A battle is brewing between Europe's top soccer clubs
and their governing bodies--one that could cost billions of dollars in
television rights payments.
Twelve of Europe's richest and most powerful soccer
teams from Spain, Italy, and England will abandon the existing Champions League
and create a rival Super League.
The
Super League's 12 Founding Clubs include Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United,
and Real Madrid. Three more clubs will be invited to join before a potential inaugural
season.
The
Super League believes a new competition is a necessary change following the
global pandemic which, the group said in a statement, "has accelerated the
instability of the current economic model of European football."
The
Super League's statement said, "A strategic vision and commercial approach
is needed to increase value and support for the benefit of the football pyramid
as a whole."
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), as
well as the English, Spanish, and Italian soccer federations immediately
attacked the breakaway Sunday, and called the efforts behind the Super
League "a cynical project."
UEFA
said any participating teams in the Super League will be banned from playing in
any other competition at the domestic, European, or world level. Players could
also be denied the ability to represent national teams.
"We
will consider all measures available to us, at all levels, both judicial and
sporting."
Global television and commercial rights now
are worth more than $3.3 billion annually.
Super
League organizers found a revenue sharing alternative: they will grant teams a
share of a one-time payment of €3.5 billion (or $4.18 billion) for joining.
From NPR (edited)
