Top Clubs Consider Overseas League Games

For you guys in England, think about the time difference thing, you would have games ALL DAY!

That's shit... put them all back to 3pm on Saturday.... that's a perfect day.


And to be honest, the game is about making money, not tradition.

Is that what you think it should be or how you think it just is?

Cos either way it's a complete load of old bollocks and the exact reason why things have become so wank.
 
That's shit... put them all back to 3pm on Saturday.... that's a perfect day.




Is that what you think it should be or how you think it just is?

Cos either way it's a complete load of old bollocks and the exact reason why things have become so wank.

I think its about money now, not the way it should be at all, but like I said, thats life sometimes. Companies are there to take your money, not just in football, but in everything. kinda sad when you think about...:(
 
Well - it looks like it has received a firm 'no' from most continents so I doubt we need to worry too much.

I just hope that we (the supporters) don't get tarred with the same brush as the 16 or 17 twats that thought this was a good idea.
 
FIFA have rejected the plan too, so that should be that then.

Fucking spy it Scumdamore you money grabbing cunt!
 
While the plan itself was unpopular, I'm very surprised there has been very little support coming out of England for the general idea of expanding the Premier League fanbase and establishing the Premier League as the top club soccer competition in the world.

Right now the EPL has the best infrastructure (stadiums, owners, profits) of any footy league in the world. While the Spanish league (although extremely top heavy) is popular as well, and the German league is on the rise, only the EPL seems ready to become the defacto "most popular league in the world" in the realm of footy... much like the NBA for basketball, and the NHL for hockey.

It seems hard to believe that any footy league could be so dominant over the others, but the Premier League currently is the most "modern" league with the fanbase to carry it ahead of the others.

I would think the English would love to see all the world's greatest players flock to the EPL, but apparently I couldn't be more wrong.
 
Can we get together and organise a high level firebombing of the PRemier League Headquarters??

As long as it isn't libelous to Evo Web of course :lol:
 
Can we get together and organise a high level firebombing of the PRemier League Headquarters??

As long as it isn't libelous to Evo Web of course :lol:

I understand this is a joke, but the fact that it's an actual reflection on how the English are reacting to this plan is amazing to me. If the EPL headquarters in fact did burn down tonight, I'm guessing the English people would think it deserved.

The reaction to this plan could not be more volatile.
 
I would think the English would love to see all the world's greatest players flock to the EPL, but apparently I couldn't be more wrong.

They already do flock to our league!...so whats wrong with the current format? 38 games, each team plays each other home and away. If that format needs changing please tell me what you would change it to. The plan to play matches abroad is all about greed...they do not give a fuck about the loyal fans who watch week in week out.
 
I'm very surprised there has been very little support coming out of England for the general idea of expanding the Premier League fanbase and establishing the Premier League as the top club soccer competition in the world.

The Premier League is the most popular league in England. That's where it should stop. After that, it just becomes a pursuit of cash. What they have said to us (the supporters) is - you have no more cash to give us, so we're going to look for more.

I don't see why our league has to forced down the throats of other nations anyway - they have their own leagues.
 
They already do flock to our league!...so whats wrong with the current format? 38 games, each team plays each other home and away. If that format needs changing please tell me what you would change it to. The plan to play matches abroad is all about greed...they do not give a fuck about the loyal fans who watch week in week out.

You are certainly right that many of the best players in the world are in the PL... but if the league became the only "major" league, then obviously there would be more. I think it would be great, but obviously, there would be even more foreigners which would tee off some.

I think the 39th game is a bit daft because it completely alters the fundamental rules of competition. I would rather see something done similar to how the NFL came to England. Get a few teams to agree to sacrifice a home game, and then play one or two games in a foreign land. Given the number of fixtures in the modern game for clubs that compete in a EURO competition, sacrificing one league home game in order to raise the worldwide exposure of the league could pay great dividends for all clubs.

Seems to me, the TV revenue goes up for all PL clubs and the league gets more competitive as more teams can afford better players. As much as I like to see Liverpool near the top every season (even when in a 20 year "slump") just by taking the field with superior players, it does get a bit tiring to see the same handful of teams challenging for the championship with the majority of the teams having no chance.

More exposure, more money, more competition. Sounds great to me.
 
The Premier League is the most popular league in England. That's where it should stop. After that, it just becomes a pursuit of cash. What they have said to us (the supporters) is - you have no more cash to give us, so we're going to look for more.

I don't see why our league has to forced down the throats of other nations anyway - they have their own leagues.


That's an interesting viewpoint. I guess you'd rather see the league stay more traditional and "English" (for lack of a better way to put it) than become the single major league for footy?

Also, I don't think the EPL would be "forced" on anyone. Either people buy the tickets to attend the out-of-country games or they don't. It would be interesting to see if there is such a demand for the English game.

Here in America, I definitely think there is such a demand. Other places, I'm not sure.
 
The Premier League is the most popular league in England. That's where it should stop.
I don't see why our league has to forced down the throats of other nations anyway - they have their own leagues.


Very, very wise words from an intelligent person.
Eatonj, it's not because the EPL is the most popular league in the States that it is the most popular league...
In the real football countries the domestic league is the most popular one, countries like: Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, Portugal, Croatia, Russia,...

And the domination of one league above all the others would be a very bad thing for football as a sport (no matter if this league is the English or the Yemenite).

I do believe in a world league modelled on the NBA however...but that could be the future of football in the long term...the way globalisation is going (and is unstoppable), that is the only logical future for football (but i don't like the prospect).
 
Who gives a shit about extra money?
This is the entire problem in the first place.

The extra game abroad would create problems too because there is no fair game to have abroad.

Imagine Man Utd play Chelsea at Old Trafford, but when Arsenal play Chelsea, it's not at the Emirates, but at the Pink Marshmallow Bowl in Montreal?
It's just a generally stupid idea all round.

The ONLY argument in favour of this idea is a financial one and that drives the game even further away from the fans than it already is.
 
Very, very wise words from an intelligent person.
Eatonj, it's not because the EPL is the most popular league in the States that it is the most popular league...
In the real football countries the domestic league is the most popular one, countries like: Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, Portugal, Croatia, Russia,...

And the domination of one league above all the others would be a very bad thing for football as a sport (no matter if this league is the English or the Yemenite).

I do believe in a world league modelled on the NBA however...but that could be the future of football in the long term...the way globalisation is going (and is unstoppable), that is the only logical future for football (but i don't like the prospect).

Gerd, I recall seeing (can't find the source) that the EPL is the most broadcasted footy league in the world... while this doesn't guarantee it's the most popular, it makes it pretty likely. (and yes, I'm aware that what's most popular in the USA doesn't mean that it's the most popular in the world)

Regardless, I'm interested at your thoughts that football is going the way of the NBA. Are you thinking in terms of a European club league that replaces the domestic leagues? Or something even more global in scale?

Also, I disagree that having an opinion one way or another on this issue makes you a "real football fan"... seems to me that it makes you more or less of a fan of tradition and current league structuring.
 
Football the way of the NBA Eatonj:

A pan-european competition that starts with a number of very big clubs. Geography will play an increasingly bigger role. Let's take theexample of some English clubs. If you start an European superleague (with play-offs)it's pretty obvious that the big English clubs will be there at the start: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man Utd and maybe some other clubs like Everton, Spurs and Villa. Pretty soon it will be obvious that it will economically impossible to have three London clubs, two Glasgow clubs, two Milan clubs,....
After a while you will have a European super league with clubs representing whole regions...it will b unthinkable that both Marseille and Monaco will have a club in the pan-european super league.
I have a friend who earned is PHd in economics with this theory (his name is Trudo De Jonghe). He made is doctoral scription in the nineties and predicted the disappearance of some first division Belgian clubs...he has been proven right. The same mechanism will play on a bigger scale given enough time and with an ongoing globalisation...
I think that after a while the big South-American, USA,African and Japanese clubs will join this league...


PS: always nice to disagree with you...
PPS: a "real football fan" to me is somebody who loves his club but above all loves the game...
 
Football the way of the NBA Eatonj:

A pan-european competition that starts with a number of very big clubs. Geography will play an increasingly bigger role. Let's take theexample of some English clubs. If you start an European superleague (with play-offs)it's pretty obvious that the big English clubs will be there at the start: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man Utd and maybe some other clubs like Everton, Spurs and Villa. Pretty soon it will be obvious that it will economically impossible to have three London clubs, two Glasgow clubs, two Milan clubs,....
After a while you will have a European super league with clubs representing whole regions...it will b unthinkable that both Marseille and Monaco will have a club in the pan-european super league.
I have a friend who earned is PHd in economics with this theory (his name is Trudo De Jonghe). He made is doctoral scription in the nineties and predicted the disappearance of some first division Belgian clubs...he has been proven right. The same mechanism will play on a bigger scale given enough time and with an ongoing globalisation...
I think that after a while the big South-American, USA,African and Japanese clubs will join this league...


PS: always nice to disagree with you...
PPS: a "real football fan" to me is somebody who loves his club but above all loves the game...

hmm but not sure how that compares anything to the current NBA.. the only non domestic team is the toronto raptors... sure we get players from all over the world, but i dont know how much talk there is of a european based team...
not sure how the euros would like hte national anthem being played at every game :)
 
Football the way of the NBA Eatonj:

A pan-european competition that starts with a number of very big clubs. Geography will play an increasingly bigger role. Let's take theexample of some English clubs. If you start an European superleague (with play-offs)it's pretty obvious that the big English clubs will be there at the start: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man Utd and maybe some other clubs like Everton, Spurs and Villa. Pretty soon it will be obvious that it will economically impossible to have three London clubs, two Glasgow clubs, two Milan clubs,....
After a while you will have a European super league with clubs representing whole regions...it will b unthinkable that both Marseille and Monaco will have a club in the pan-european super league.
I have a friend who earned is PHd in economics with this theory (his name is Trudo De Jonghe). He made is doctoral scription in the nineties and predicted the disappearance of some first division Belgian clubs...he has been proven right. The same mechanism will play on a bigger scale given enough time and with an ongoing globalisation...
I think that after a while the big South-American, USA,African and Japanese clubs will join this league...


PS: always nice to disagree with you...
PPS: a "real football fan" to me is somebody who loves his club but above all loves the game...

So essentially, a Euro league (at least to start) consisting of a handful or clubs from each of the bigger nations, and then 1 or 2 clubs from some of the mid-size and smaller nations?

I'm not so sure it would mean that big cities couldn't support multiple teams (although maybe not 3,4,5,etc.) but I think it would definitely cripple most clubs that didn't get invited into the league to begin with. Clubs would really have to betray their domestic league for this to happen, although with the influx of foreign owners (at least in the EPL) I suppose this could happen eventually.


And good point by gomito#10, I can not stand how every USA sporting event (not just professional) has to begin with the national anthem. It's ridiculous.
 
I would love to work for Fifa...

Scudamore: Mr Steevio, we are looking at this proposal to..

Steevio: Fuck off out my office.
 
Eatonj, there would be clubs from all over Europe, for example only one from my country Belgium: it would be Anderlecht most certainly...

By NBA-style i mean that there would be regional leagues (like the Conferences in the NBA, but i don't know much about the NBA). I know that in the NBA the Knicks play against the Lakers (in the regular season) but that they play for qualification in a different "league"...
In football that would be for example northern (Scandinavian, Scotttish, English), Southern (Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Croatian) Western (France, Germany, Belgium, Holland) Eaestern (Turkey, Russia, Poland, Roumania, Cech, Swiss, Austria).
Then there would be some sort of play-offs between the best teams of each "Conference"....and maybe thebig teams from the other continents could play in the play-offs...
 
Eatonj, there would be clubs from all over Europe, for example only one from my country Belgium: it would be Anderlecht most certainly...

By NBA-style i mean that there would be regional leagues (like the Conferences in the NBA, but i don't know much about the NBA). I know that in the NBA the Knicks play against the Lakers (in the regular season) but that they play for qualification in a different "league"...
In football that would be for example northern (Scandinavian, Scotttish, English), Southern (Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Croatian) Western (France, Germany, Belgium, Holland) Eaestern (Turkey, Russia, Poland, Roumania, Cech, Swiss, Austria).
Then there would be some sort of play-offs between the best teams of each "Conference"....and maybe thebig teams from the other continents could play in the play-offs...


What you've described sounds far more interesting than the current Champions league format. Scrap the CL and the Euro Cup and implement this.
 
Eatonj, there would be clubs from all over Europe, for example only one from my country Belgium: it would be Anderlecht most certainly...

By NBA-style i mean that there would be regional leagues (like the Conferences in the NBA, but i don't know much about the NBA). I know that in the NBA the Knicks play against the Lakers (in the regular season) but that they play for qualification in a different "league"...
In football that would be for example northern (Scandinavian, Scotttish, English), Southern (Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Croatian) Western (France, Germany, Belgium, Holland) Eaestern (Turkey, Russia, Poland, Roumania, Cech, Swiss, Austria).
Then there would be some sort of play-offs between the best teams of each "Conference"....and maybe thebig teams from the other continents could play in the play-offs...
ahh i gotcha, that would be good football though! but yeah it would certainly put all of the other smaller clubs out of business. i dont like it now. I think things should stay how they are.
 
I'm not sure if i would like what i described...
If the system that i described would be the top of a FAIR pyramid then maybe it would be interesting (with relegation every 3 years based on the combined results).
But lets face it, there will never be a fair pyramid once huge amounts of money are involved...
Look at the premiership: the difference between the EPL and the championship is huge. Even in the premiership there are three divisions: the top four, the relegation battlers (the clubs who won promotion the last years and Fulham) and then all the rest...it would really be interesting if other clubs could "break in" the top four...every now and then you got the feeling that one or other club (Everton, Spurs, Villa, this season Man City) will treaten them but in the end nothing changes...oh and maybe there is a top 3 and then Liverpool because in England Liverpool is comes clearly behind the other 3 big clubs...

Well maybe what i described has the advantage of being clear about what it is: a super league. If things could get fair within that super league then this would be a good thing.
Fair: i.e. that the big clubs of today are not necessarily the big clubs of tomorrow...
 
Gerd, it seems to that having both the CL and UEFA Cup at this point is superfluous. I understand that the UEFA Cup gives Euro competition and some extra cash to more mid-table level clubs, but why not give those mid-table clubs a chance at the same big cash that the CL provides and put all the EURO qualifying teams (well, maybe you have to scale it back a bit) in a giant league of some sort.

Sounds way more interesting, I'd like to see it.
 
This ridiculous proposal has resurfaced.

The Premier League's controversial proposal to play an extra game each season abroad has received cautious backing from Asia.


The continent's football chief, Mohamed Bin Hammam, had been one of the most vociferous opponents of the idea of a 39th, international round of English top-flight games when it was first floated in February.

However, Hammam on Friday announced a coaching and development tie-up with the Premier League which could pave the way for games to be played in his giant territory.

"Before we communicated directly there was a lot of misunderstanding," Hammam told selected journalists in Tokyo. "We wondered if they were just going to collect money and go.

"That was unacceptable to us but we only heard they were coming to play. That's where the confusion started. After we met we asked what kind of legacy they were going to leave behind.

"I will be very positive to this initiative if it arrives in the future now we know there will be benefits for Asia. It wasn't just an invasion."

Hammam was flanked by Premier League boss Richard Scudamore, the project's architect, who has led a charm offensive since his idea was quickly shot down in flames.

"There was supposed to be a consultation process," said Scudamore, whose plan was also criticised by FIFA president Sepp Blatter and UEFA chief Michel Platini.

"It turned into a media frenzy. We were almost put back into our box at birth such was the excitement generated.

"All we did was go to our shareholders, the 20 clubs in the Premier League and had a meeting where the clubs agreed to spend one year exploring the possibility of playing a game abroad."

Scudamore added: "Nobody believed it was just an idea to be consulted on. The way the media wrote it was that our clubs were on the plane and landing in a city near you within weeks."

A 39th game is unlikely to happen for at least another two years but Scudamore got the ball rolling by outlining plans to help with coaching and technical support in Asia.

"You say it with a twinkle in your eye that you didn't realise what the Premier League were already doing in Asia," he said looking at Hammam.

"It's not new. We have been here for a number of years working on various projects. Clubs have been coming to Asia for a long time."

As an extra carrot for Asia to host future games on their soil, Scudamore also announced a scheme to twin Premier League clubs with teams competing in the region's Champions League.

"This exchange will take place at administrative level, at technical level and also directly club to club through twinning of teams," he said.

"It's about using the power of football to make clubs community assets, for education purposes, social inclusion purposes and development purposes."
 
Back
Top Bottom