On a base level there are clear merits to a Premier League All-Star game, an event that would undeniably make a shedload of cash and ensure the rich get richer no matter the vague promises that it would actually benefit the pyramid.
But what Todd Boehly has failed to realise is that, in English football, tone and delivery are rather important.
From the outset Chelsea ’s new owner has attempted to play up the importance of a close relationship with supporters. His willingness to speak relatively openly about wider, long-term intentions should be welcomed yet several of his recent comments will jar with traditionalists who have been going to Stamford Bridge for decades. Not for the first time since assuming control he has misjudged the mood.
There is no real appetite for such an event in English football because there is no history of a regional divide. Club rivalries are entrenched far deeper than anywhere in American sport. There are already European and domestic cup competitions to factor in compared to the NFL, NBA and MLB having a sole focus.
Most important of all is the fact supporters are far more married to history and tradition than in America, where some of the biggest names have upped sticks and moved across the country for strictly financial reasons - including Boehly’s LA Dodgers (long before his investment) and, more recently, Arsenal ’s Kroenke family moving the NFL’s Rams from St Louis to Los Angeles.
Plenty will roll their eyes but for large swathes of an American audience sport is entertainment. Across Europe football is part of everyday life.
And yet it must be noted that Boehly views himself as a disruptor who can convert a loss-making club - some estimates indicate £1m a week during the latter years of the Abramovich era - into a profitable entity.
His non-definitive answer about a future Super League in the same interview at Tuesday’s SALT NY conference should raise more red flags than this flippant proposal but for True Football Men putting down such proposals are an easy win, like shooting fish in a barrel.
Jurgen Klopp’s reaction was justifiable because Boehly’s suggestion comes at a time when the calendar is so packed that overuse injuries appear inevitable and one unforeseen cancellation, such as Arsenal vs PSV, causes a domino effect.
The Liverpool manager was right to point out the off-season in US Sports is significantly longer and finding a date without sacrificing something else will be nearly impossible. But let's not pretend players, many of whom are deeply into American sports culture, will be steadfast against the idea once they realise the extent that participation would boost their earnings.
The US games are intrinsically linked to how much big-name players earn. Being an NBA or MLB All-Star means bumper endorsement deals and, most notably, salary boosts when it is time to negotiate a contract extension.
In basketball, with an increasing urge to ensure the exhibition game becomes somewhat competitive, winning players get a six-figure bonus with a charity element added in recent years.
There are side events added on - such as dunk and three-point contests for basketball and a home run derby for baseball - with celebrities and tourists flocking to host cities. It may seem inauthentic and flashy but can anyone argue against the financial benefits?
Boehly pointed out that baseball’s All-Star game this summer made about $200m across half a week. For those not participating it represents a mid-season break, a few days to step off the hamster wheel and recharge. For those called up it is a boost to their profile and bank balance.
As ever it ultimately comes down to money. Do not be surprised if many other decision makers are amenable to making such a proposal a reality.
