EUROPEAN SUPER LEAGUE: THE REAL INSIDE STORY
Credit: @SuperLeagueES
Barely a year and a half after the Super League was squelched, three of the twelve founder clubs are now awaiting adjudication from the European Court of Justice querying UEFA’s monopoly over European football.
Behind the scenes, the Super League is positioning itself and busking for possible scenarios and with this a new company has been formed: A22 based in Madrid.
A22 has been set up to manage the public relations affairs of the Super League, to publicize and expound why the Super League competition is a necessity for European football. I’m Meetings have been scheduled with top football officials and administrators and A22 CEO Bernd Reichart reiterated why there’s a conscious need to turn away from UEFA’s kamikaze approach and embrace the coming tide.
I understand that Colin Morgans, CEO of Key Capital Company is the current Super League’s interim CEO despite recent reports that A22 CEO Bernd Reichart is the man in charge.
Colin Morgans is set to step down as CEO once the Super League competition is authenticated by the continent’s top judicial body early next year in March and Beppe Marotta, Super League CEO designate will take the reins.
Key Capital Company is partnering with JP Morgan, the Super League financier in undisclosed mutual business ventures and this explains the appointment of Colins Morgan to head the venture during this transitional stage.
The issue concerning the real financiers of the project has been highly debated and controversial with claims that JP Morgan is being exploited by Saudi Arabia, claims that have not yet been substantiated. The US investment bank has convinced top Super League officials that it is still interested in debt financing the project should the European Court of Justice uphold its immunity and authenticity.
I understand that JP Morgan is still committed to the project and will put in more funds than originally planned in the initial attempt to a tune of at least $6bn due to the changes in format.
With uproar from fans for the original format, the Super League is set to receive a reenergizing brand new look, an open format that the league thinks will clamp down on incipient fears.
The Super League is preparing a two league format; a top tier league with a secondary league both consisting of twenty participants with open qualification based on sporting merit synonymous with UEFA’s status quo. The allocation of prize money is still constant as first allocated and so alluring as ever with the competition winner set to bag 400M euros compared to UEFA’s 120M euros.
The biggest question of all however is the participation of English clubs in the competition after it was cast in doubt due to their eleventh hour consecutive announcements of withdrawal.
Premier League clubs have to be integral and at the core of the competition for it to be declared a success due to the lure they carry, with the EPL especially being the most watched league on the globe.
The huge fan base that the Premier League possesses is hard to ignore in terms of the Super League tapping into its audience through the sale of TV rights to potential broadcasters.
The Big Six clubs signed a binding contract in April 2021 alongside the other six founder clubs, meaning no club English club left the competition since none have paid the penalty fee for leaving.
In fact, behind the scenes English clubs have been silently working with the other members to create a new format that would be appeasing to the football fraternity. However Premier League clubs face cumbersome opposition from England’s top footballing organ and fan led organizations especially from Premier League CEO Richard Masters.
Richard Masters has already warned clubs to stay put and disengage in the plans claiming the English league is already a Super League in terms of TV rights money that keeps on soaring.
Clubs have been told that plans of a Super League is a form of weakening the Premier League and giving chance other to financially stricken clubs to play catchup and relevant in the market.
The English government is playing guardian and I understand will apply protectionism to help steer clear premier league clubs away from the super league competition at any cost.
Despite that, Premier League clubs still have a contract to fulfill and are part and parcel of the plans.
I understand broadcast rights have not been discussed yet and the super league is still waiting for the ECJ decision but some media houses are already in consideration.
Super League plans on stadia development, solidarity payments and development of women’s football among others will be rolled out with the inauguration of the competition should it come to fruition.