I don’t understand why the majority of clubs would go near this. Am I missing something? There are teams with tiny tiny stadiums who won’t sell a single kit or merch outside of a 5 miles radius of their ground in the PL. Doesn’t just tell them they can’t possibly ever ever win the league (which should be open to all via perfect recruitment and excellent management), it surely almost definitely condemns them to be at the very best a yo yo club, unless their recruitment is 100% perfect every time, and their highest paid players never ever do an ACL.
If everything aligns perfectly they might get about 16th. And if they do unearth an amazing prospect, he will be out the door immediately to earn 10x the salary and maybe make the bench for Carabao Cup games for one of the handful of teams that have zero downward pressure on wages, free to stockpile anyone with talent that isn’t bothered about playing more than 10 games their whole career, such will be the gap between the wages on offer.
For the “smaller” or less globally commercialised clubs, the TV money is a massive part of their revenue. Any significant lowering of TV income (which is completely outside their control - and is totally determined by Sky and the PL picking which games to televise!!!) could send clubs into certain breach due to player contracts they can’t get out of.
So they have to shed players ASAP at rock bottom prices, ensuring their compliance but jeopardising their financial existence.
Could not be any further from a competitive sport if it tried