When 12 of Europe's biggest soccer clubs announced their intention to form a breakaway Super League on Sunday (April 18), many unrelated to the proposal were outraged. And rightly so too. Under the terms of the new competition, 15 of the 20 Super League clubs would be permanent members regardless of their performance, with the remaining five spots to be filled season after season by those who qualify in their domestic leagues. Many fans, experts and people connected with the game have spoken out against the plans, concerned about their anti-competitive nature and their effect on the already massive inequality that exists within soccer. And that's before you consider the implications this may have for the gaming and television industries that complement our passions for soccer.
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Of course, we were in a similar position before, and we're not referring to when CDS Microsystems launched the European Super League for the Amiga in 1990. The Premier League itself was a breakthrough in 1992, when 20 teams came together. rest of the Football League. At the time, Sky TV, the UK's leading sports broadcaster, had been on board from the start, pitching the idea that people would be willing to pay every month to watch this new competition. But this time, traditional broadcasters seem to have been left behind. When approached by TechRadar, Sky declined to comment, while a BT Sport spokesperson said: "BT acknowledges the concerns raised by many voices and football fans, and believes that the formation of a European Super League could have an effect. detrimental in the long run. term football health in this country. "
(Image credit: BT) Of course, this could also have a detrimental effect on the health of BT Sport and Sky. Part of the Super League proposal, according to the Times, would see teams being given more control over broadcast rights to their games, with four per season being shown on club digital platforms around the world. It's not yet clear how the rest will show up, but Kieran Maguire, author of The Price of Football and co-host of the podcast of the same name, suggests that forming a new competition may be the only way to break from the mainstream. . and that a new approach could see clubs get more money than they currently do with traditional TV deals. And it's easy to see why. A 2019 survey by the market research agency Kantar found that Manchester United had 1.100 billion fans and subscribers worldwide. The club would only have to convince a fraction of them to shell out a few pounds a month to watch the games live and the amount they could contribute would completely wipe out the current numbers, which already add up to a minimum of almost £100m per month. season. . . If the Super League clubs came together and sold the rights collectively, it could open the door for a truly global partner who could maximize global revenue. Amazon has already proven that streaming is a viable option for live sports, so it's easy to imagine what that would look like on an even larger scale. However, for the clubs that fell behind, things might not be so rosy, especially as the value of Premier League rights fell by 5% last time around. A competition without the so-called 'Big Six' is, in Maguire's words, 'not that attractive' so sending them 'would be counterproductive', but with less competition for Champions League places, it could actually work out well. for aspirations. mid-sized clubs like Aston Villa, Leeds United and West Ham.
The game and the European Super League
(Image credit: EA Sports) Of course, all of this has ramifications for various soccer-related industries, especially video games. EA Sports only secured the rights to use the Champions League name and branding in their FIFA games in 2018, while Juventus is still conspicuous by its absence in FIFA 21, under the name Piemonte Calcio. Meanwhile, Pro Evolution Soccer is arguably more famous for its license to dodge club names, such as Man Blue and Merseyside Red, than for its actual gameplay. These licensing disputes are a big part of what makes a successful soccer game. Authenticity is a big part of its appeal, if only on a superficial level, and that's a big part of Pro Evo's second-place finish over the past decade. But with brand-new competition on the scene, there's no guarantee EA Sports will get the rights to make the game official for the Super League, especially if its organizers argue with soccer's governing body about whether SL players will be able to take part in international competition. . tournaments. Sports Interactive, the creator of Football Manager, also declined to comment when approached by TechRadar, but tweeted the This Is Fine meme, with the caption: "We, the creators of a management sim game, football this morning." Clearly, the move has potentially important ramifications for the future of business simulation. And this gif of a cartoon dog sitting in the middle of a burning room pretty much sums up the current situation regarding the Super League. There is a chance that it will forever change the best football as we know it, including the way we watch and play it at home, but for the moment the various powers are engaged in a gruesome power struggle, with fans locked in the middle of the game. half look at all they recognize about the beautiful game that burns.