The Premier League goes on a world tour

[modogthemonkey]

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.

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 finalized 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.

Full article here.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_3117424,00.html

http://www.premierleague.com/page/Headlines/0,,12306~1235581,00.html

[4savo4]

R.I.P Football......

It's our league!!!!!!

[Shymega]

Good news for me.

Their is 500 million+ Premier League fans around the world, and 60+ million people in England alone. I guess it makes sense to make a round.

[USB]

I think it is quite possibly the most retarded idea i've ever head. Honestly what the hell are they gonna dream up next? The F.A only want more money

[AsHopeDies]

It's so funny how English fans are so protective of their league and their players. I was reading in FourFourTwo the other day that they asked all of these people about the number of foreign players in the premiership and their responses were completely black and white. All players and coaches who were English and were poled said they thought it really hurt the game and that there should be requirements for English players and limits for foreign players.

What a joke. Why don't you want to have the best league in the world? I personally love the fact that no American sports have limits and hope none of them ever do. I love the fact that I can turn on a baseball game and know that I'm watching the best players in the world. Same goes for Basketball, Football, etc.

I think them playing games on foreign soil is even less important. Why do you give a damn if Fulham plays Pompy in New York? Or whoever plays where. It's no less "your league". It's proof of it's popularity and superiority.

Get over yourself.

[Shymega]

I think it is quite possibly the most retarded idea i've ever head. Honestly what the hell are they gonna dream up next? The F.A only want more money

The Leagues here do it. The NHL's fanbase is 1/3 European and the league consists of 30% Euro players, so it's only right to play a game or two a year over there. The same would go for the Premiership. I don't see a big deal since it's only 1 game. Now if it gets up to like 5 a season(which would never happen)than i can see the problem.

[USB]

It's so funny how English fans are so protective of their league and their players. I was reading in FourFourTwo the other day that they asked all of these people about the number of foreign players in the premiership and their responses were completely black and white. All players and coaches who were English and were poled said they thought it really hurt the game and that there should be requirements for English players and limits for foreign players.

What a joke. Why don't you want to have the best league in the world? I personally love the fact that no American sports have limits and hope none of them ever do. I love the fact that I can turn on a baseball game and know that I'm watching the best players in the world. Same goes for Basketball, Football, etc.

I think them playing games on foreign soil is even less important. Why do you give a damn if Fulham plays Pompy in New York? Or whoever plays where. It's no less "your league". It's proof of it's popularity and superiority.

Get over yourself.

Football is played all over the world therefore decent players can come from anywhere. The sports popular in america are manly only played to a high standard in america and once you've added the college system its pretty much only north americans playing.

The New York Giants arent going to sign a New Zealand Running back for $10M they'd just trade/sign a free agent or draft one. Therefore the player is from the league already and most likey american. You guys just have a different system to the rest of the world.

In england the sports teams can sign who they want for how much they want. The top footballers in england drop out of school at 16/17 and will go into the football acadmeys. Thats to your first point.


The Leagues here do it. The NHL's fanbase is 1/3 European and the league consists of 30% Euro players, so it's only right to play a game or two a year over there. The same would go for the Premiership. I don't see a big deal since it's only 1 game. Now if it gets up to like 5 a season(which would never happen)than i can see the problem.

38 games played. Chelsea and man u are level on 87 points each at the top of the league Chelsea's 39th game is against derby in . Man u's 39th game is against newcastle. Hardly fair is it?

I mean its an english league with english teams and english fans why play games in china so a bunch of armchair fans who only know who man united are because of the whole beckham thing can see them play when the fans that go week in week out back home would have to fly half way around the world to see their team play

Football is already the most popular sport in the world, the english premier league is already consided the best league in the world so whats the point?


money

[4savo4]

I think them playing games on foreign soil is even less important. Why do you give a damn if Fulham plays Pompy in New York? Or whoever plays where. It's no less "your league". It's proof of it's popularity and superiority.

Get over yourself.



We don't care if we are the richest league or the most popular it's the ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE. Not the English Globe trotters.

Some people don't realise how much we the fans are getting isolated in decisions. We can barely afford tickets now.

[Knocc Out]

A ridiculous idea, motivated solely by money, and with scant regard for the fans, SKY is to blame for all of this

Personally I'll be absolutely delighted the day football implodes and the whole thing goes bankrupt... then we can get back to REAL men earning REAL wages playing REAL footy!!!

The Premiership is a respected league, why do they want to turn it into a circus act?!

Leave all that nonsense to American Football please.

[Shymega]

A ridiculous idea, motivated solely by money, and with scant regard for the fans, SKY is to blame for all of this

Personally I'll be absolutely delighted the day football implodes and the whole thing goes bankrupt... then we can get back to REAL men earning REAL wages playing REAL footy!!!

The Premiership is a respected league, why do they want to turn it into a circus act?!

Leave all that nonsense to American Football please.

The Premier League will never get watered down like the NFL, are you crazy?

[Thomson]

since when was profit a dirty word?

what's the big fucking deal? your club earns more money, the FA earns more money (who by the way are a non profit organisation you fucking idiots), the English league gets more world wide attention and we get more matches to watch. not only that but the English league needs to stay ahead. when the Italians and the Spanish start doing this (which they will) and those clubs and leagues start getting massive world wide attention and the big bucks we'll fall behind. this is business is 2008, not 1908.

how exactly are the fans getting shafted in this? the prem will still have all its matches in England as usual everything will stay exactly the same AS USUAL. the top clubs have pre season friendly abroad every fucking year, how is this any different really?

at the end of the day Premier league football clubs are businesses and they have the right to do what they want. they dont owe you anything.

you don't like it? tough shit. keep your money in your pocket.

[Rado]

Premier league football clubs are businesses

Now they are, it's a sad sad truth.

[Thomson]

Globalisation people, its happening.

get in on the act or fall behind. its that simple.

im not trying to offend anyone with this but here it goes.

its this type of mentality that's holding this country behind, and i don't just mean in football. i work for a bank and i see first hand why company's or businesses (including football clubs) are failing so badly. that's why England is 10 years behind country's like America, Japan and Germany in EVERY aspect.

We need to let go of this whole "British identity" thing. what are we so afraid of? we love everything that's local here in Britain. Local pubs, local shops, local football clubs. its all going to dissapear. they'll be no more local butchers, shops, pubs or football clubs, its all apart of globalisation. the quicker we let it happen the better. its a sad reality but its going happen.

there's not enough for everybody in business, only the few elite. we either get in or we get the fuck out of the way. if we don't do this, we WILL fall behind.

i mean that for every aspect of life.

[AsHopeDies]

Football is played all over the world therefore decent players can come from anywhere. The sports popular in america are manly only played to a high standard in america and once you've added the college system its pretty much only north americans playing.

I mean this with all due respect. But you simply don't know what you are talking about. American Football is the only popular sports in the states that isn't popular in a substantial part of the world. Look up statistics on baseball, hockey, and basketball, and hell even the MLS while you are at it.

The New York Giants arent going to sign a New Zealand Running back for $10M they'd just trade/sign a free agent or draft one. Therefore the player is from the league already and most likey american. You guys just have a different system to the rest of the world.

Again, you are only addressing one of our popular sports. Need I remind you that the Boston Red Sox paid 50 million dollars to simply enter negotiations with a Japanese pitcher last year. They then agreed to a 50 million dollar salary, that's 100 million bucks on one guy. Baseball is full of foreigners. Basketball has plenty of foreigners.

I mean its an english league with english teams and english fans why play games in china so a bunch of armchair fans who only know who man united are because of the whole beckham thing can see them play when the fans that go week in week out back home would have to fly half way around the world to see their team play

This is the attitude I have a problem with. I'm not allowed to be an Arsenal fan because I don't live in London? That's complete bullshit. I'm only an armchair fan because I don't live in London? Again, bullshit. Either you want the best league in the world with the best players, or you want a decent little league full of English players and English fans. You can't have them both. Perhaps the Premiership is paying back their international fans while trying to grow the popularity of the league and make some money.

I don't think it's 100% fair to the teams, just like I didn't think it was 100% fair to the Giants and Dolphins to make them play in Wembley. But that doesn't mean I didn't like the fact that a real game was being played in England. You should be proud that your national league is popular enough to warrant this. You should take pride in it. You shouldn't be selfish pricks with your "it's our game for English eyes only" bullshit.

We don't care if we are the richest league or the most popular it's the ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE. Not the English Globe trotters.

Some people don't realise how much we the fans are getting isolated in decisions. We can barely afford tickets now.

Globe trotters? It's ONE FUCKING GAME!!!

Welcome to the world of pro sports. I can barely afford a ticket to any of the pro sports around me.

A ridiculous idea, motivated solely by money, and with scant regard for the fans, SKY is to blame for all of this

Again with this stupid, selfish regard for what a 'fan' is. I know plenty of people in the states who would absolutely love to see a real premiership game, but will never get a chance to in their lives. Image if they actually got that opportunity. If this happens, it's going to be people's favorite times of their lives. You guys don't get it cause it's in your backyard. But it's 'YOU' who doesn't have any regards for the fans, only the English fans.

Just like you don't like foreign players. Just like you don't take consideration that La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, etc. etc. can compete with the EPL...the list goes on and on.

[Knocc Out]

Again with this stupid, selfish regard for what a 'fan' is. I know plenty of people in the states who would absolutely love to see a real premiership game, but will never get a chance to in their lives. Image if they actually got that opportunity. If this happens, it's going to be people's favorite times of their lives. You guys don't get it cause it's in your backyard. But it's 'YOU' who doesn't have any regards for the fans, only the English fans.

Just like you don't like foreign players. Just like you don't take consideration that La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, etc. etc. can compete with the EPL...the list goes on and on.

It's an horrendous idea for several reasons, one is if the games were merely exhibitions and didn't count then fair enough, but it would not be fair to have them count. Imagine after 38 games the teams in 17th and 18th are 1 point apart and the team in 17th have to play Arsenal in their extra game whilst the lower team get Derby. How would that be fair that the team in 18th would probably survive because of playing Derby 3 times as opposed to Arsenal 3 times? It would entirely devalue the Premiership as a competition.

A pathetic gimmick.I suppose they'll be consulting the supporters?!

[4savo4]

Globe trotters? It's ONE FUCKING GAME!!!

Welcome to the world of pro sports. I can barely afford a ticket to any of the pro sports around me.



It starts with one fucking game, that turns into two fucking games, that turns into ten fucking games.

About the tickets well considering our teams make most of the money from TV Deals and Merchandise. My Season ticket pays 1 hour of Rooneys wages, why don't they just lower tickets prices.

[Knocc Out]

How much money does the Premier League need? What is the point of playing competitive games abroad, especially the far east, apart from cash.. the players will be jet-lagged during and after and all so some organisation that is already stinking rich can get even more and the big clubs can leverage more debt for their foreign owners.

The F.A are also kidding themselves if they think overseas fans will pay big money to see any of the teams outside of the Top 4 and Spurs.

[AsHopeDies]

It's an horrendous idea for several reasons, one is if the games were merely exhibitions and didn't count then fair enough, but it would not be fair to have them count. Imagine after 38 games the teams in 17th and 18th are 1 point apart and the team in 17th have to play Arsenal in their extra game whilst the lower team get Derby. How would that be fair that the team in 18th would probably survive because of playing Derby 3 times as opposed to Arsenal 3 times? It would entirely devalue the Premiership as a competition.

It's been proven already that exhibition games only mean so much. What fans want to see is a real game, that actually means something. That's what I like the most about this proposal and about what the NFL is doing. It makes it actually worth doing.

I agree that it is unfair, I've stated that already. I also feel that if it was a scheduled game and not an extra game, that would cut down on the unfairness, although it would still be unfair to the team that loses the home game. Let's not forget that the Giants lost a home game this year in the game at Wembley and the Giants still won the friggin Super Bowl, at least I think it was supposed to be in NY. It's not that big of a deal.

It starts with one fucking game, that turns into two fucking games, that turns into ten fucking games.

About the tickets well considering our teams make most of the money from TV Deals and Merchandise. My Season ticket pays 1 hour of Rooneys wages, why don't they just lower tickets prices.

You have no basis for your fears about it expanding to more games. But to your point, I think multiple games is too much, I think that's wrong. I think playing one game abroad is something you guys need to quit bitching about.

In regards to ticket prices, I completely agree. But it's the same way here. And furthermore, I don't see what that has to do with this current situation.

How much money does the Premier League need? What is the point of playing competitive games abroad, especially the far east, apart from cash.. the players will be jet-lagged during and after and all so some organisation that is already stinking rich can get even more and the big clubs can leverage more debt for their foreign owners.

The F.A are also kidding themselves if they think overseas fans will pay big money to see any of the teams outside of the Top 4 and Spurs.

I'm not getting how this is completely based on money? Isn't it going to cost the FA a lot of money to coordinate all of this stuff. The logistics of something like this has to be nuts. They will sell tickets but they sell tickets to every game. And will the money from these ticket sales not go to the team? Who coordinates and pays for the travel of the teams and lodging? Getting refs? It seems like a greater cost than gain financially.

[Knocc Out]

It's been proven already that exhibition games only mean so much. What fans want to see is a real game, that actually means something. That's what I like the most about this proposal and about what the NFL is doing. It makes it actually worth doing.

I agree that it is unfair, I've stated that already. I also feel that if it was a scheduled game and not an extra game, that would cut down on the unfairness, although it would still be unfair to the team that loses the home game. Let's not forget that the Giants lost a home game this year in the game at Wembley and the Giants still won the friggin Super Bowl, at least I think it was supposed to be in NY. It's not that big of a deal.



You have no basis for your fears about it expanding to more games. But to your point, I think multiple games is too much, I think that's wrong. I think playing one game abroad is something you guys need to quit bitching about.

In regards to ticket prices, I completely agree. But it's the same way here. And furthermore, I don't see what that has to do with this current situation.



I'm not getting how this is completely based on money? Isn't it going to cost the FA a lot of money to coordinate all of this stuff. The logistics of something like this has to be nuts. They will sell tickets but they sell tickets to every game. And will the money from these ticket sales not go to the team? Who coordinates and pays for the travel of the teams and lodging? Getting refs? It seems like a greater cost than gain financially.

The F.A has very top 4 attitutde. A 39th game will only benefit the Manchester Utds, Liverpools, Arsenals, Chelseas.

Whereas the Carling cup is a chance of silverware for a lot of the smaller premiership clubs. If your asking me whether I'd rather see Arsenal (my team) play in a Carling cup semi or make a few more million in Malaysia, the answer is obvious.

But all in all, I dont think the F.A or Sky gives a shit about the little man No, let's squeeze this cash cow until we kill it, but in the meantime, look at the money!!

Yeah.... and the gap between the Championship and the Premier league widens even further in money making!

GENUIS!!

[Meio]

This is the attitude I have a problem with. I'm not allowed to be an Arsenal fan because I don't live in London? That's complete bullshit. I'm only an armchair fan because I don't live in London? Again, bullshit. Either you want the best league in the world with the best players, or you want a decent little league full of English players and English fans. You can't have them both. Perhaps the Premiership is paying back their international fans while trying to grow the popularity of the league and make some money.

You have to understand how these clubs developed in order to understand the fan to club relationship.
Most Football clubs in the UK were formed by small groups of local people, they were self funded initially and then funded by club members and gate receipts. Take Arsenal for example. Formed as a worker team down at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, they have been funded by fans' membership fees/season tickets, gate receipts, purchase of goods, and more recently subscriptions to broadcasting services for generations. In essence the fans own more of the club than anyone else. Look what happened when the Dons moved to MK, MK Dons are struggling to make ends meet while some traditional Dons fans have tried to continue what they see as the true heritage of the club with A.F.C. Wimbledon.
Sure you need sponsorship, big money private investment or a massive international market in order to survive paying the fees you need to stay at the top, but every club is bigger than that.
Remember that Soccer in the UK, and many places in the world, do not operate a league franchise system like most pro sports leagues in the US. The league owns very little over here, the clubs themselves own the grounds, the staff (including players), and their brand. And this ownership is enabled by the fans, not the league.

[Shymega]

It's an horrendous idea for several reasons, one is if the games were merely exhibitions and didn't count then fair enough, but it would not be fair to have them count. Imagine after 38 games the teams in 17th and 18th are 1 point apart and the team in 17th have to play Arsenal in their extra game whilst the lower team get Derby. How would that be fair that the team in 18th would probably survive because of playing Derby 3 times as opposed to Arsenal 3 times? It would entirely devalue the Premiership as a competition.

A pathetic gimmick.I suppose they'll be consulting the supporters?!

You think Derby will still be in the Prem in 2011?:dunce:

[Fender]

i thought it was cool when the giants played miami at wembley stadium since they dont have an american football league like the nfl, but if they did than it would have just seemed pointless. new yorkers would rather go to giants games, and english people would rather go to their teams games. you can always watch another teams game on tv anyway.

[modogthemonkey]

I dont really have problem of the clubs of going a world tour and letting the fans of the clubs get to see a competitive game,which they wouldn't necessary get see.

But my main worry is the playing a club 3 times thing and the importance of it on the final league table. And which team get plays which team because,this could favor certain clubs depending on who they get. But I suppose it would be a luck of the draw.

Why couldnt they left it at 38 games and still gone on tour?

[4savo4]

So if it happens in January does that mean they're going to get rid of F.A Cup replays, Or the league cup?

[Shymega]

So if it happens in January does that mean they're going to get rid of F.A Cup replays, Or the league cup?

Why would they do that? It's just another regular weekend, just not played in England. Or am i mis-understanding you?

[USB]

I mean this with all due respect. But you simply don't know what you are talking about. American Football is the only popular sports in the states that isn't popular in a substantial part of the world. Look up statistics on baseball, hockey, and basketball, and hell even the MLS while you are at it.

Im getting at the fact that in the US the league owns the clubs. There's no multiple divisions its all franchized. THe best players from high school go to a sporting college then get drafted. Keeping it all american. Over here teams are free to sign who ever they want and there's no salary caps




This is the attitude I have a problem with. I'm not allowed to be an Arsenal fan because I don't live in London? That's complete bullshit. I'm only an armchair fan because I don't live in London? Again, bullshit. Either you want the best league in the world with the best players, or you want a decent little league full of English players and English fans. You can't have them both. Perhaps the Premiership is paying back their international fans while trying to grow the popularity of the league and make some money.


So what? Lifelong fans that go everyweek to see their team play will have to miss a match because some Aussie who only knows about Man united becuase of their glory days in the 90's can go and see a game. Its bullshit.

NYG and Miami played over here to try and grow the sport here and raise intrest. Does Football need growing worldwide? The premiership is already the biggest league in the world. The only reason for this is money.

[4savo4]

Why would they do that? It's just another regular weekend, just not played in England. Or am i mis-understanding you?

They said when the games happen they won't play a weeknight game 1 week before or after the game abroad. So basically if the game happens on a saturday, they won't play a game the wednesday or tuesday before the game and the same after.

[AsHopeDies]

Im getting at the fact that in the US the league owns the clubs. There's no multiple divisions its all franchized. THe best players from high school go to a sporting college then get drafted. Keeping it all american. Over here teams are free to sign who ever they want and there's no salary caps

Baseball teams are free to sign whoever they want and there is no salary cap. All other major sports are free to sign who they want, they just have a salary cap, just like the rugby leagues in England.

I'm also pretty sure that the leagues don't own the teams here either. But my main reply is that I'm not sure what you are getting at. Regardless of how the teams acquire the players, in order to have the best league in the world, you have to get the best talent from around the world.

So what? Lifelong fans that go everyweek to see their team play will have to miss a match because some Aussie who only knows about Man united becuase of their glory days in the 90's can go and see a game. Its bullshit.

What's bullshit is your generalization of fans outside of England.

NYG and Miami played over here to try and grow the sport here and raise intrest. Does Football need growing worldwide? The premiership is already the biggest league in the world. The only reason for this is money.

NYG and Miami played there to try and grow the interest of the league, not the sport. They want more fans. They don't care if people in England 'play' American football or not, although I'm sure that was probably a tertiary motive to increase the player pool in the future.

But you are really contradicting yourself here. You claim that the premiership is the biggest league in the world in the same post that you claim that a person in Australia only knows about ManU because of their glory days in the 90s. Both of those things can't be true. But either case is as much of an argument FOR playing games abroad as it is against. If the league is the most popular in the world and people from all nations know the teams, then the games will be a huge success with great turnouts and support. If the league needs to increase it's footprint it some foreign countries, then the games will accomplish that as well.

You guys keep contradicting yourselves. One guy is complaining about ticket prices while others are complaining about a game being played that they, as fans, won't be able to attend. I just don't get it.

Honestly, step back and think about it. It's one game. It's either spreading or validating the league's popularity throughout the world, both of which are positives. It'll take the team a day to travel, day to acclimate, day to play, and then they are home again. It's not that big of a deal.

I get the initial reaction, I had a similar one when they announced the NFL game in London. But the more I thought about it the more I liked it. I'm glad they played it, I'm glad it was successful.

[USB]

But you are really contradicting yourself here. You claim that the premiership is the biggest league in the world in the same post that you claim that a person in Australia only knows about ManU because of their glory days in the 90s. Both of those things can't be true. But either case is as much of an argument FOR playing games abroad as it is against. If the league is the most popular in the world and people from all nations know the teams, then the games will be a huge success with great turnouts and support. If the league needs to increase it's footprint it some foreign countries, then the games will accomplish that as well.


Im getting at the fact people from overseas are more likely to support one of the top english sides because of success thus making them glory hunter/jump on the bandwagon. Therefore their not really fans. if games go overseas then its great for the punter in China/where ever but its the fans here that will loss out. plus adding an extra game to the league is just plain dumb. Its not like overseas fans never get the chance, the teams do preseason tours to these countrys.

Mate, we can argue and argue about this but your not gonna change my opinon and i cant change your's, just try to understand that from an english fans point of view its one hell of a fucking stupid idea. This is the only place where people have been supportive of the idea.

[modogthemonkey]

Michel Platini has his say

Uefa president Michel Platini has labelled the Premier League's plans to stage an international round of fixtures as 'comical'.

On Thursday, the 20 English top flight clubs unanimously voted in favour of proposals to hold an additional fixture each season which would be played abroad from January 2011.

The plans have been met by contrasting opinions throughout football and Platini has now voiced his concerns over the proposal.

And Platini does not believe Fifa will back the plans when the governing body's executive committee meet on 14th March in Zurich.

"It's a strange and comical idea," Platini told the Daily Telegraph.

"I was laughing. I laughed because it will never be received by Fifa, by the fans and by the national associations. It's a nonsense idea."

Platini, who has been critical in the past of the Premier League's over reliance on foreign talent, also reiterated his fears that English football is ignoring home-grown talent.

"Soon you will have in England no English presidents, you already have no English coach, you have no English players and maybe now you will have no clubs playing in England. It's a joke," Platini added.

And Platini has revealed he has spoken to Fifa president Sepp Blatter regarding the plans and that his counterpart shares the same opinion.

"We share the same idea that it's the responsibility of national associations (to allow English teams to play competitively in their countries), and I am sure they will never accept it because it's not good for football," Platini concluded.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_3123519,00.html