would go to the wall when the TV money followed the "big boys" to the European League?

[Billy Walker]

I think as a founding member of league football it is important if not beholden upon us to take a leading role in this sort of decision making.

I would be quite happy for the Sky$4 to clear off and play in what would possibly become a sort of display competition whilst we could then be left involved in something  more competitive, interesting and enjoyable.

I think, as the creators of league football, we should make our voice heard.  If this move has genuine integrity then Aston Villa need to be  consulted.