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Champions League revamp

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Jamiednm said:
English football without the 'Big6'?

In all honesty, it would only be Man Utd and the RS that would be notable by their absence. Chelsea, City and Spurs are historically pretty insignificant.

If that meant an actual sporting competition (which it essentially is), then English football would quickly recover. It would be diminished, but it would be a viable and probably an extremely vibrant and possibly more exciting prospect without the grip of a top few elite.

English football with a 'Big6' with a permanent, locked-in competitive and financial advantage? That's not sport. It's fake 'sports entertainment' that is ultimately untenable and would lead to huge structural problems across the game.
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Spurs have always been there or thereabouts in terms of top flight football in my lifetime (I’m 40) but City and Chelsea were largely irrelevant for half that time.
 
TheBigIguana said:
I think you guys are overestimating how big of a draw soccer is over here. Yes, it is growing and getting bigger but it is also nowhere close to any of our big sports. If they're making a powerplay for US money they're going to strikeout because it just isn't as large as what they're getting already domestically.
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You forget this isn't just about US money. World soccer is a goldmine and they want a big piece of it.

USABlue said:
The US teams don't have the global following for something like this. Also MLS has a salary cap and a pretty closed off system themselves.
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In the process they will of course be looking to raise the status of the game in the US which is why I believe they will throw seriou money at upgrading some of your teams and also arrange for lots of games to be played over there.

I hope you are right about the US money as I really want this to fail. In fact I want it to be a none starter ideally.
 
Like most, have ruminated on this all day.

I now hope they do it. Break away that is. Could not care less what money they make, it will be a stand alone, invite only, charade of an existence for them. Chuck them out of their leagues, no return, and the longer term improvements in the CL and EL competitions without the whales would be ace.

Call their bluff.
 

roydo said:
Like most, have ruminated on this all day.

I now hope they do it. Break away that is. Could not care less what money they make, it will be a stand alone, invite only, charade of an existence for them. Chuck them out of their leagues, no return, and the longer term improvements in the CL and EL competitions without the whales would be ace.

Call their bluff.
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It's the only way at this point.

I was praying they'd be stupid enough to release a statement and commit to it. They were.

We have a chance to reset football from the joke it is and get a measure of control over the game back.
 
I don't think I've seen this point specifically raised:

If the games are going to be played on Wednesday evenings, how does that in any way make it more appealing to the Asian market (which they are obviously targeting), considering it will be the early hours of the morning across Asia? Live sport (and the related betting exchanges) is where the money is, not replays to suit a local time zone.

Surely the only answer is 'Wednesday evening' doesn't have to mean London or Central European Time. These games can be played anywhere in the world - and they probably will be from season 1, catering to the most lucrative plastic new markets at the expense of 'legacy' fanbases. Ideal for Man Utd's first team to be playing against Barcelona in Shanghai on Wednesday morning UK time, then Man Utd U23 playing in the Premier League on Saturday lunch time.

That's the real plan, and it's why no fanbase should support it.
 
Barnfred 55 said:
You forget this isn't just about US money. World soccer is a goldmine and they want a big piece of it.




In the process they will of course be looking to raise the status of the game in the US which is why I believe they will throw seriou money at upgrading some of your teams and also arrange for lots of games to be played over there.

I hope you are right about the US money as I really want this to fail. In fact I want it to be a none starter ideally.
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These owners have no interest in raising the status of anything but themselves. Stan Kroenke, the glazers and Henry could care less about MLS
 

Pretty much gave up on regularly attending league games a long time ago. That spell where the league was dominated by the so called 'big 4' did it for me. It's been skewed in favour of that lot for years. Still go the odd league game but rather go all the cup games/Uefa Cup games until we're inevitably knocked out instead. Can't say I've been to that many games recently! Rather go to games that might mean something than also-ran games in the league.
 
Jamiednm said:
I don't think I've seen this point specifically raised:

If the games are going to be played on Wednesday evenings, how does that in any way make it more appealing to the Asian market (which they are obviously targeting), considering it will be the early hours of the morning across Asia?

Surely the only answer is 'Wednesday evening' doesn't have to mean London or Central European Time. These games can be played anywhere in the world - and they probably will be from season 1, catering to the most lucrative plastic new markets at the expense of 'legacy' fanbases. Ideal for Man Utd's first team to be playing against Barcelona in Shanghai on Wednesday morning UK time, then Man Utd U23 playing in the Premier League on Saturday lunch time.

That's the real plan, and it's why no fanbase should support it.
Click to expand...

That's absolutely what would happen. If they had their way, all these clubs in the next 10 to 15 years would become regional franchises - Liverpool in Beijing or whatever, two 'home' stadiums perhaps.
 

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