The European Super League generated near-universal criticism from the global football community this week. Jeff Cheshire looks at some key points and considers both sides of each.
Owners are greedy and all about money
For: Football should be about the fans, the clubs and the sport. Too much money is toxic to the game and takes its soul away.
Against: Football club owners are businesspeople and their goal is to make money. They fund clubs’ expenses and are the ones taking the risk if financial issues arise. The reward for that risk is the profits they make. They make the top clubs competitive. Would Manchester City fans be happy back in League One, without the City Football Group bankrolling the club?
Clubs don’t have to earn qualification
For: Football is all about earning your place in whatever competition you play in. Any club, even at the lowest tiers of football, can theoretically win their way up and into the Champions League. The same is true in reverse. It is perhaps the greatest thing football has that other sports do not. If you are good enough you make it, if you are not you don’t. Having 15 guaranteed qualifiers removes that.
Against: Investors want ascertained. Knowing that you will be playing in the world’s pinnacle league every year gives you that certainty. That is what happens in American sports, home to the richest leagues in the world.
Foreign owners don’t understand football culture
For: To a football follower the concept of earning your place is natural. That was shown by the fan’s reactions, even when their clubs were being guaranteed a spot in the league. Why should someone who does not understand that have such power in the game?
Against: Many of the clubs are owned by non-Europeans who have different values. The American system, for all its faults, is well set up to equalise talent. The future is in Asia and afar, watching on television.
The current model is not sustainable
For: Clubs are losing money and a new model that fills the needs will allow them to keep operating at the level they are.
Against: Players are paid exorbitant amounts. Would Lionel Messi really be that hard up if he was only earning $NZ1million per week, rather than $2.46million? Clubs need to spend what they can afford, rather than changing the system to spend what they wish they could.
Fans are only interested in the elite
For: It is the Liverpool v Manchester City games, rather than the Wolves v Fulhams, that get everyone’s attention. Likewise, it is the likes of Messi and Ronaldo that the majority are interested in watching. Getting those top teams and top players together creates more games with that level of interest.
Against: Football is about more than the elite. The history and passion behind the clubs outside of that top group remains a large part of many communities. Everyone loves an underdog. Remember the joy at Leicester’s rise and Jamie Vardy jumping to stardom?
