note: this is part of a series on the American world football takeover, for better context you can read part1, an explanation of why America has taken over world football here: https://alientalk.sport.blog/2019/03/04/a-young-american-explains-why-america-now-rules-world-football-the-american-world-football-invasion-series-part-1-of-3/
And part3, my opinion on the Super League here: https://alientalk.sport.blog/2019/03/06/a-young-american-explains-why-the-european-super-league-will-destroy-the-beautiful-game/
According to Der Spiegel and Football Leaks, the rumored plans of the European Super League are extremely similar to Major League Soccer. It will happen as UEFA has no power and FIFA will likely work out a sweet deal for the super clubs.
Major League Soccer Explained
Major League Soccer (MLS) is a single-entity league. That means that owners have to pay an “expansion fee” to add a team to the league. The expansion fee costs around 150 million dollars or more. Owners don’t just own one team, they own a PORTION of MLS. Every new owner must gain voting aprroval from the other owners. The expansion fee ensures that the teams will NEVER be relegated from the league.
GLOBAL MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Real Madrid (18%), Barcelona (15%) and Manchester United (12%) will become the biggest and most powerful owners of the European Super League. This is a smart move by these old giants as they will have more voting power and leverage despite the fact that they will be outspent by Manchester City and PSG. The “founding” (AKA richest) clubs will be guaranteed a spot in the league and will NEVER be relegated.
I suspect that any mega-rich club will also gain permanent status. For example, let’s say that ann “expansion fee” will cost 1 billion dollars or more. Anyone with the money can buy a spot into the league. And not just European clubs, any club with elite wealth (Middle East, China, America) will buy their way into the league.
MLS Contract Rules
Major League Soccer teams have to follow a salary cap. A salary cap limits how much teams can pay their players. Players can also be TRADED (transferred) against their will to any other MLS team, unlike the world transfer system where players have to agree to any switch.
American Free Transfers
In world football, players can sign with any club if they are out of contract. However in America, players are “drafted” into a team and they do not have any choice. Also players have to gain service time to gain the right to a free transfer. For example, in the MLB, players have to play at or close to minimum salary for at least 7 years before gaining the right to a free transfer and there are loopholes that can make the wait even longer.
Draft System
In the USA, players don’t get to join the team of their choice. The worst teams in the league are AWARDED the highest draft picks. Draft picks are basically the right to choose the best young prospects in the sport. Teams take turns “drafting” these young players in order from worst teams to best teams.
All of these complex systems allow MLS owners to exert MAXIMUM CONTROL AND PROFIT by reducing player costs and limiting player rights.
World Football Draft
I suspect the global Super LEague will adapt the American draft system, where the best young prospects in the world have to enter the draft in order to join the Super League.
The worst teams in the Super League will be AWARDED the best young prospoects and there will be more and more attention and media coverage of young kids.
Super Salary Cap
The Super League will also adapt American salary cap and contract rules. They will also adopt trades within the league. For example, Barcelona can send an aging and expensive Gerard Pique to Milan for young prospects or draft picks. The draft itself will be a historic moneymaker.
Clubs with nearly unlimited funding (Man City and PSG) will reject any salary cap. However every other club will support a salary cap. I think every team knows they cannot compete financially with Man City and PSG. A salary cap will have severe fines for clubs that exceed the cap.
This is a smart way for clubs to have a nice excuse when they lose to Man City or PSG because I assume the oil-rich clubs will be willing to pay all of the fines.
” We lost to them because they spend double or triple our budget.” – I imagine every club will say this when they lose to Man City an PSG.
A salary cap will allow the “poorer” clubs to cut and control costs.
American Regular Season and Playoffs
In US Sports, there are NO DRAWS. Teams play “regular season” games to qualify for the real “postseason”. Around 30 to 40 percent of the regular season games are almost worthless and the postseason is similar to knockout rounds.
I suspect the European Super League will end draws and end every match with extra time or a penalty shootout.
The data says that draws do not make as much money as extra time.
The league will also adopt a regular season and postseason format to increase the amount of games to gain infinite revenue.
The data says that postseason games will make more money than “normal” league games.
Global Super League
The International Champions Cup , China, the middle east. You all have seen elite clubs play in these regions for huge sums of money. To this point they have mostly been friendlies. However, this year the Italian Super Cup, a meaningful, competitive match was played in Saudi Arabia. Why should the league be limited to Europe?
IT WILL HAPPEN. Competitive Super League matches will be played ANYWHERE there is a huge payday.
If hometown supporters are angry at the fewer amount of home games, who cares?
The global elite super clubs do not need their hometown supporters anymore.
What is my opinion on the European Super League? read the next part of the series here: https://alientalk.sport.blog/2019/03/06/a-young-american-explains-why-the-european-super-league-will-destroy-the-beautiful-game/
My opinion on who will join the Super League 100%:
Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Man Utd, Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs, Everton, Wolves, Bayern, Dortmund, Monaco, Marseille, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Juventus, PSG, RB Leipzig
I would not be surprised if MLS teams, Chinese and Middle Eastern Clubs join eventually.
alienSportTalk 