{"id":3634,"date":"2021-04-26T09:44:04","date_gmt":"2021-04-26T13:44:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/sportsreporting\/?p=3634"},"modified":"2021-04-26T09:44:04","modified_gmt":"2021-04-26T13:44:04","slug":"european-super-league-how-the-soccer-world-exploded-in-72-hours","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/sportsreporting\/2021\/04\/26\/european-super-league-how-the-soccer-world-exploded-in-72-hours\/","title":{"rendered":"European Super League: How the Soccer World Exploded in 72 Hours\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

The European Super League<\/span>, introduced Sunday night,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>sees\u00a0<\/span>some of Europe\u2019s top soccer teams signing up to create a breakaway league that protects 15 teams from relegation\u00a0<\/span>and will follow an American style\u00a0<\/span>of competition with a regular season and a playoff round.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Currently there are 12 founding teams:\u00a0<\/span>AC Milan, Arsenal\u00a0<\/span>FC<\/span>, Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid, Chelsea FC, FC Barcelona, FC\u00a0Internazionale\u00a0Milano, Juventus FC, Liverpool FC, Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid CF and Tottenham Hotspur<\/span>, but they are set to be joined by three more founding clubs to make 15.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Although the soccer world was quickly taken back by this proposal, it came as a surprise to many that two of the world\u2019s biggest clubs were not a part of that list.<\/span>\u00a0French side Paris Saint-Germain<\/span>\u00a0did not receive an invitation to join the league<\/span>, and\u00a0<\/span>last year\u2019s UEFA Champions league winners Bayern Munich<\/span>\u00a0opted not to take part in the league. The reason Bayern Munich, like the rest of the clubs in the German top division Bundesliga<\/span>, are all owned with a \u201850+1\u2019 rule<\/span>\u00a0which\u00a0<\/span>state<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0that a club\u2019s fans will always hold\u00a0<\/span>the majority of<\/span>\u00a0the club\u2019s voting rights.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This rule\u00a0<\/span>essentially prohibits<\/span>\u00a0private investors from taking over a German football club.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>If a soccer club in Germany were to become privately owned, they would not be allowed to play in the German\u00a0<\/span>top<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>flight<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0The Bundesliga was thinking ahead, as the importance of the fanbase really showed its strength when the vote came to join the Super League or not.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Super League<\/span>\u00a0will consist of 20 clubs with a qualifying mechanism\u00a0<\/span>for five teams to qualify based on achievements in the prior season, according to the league\u2019s website.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Furthermore, there are plans for a corresponding women\u2019s league.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With a planned start time of the 2<\/span>02<\/span>3-24 season,\u00a0<\/span>there is a\u00a0<\/span>$6 billion<\/span>\u00a0fund backing the project<\/span>\u00a0headlined by JP Morgan Chase<\/span>, with each club expecting\u00a0<\/span>more than<\/span>\u00a0$300 million a year\u00a0<\/span>during their participation. That money is crucial for clubs that found their top line crippled by the pandemic or are already\u00a0<\/span>hamstrung<\/span>\u00a0with hundreds of millions in debt.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Florentino\u00a0<\/span>P\u00e9rez<\/span>, president of Real Madrid and the first\u00a0<\/span>chairman<\/span>\u00a0of the Super League, said<\/span>, \u201cWe will help football at every level and take it to its rightful place in the world<\/span>. Football is the only global sport in the world with more than four billion fans and our responsibility as big clubs it to respond to their desires.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite the statement, backlash was swift and\u00a0<\/span>booming from\u00a0<\/span>fans,\u00a0<\/span>ex-players, prime ministers,\u00a0<\/span>current players<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>managers,\u00a0<\/span>and other soccer organizations.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the new league would \u201cstrike at the\u00a0<\/span>heart<\/span>\u00a0of the domestic\u00a0<\/span>game and<\/span>\u00a0will concern fans across the country.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Former Manchester United player and current\u00a0<\/span>pundit<\/span>\u00a0Gary Neville said, \u201cI\u2019m not against the\u00a0<\/span>modernization of football\u00a0<\/span>competitions<\/span>, we have the Premiere League, the Champions League, but I think to bring forward proposals in the midst of COVID and the economic crisis for all clubs is an absolute scandal.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Gary Neville is the people's hero right now. Unreal piece of television about the European Super League. pic.twitter.com\/ypdQbdQfs7<\/a><\/p>\n

— Football Tweet (@Football__Tweet) April 18, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n