The European Super League is back on the agenda, though many will argue that it has never really gone away.
A22 Sports Management, the company established last year to explore the possibility of a new competition, launched 10 principles on Thursday morning that they believe can set the foundations for a breakaway tournament that will not just put an end to the Champions League but, initially, aim to rival the Premier League.
That comes after Joan Laporta, the Barcelona president, recently said that English clubs would not be involved. Many of Europe’s big guns have become dismayed by the riches of Premier League clubs, who are able to secure the best talent in every transfer window owing to substantially bigger broadcast and commercial incomes.
A European Court of Justice ruling due in the coming weeks is expected to rule in favour of UEFA, ultimately allowing the governing body to sanction clubs or players who are attempting to form a breakaway competition.
The A22 chief executive Bernd Reichart has been in dialogue with nearly 50 European clubs and stakeholders to establish their preferences in recent months.
He said: “Our discussions have made clear clubs are often unable to publicly speak up against a system where the threat of sanctions is used to stifle opposition. Our dialogue has been honest, direct, and fruitful. There are clear conclusions about the need for change and the building blocks of how to achieve it.”
Within the manifesto there are undeniably some valid points and others which would carry weight if it were not for an absence of detail. But there are equally some significant flaws and answers leading to even more questions.
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1. Broad based and meritocratic competitions
The most distinguishing factor from the plans in 2021. A22 say their league “should be an open, multi-divisional competition with 60 to 80 teams, allowing for sustainable distribution of revenues across the pyramid.” There “should be no permanent members” with participation based on domestic performance that, they add, “would grant rising clubs access to the competition while maintaining competitive dynamics at domestic level.” It is carefully worded, though: note the use of should instead of will.
2. Domestic tournaments: the foundation of football
Again, some more careful language. “Participating clubs should remain fully committed to domestic tournaments as they are today,” A22 say before saying there is a “critical need to strengthen and make more competitive domestic tournaments across the continent.”
The document goes on to add that “European competitions should play a pivotal role in helping to achieve this goal by generating and allocating additional resources throughout the system.” Yet details around the how this will be possible are scarce.
3. Improve competitiveness with stable and sustainable resources
A22 say that their competition would have “strictly enforced Financial Sustainability rules.” with clubs requiring “greater stability and predictability in annual revenues so they can make sensible, long-term commitments to player and infrastructure expenditures.” They argue that this will be possible by every team being guaranteed 14 matches a season.
4. Player health must be at the centre of the game
And that segues rather clunkily into their next principle, which stresses that “the health of players must be a key component in determining the number of matches each year.” They are vowing to work off the existing calendar - effectively meaning that their fixtures would slot into what are now the UEFA matchdays, of which there are 13 excluding qualification rounds at the beginning of a season.
5. Club run competitions with transparent, well-enforced rules
A22 want their competition to be run by the clubs and “not by third parties who benefit without taking any risk”, which is a barely-veiled dig at UEFA. The manifesto said that “the governance structure must be fully compliant with EU law” and “spending should be based only on resources generated, not from competition-distorting capital injections.”
Clubs will only be allowed to spend a fixed percentage of their “annual football-related revenue on player salaries and net transfers” but provisions will be made for smaller clubs who are new to the competition.
6. The world’s best football competition
This, A22 says, is “an aspiration.” But without English clubs involved can it really be the case? An amalgamation of clubs from the Spanish, Italian, German, French and other leagues will be well worth watching but last month’s transfer window offered indisputable evidence that the best players and coaches are attracted to the Premier League and its riches like never before.
7. Improved fan experience
For years Real Madrid ’s Florentino Perez has been banging the drum that kids are no longer engaged in football, unwilling to watch for 90 minutes because they have short attention spans and want to play computer games or go on TikTok. It has rarely been backed up with conclusive evidence and the real issue here is how unaffordable it is for many to be a match-going fan - or in increasing cases even subscribe to the required TV networks.
So while A22 argue “dialogue with fans and independent fan groups is essential to discover ideas which can improve the fan experience” and they are focused on “enhancing the live football experience” there is no mention of ticket prices or other expenses in their document.
8. Develop and finance women’s football
A worthwhile, necessary inclusion on the list but light on details. A22 says the women’s game should be “centre stage” and to “achieve this goal” financing should be “significantly expanded beyond existing contributions.” Centre stage, however, can only mean having a women’s competition that runs parallel. Anything short of that would be a failure.
9. Significant increase in solidarity
A22 are promising “a minimum of €400million per year to non-participating clubs, social causes, and investment in grassroots – more than two times the contribution from existing European club competitions.” Another admirable vow but how the fund will be financed, structured and awarded remains unclear.
10. Respect for European Union law and values
A22 says: “European football and its stakeholders must embrace the values, laws and fundamental freedoms of the EU. Further, no European club should be forced to dispute resolution systems outside the EU rule of law.” Which is all fine until English clubs, who are no longer bound by European law, are considered.
This is very much being framed as a rival to the Premier League in the first few years. But what happens further down the line?
