Premier League Abroad?

[Daz]

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_3117424,00.html

The 20 Premier League clubs have unanimously agreed to further examine a radical plan that would see each team playing an extra match a season abroad.


Under the proposal, matches between two Premier League sides could be staged in the world's largest cities in the Far East, Australia and the USA.


A new round of 10 competitive fixtures would be played across the world over one weekend in January, beginning in the 2010/11 season.


39 games


The idea would be to cash in on existing interest in the Premier League around the world, and the extra money generated from TV would be split equally among the 20 clubs.


The details of how the system would work have yet to be finalised but it would mean each club playing 39 games, with a draw to pick out each side's overseas match.


There would be a sporting criteria, such as league position, to decide which clubs play each other.


And under the proposal, points earned in the overseas game would count towards the final league position.


Innovative


Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said: "The 'international round' is an exciting and innovative proposal that needs careful consideration before being introduced.


"However, this concept recognises the truly global appeal of the Barclays Premier League whilst understanding that the traditions of the English game have always underpinned our success.


"We believe that an 'international round' of matches will enhance the strength of the Barclays Premier League as a competition; create extra interest in all 20 Premier League clubs at home and abroad; and allow increased investment in talent development and acquisition, facilities as well as our football development and community programmes."


Scudamore added: "The globalisation of sport is both an opportunity and a challenge; one that needs addressing in a responsible way.


"We are a better competition for being a cosmopolitan league and have benefited from our increased international reach.


"Nonetheless, it is critical we retain our English character by improving our efforts to produce home-grown talent, deepening our commitment to community engagement and continuing our investment in the grass-roots."

Interesting idea... i personally think it'd be pretty awesome

 

[easyeasyeasy]

I don't think so, I think its a disgraceful idea motivated by sheer greed from the bigwigs at the Premier League who think of themselves as a "product". What about those season-ticket holders who suddenly can't watch a game because it's taking place 10,000 miles away, just for the benefit of foreign football fans?

When I first heard the news of this idea I had to check my calendar to see if it was the first of April already.

 

[KingPaulV]

well, for me, as a football fan living in a football deprived country, that is just music to my ears, however, if I detach my personal emotions from the matter then I say that the idea is simply greedy and unrepresentative of the English game or the fans there in England who are the ultimate contributors to each club. I dont believe it is right to rob them the chance to watch their beloved club in potentially critical fixtures, being played in stadiums that might or might not be full...or even passionate about the game....

 

[Kibe Kru]

I just think it's very, very unfair on the smaller teams. A team that had to play Man U or Chelsea three times just can't be compared to one that played Derby County three times in a season. And that may well decide the relegation spots.

 

[Daz]

why is it always about the money with you cynics!? has anyone on this board ever thought of actually looking at the POSITIVES? Seriously.

Ok, they'll make alot of money out of it. But what's wrong with the best league in the world showing off its talents to the rest of the world?


Kibe: "There would be a sporting criteria, such as league position, to decide which clubs play each other." - Seems like the match ups would be slightly pre-determined.

I really think this is an awesome idea. But admittedly, the whole "39th match" thing does sound a bit odd - i would've thought an exhibition finale game would suit better. Still, i'm staying optimistic - which seems to be pretty rare for someone on this forum.

 

[KingPaulV]

Clearly I was being optimistic, I am merely taking a pundit's view into this...heck I would love it, I live in the US, I dont get to see Man U, or Arsenal or Chelsea everyday

 

[Kibe Kru]

Kibe: "There would be a sporting criteria, such as league position, to decide which clubs play each other." - Seems like the match ups would be slightly pre-determined.

I really think this is an awesome idea. But admittedly, the whole "39th match" thing does sound a bit odd - i would've thought an exhibition finale game would suit better. Still, i'm staying optimistic - which seems to be pretty rare for someone on this forum.

Of course, it's still early to say much about it, but so far I've read that the top five clubs would be seeded so they wouldn't play each other, which is good as it avoids one city getting all the "good" profitable matches, but then again, it doesn't say anything about the others, and five teams would be screwed because they'll play the top five... I can't really think of a totally balanced way to do it since it's only one game. The thing, IMHO, is one team played three matches against team A, the other played three times against team B, and you just can't compare their seasons.

 

[Help?]

As much as i want to believe you Daz, this proposal is motivated by nothing but absolutely desire for more money. Premier League is already as it is the most watched organized league in the world and now everybody that cashes in on it big, wants to cash in even more. There is a reason why teams play even number of games in a league. This is a bad bad idea. What it will do is only destroy the tradition of the premier league and making it some toy attraction for money hungry millionaires, as if it isn't yet. What i'm afraid of is that because of the possible extra revenue, they might actually go ahead with it.

Nevermind the fairness of who you get to play 3 times, how about the fairness of one team having to fly down to USA and back after a hectic Christmas schedule, while the other team having to fly down all the way to the Far East and Australia and back after that same hectic Christmas schedule. January is supposed to be the time when you catch a breather after Christmas, not to make it even harder. Furthermore, the Christmas period already gives english teams and players playing there an unfair disadvantage in CL, UEFA Cup as well as World Cup and EURO, now they want them to be even more tired? There are just way too many negatives and apart from teams making a bit more money and a few more foreign fans getting a chance to catch an EPL game, there are no positives. Its not that hard to find a ticket to EPL game, this is not like trying to get a ticket to watch Toronto Maple Leafs were you gotta book a spot 5 years ahead.

 

[MaestroZidane]

Love the idea.. But like other have already stated, it may not be as easy as it sound to add additional games and it is clear that the main motivation is money.

Also, from what I've had read, Fifa will have the final say on this, and based on past rulings.... its most likely that they will say no. Not to mention that managers and owners would still have to agree to such a move.

Like a said, I love the idea from an international fan point of view.. but its just not gonna happen.

 

[PSVFOREVER]

Awful idea. EPL is being ruined by money. In my opinion the English league has lost a lot of it's beauty the past years, with the exorbitant transfer sums and average foreigners in the line-ups.

This just adds it up.

 

[Jambo Den]

Absolutely against this idea, although I accept stupid gimmicks like this are inevitable due to the various foreign owners. FA Cup final in Riyadh in 2012? (Heh, would mean no women at football )

English fans need to mobilize en masse against this idea.

 

[Avalanche]

The Premier$hip has already killed the goose with the golden eggs, and now they want more filthy lucre?

SHAME ON YOU ALL

 

[newbie original]

....What about those season-ticket holders who suddenly can't watch a game because it's taking place 10,000 miles away.....

Surely you must know that most of those season ticket holders can afford to travel abroad, to watch a game. Those that suddenly cannot, represent the minority, and will be deemed well.......not worth it.

It's been a business for many years now. This is merely EXPANSION and there's very little (maybe nothing) that *those fans that make up the minority* can do about that.

 

[Jambo Den]

If this idea was mooted in Italy, fans would have united and there would be mass riots and those involved in the decision would have their homes visited for a friendly discussion. Say what you like about their other behaviour, but they wouldn't put up with any f*cking about from their clubs. The British would just moan about it in the pub and on the net and then trudge off to games without a murmur.

We're a bunch of sanitized sh*tehouses.

 

[Kulixs]

Looks like starting next season, the Premier League is going to have 7 substitutes instead of 5 aswell. Good move in my opinion.

 

[Hopeunited]

What a ****e idea. Please do not play abroad. The English league is one of the leagues that has some tradition it, these money-hungry old scums need to stop ruining it.

 

[itsbeenpickedup]

I don't attend any Premiership matches anyway, so I feel I can offer a fair opinion, and it still seems like a shockingly bad idea. One neutral venue game against some partially random team in some random part of the world as part of the domestic league season? Play one team three times in the league and everyone else twice? Definitely not a move based in logic fixtures wise.

It will clearly result in unfair draws. The idea of seeding the draw recognises that it is a totally wank idea and must be intended as damage limitation to the unfairness, but in no way does it eliminate it.

Imagine a crucial Manchester derby... somewhere in Asia. It's literally ******* ridiculous and is basically just taking a massive **** on the actual fans...

 

[easyeasyeasy]

Surely you must know that most of those season ticket holders can afford to travel abroad, to watch a game. Those that suddenly cannot, represent the minority, and will be deemed well.......not worth it.

It's been a business for many years now. This is merely EXPANSION and there's very little (maybe nothing) that *those fans that make up the minority* can do about that.

I wasn't implying that those season ticket holders could not afford to travel abroad, after all the cost of a season ticket for a Premiership club is on average a cost of £400-£500, but think about it this way - a fan would have to pay for a flight, hotel and possibly have to take a day or two off work and all that to the other side of the world, just for a single league match - it could be an utterly pointless exercise, especially if the two teams go playing for a boring draw because they both need it to avoid relegation. I know some dedicated fans travel abroad for European cup competitions, but that is just confined to Europe, where flights are cheaper and shorter, and, it's a cup game after all, more at stake.

There is a lot that can be done about it, and that is all up to the fans who go to watch their teams week in week out making a stand, contrary to what the media say about this proposal, it appears that only a minority support the plan. It wouldn't surprise me if that minority were the rich, corporate types who don't go to watch the game but merely attend to have a jolly, and some football chairmen are rubbing hands at the idea because it's yet another licence to print money.

Time for the real fans to vote with their feet.

 

[Fernandez]

It's a stupid idea. Imagine the Premiership title decided by this 39th match. One team plays in windy cool temperatures and the other title rival plays in humid conditions. As an overseas fan, I am already delighted to watch the Premier League on television. It's not necessary to bring it to the pitches around the world.

 

[Zlatan]

I'm getting sick of this commercial exploitation of the Premier League. You can't play 39 matches with 20 teams, c'mon, do these people ever think about anything else except money, money, money?