I saw this news on the weekend and half expected it to become a thing for various clubs and half giggled because at least I realised we were going into another international break and that means a massive decline in real news and the media need something to talk about.
I do as well but I’m not allowed to invent things, nor, skew things off being based in reality and not facts.
15 Championship sides were linked by the Sun as being at ‘war’ with the EFL and Derby County, Aston Villa and Leeds United were originally namechecked as being involved with the threat to form their own league for a better return of television broadcast money.
Of course, Leeds were mentioned because owner Andrea Radrizzani has a TV rights company and he is already on record talking about how unfair the standard split pot in the Championship is. For those who don’t know, each club shares a set amount per each division in the EFL and a basic TV appearance settlement. That’s it, no bonus, no merit money, the amount of times you appear on TV and have your fanbase inconvenienced goes financially unrewarded in reality because the sum is so low.
It’s not the same setup in the Premier League and that’s what a number of clubs would like to see. The Premier League has a standard pot to take care of all, but then further significant inducements for TV games and so on, so it is fairer – and I don’t doubt a number of clubs would prefer that system given who Sky decide to screen under the deal.
But going to war, going on strike, forming a new league…
A – it’s the Sun.
B – as we’ve seen from Financial Fair Play grumbles, the member clubs have the say and you can split from the Prem/EFL and Football Association but how competitive is a league of five where that’s your lot, forever – if you break away there’s no promotion, there’s no relegation, there’s no Europe and dare I say, you would naturally rescind the contracts of your existing players, so for those in international teams or with international hopes, they aren’t going to be staying are they. So how competitive, and how broadcastable (and what could we demand £ wise) would a kick about on Vital Villa be is basically the outcome of that situation in my mind.
C – it’s the Sun.
D – it’s the Sun.
E – it’s the Sun.
Okay, I understand the Premier League has a greater financial pull and granted the EFL deal rightly also seeks to protect L1 and L2 clubs, but for those clubs who want a better return for fans being inconvenienced, a system providing that whilst protecting other member clubs, so it was more reward related, is not beyond the realms of possibility here.
The Sun’s report also references ‘red button’ games and live internet streams now and the claim is a number of clubs didn’t realise it wouldn’t be one game and an alternative per night and there was a concern it would affect attendances.
I find that strange.
My understanding was that the new TV deal for the EFL meant every non 3pm kickoff was now fair game. The EFL is also on record as stating they were prioritising big weekend matches for bumper crowds because those games were the ‘pull’ on television (reads you can charge more) and the plan was to push less favourable, longer distance journey’s, and less entertaining clashes on paper into midweek because nobody cared about the crowds – they could use ifollow or whatever it’s called instead. And there was no great denial the fixture computer would be tweaked to suit that, as we’ve already seen in the EFL Trophy if you follow football at large.
I’ve covered it before on Vital, it’s the EFL’s plan and Shaun Harvey has spoken numerous times about it along with admitting holding EFL Cup draws abroad was specifically to improve the pull in Asian markets for TV revenue despite it inconveniencing fans of the actual clubs involved in the draw.
I fail to see how this escaped clubs themselves, because if I can understand this twist in what games are now wanted for promotion and what games are put into work nights of the week where nobody cares (other than fans obviously but they don’t count), I’m pretty sure the lawyers and intelligent people in the boardroom can spot it as well.
I’m not that special, so as I babble this late Tuesday night I am in no way surprised to see claims of ‘truth’ that Villa, as being referenced, are not one of the 15 and nor that looking around, there aren’t 15 clubs threatening a breakaway.
That’s the funny thing about inventing content and expanding it, the Sun’s denial of this has probably been in their timer longer than this will be, as I guess it was written at the same point they made the original claim.
There was no truth to reveal, call BS from the opening sentence and if that’s not how anyone reacts to the ‘red tops’ in this day and age – well, good luck.
I guess you think the more private European Super League is still a real thing and has been around the corner for the last century.
