Would a European Super League actually be successful?

Amidst all the recent talk about the future of the UEFA Champions League and Europa League a suggestion has seemed to make its way into the public conscience that has not been around for a while. The response in some corners to the idea of extending the Champions League was to create a European Super League.

It is an idea that a decade or so ago seemed to have some weight behind it when some of the biggest European teams felt they should be getting more money and exposure from the competition but disappeared with the restructuring of the Champions League and other European competitions.

Back in 2009 Real Madrid President Florentino Perez also championed the idea of a Super League whereby the best teams in Europe constantly play each other.

A number of formats have been touted with these proposals but the driving force is always the same. To allow the biggest, and for biggest read richest as well, clubs to play each other thereby attracting bigger sponsors and advertisers and, wouldn’t you know it, generating more revenue to split between them.

Having these clubs sounds very entertaining for the neutral, seeing the best play the best. But what would constitute the best? It is highly unlikely that only the Champions of European leagues would be allowed, and therefore where is the line drawn for entry?

Whilst it may seem like an attractive proposition for those at the top, it could actually turn out to be a poisoned chalice in the long-run, especially if one of the proposals of actually breaking-away to form the league were carried out. Undoubtedly these clubs would immediately see a positive upsurge in revenue, but after a few competitions there is the possibility that the novelty would wear away of seeing teams spend large sums of money to compete against each other.

Also, it does not allow for the underdog, that all important character in any competition. With the same few teams playing each other every year, the incentive of qualifying, like for the Champions League, is also removed.

Furthermore, unless there were different winners every year these big clubs, which have grown accustomed to winning leagues, may get more agitated and fans more annoyed that they are unable to win silverware.

Taking this season as an example, it is highly unlikely that Manchester City’s owners would accept constant failure in Europe, being unable to beat other big teams, and therefore being unable to win trophies.

The idea of a break-away league is of course being used as the example here, and so the points raised would vary depending on the format of the possible competition. For supporters of teams not included in these proposals, there are likely to be some who actually feel the English league would benefit by being more competitive, and so if those others want to just make more money they can go and scrap it out with each other but run the risk of not winning.

All of this is hypothetical because it is extremely unlikely a break-away Super League will be formed anytime soon. But if it were, it would certainly be interesting to see if it could be as exciting and interesting as the clubs would have you believe.

Daniel Smith – @dmsmith1987

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