Le associazioni di tifosi dei club della Premier League inglese si uniscono per un appello congiunto all’European Club Association (ECA) per ribadire il proprio ‘No’ all’ipotesi di riforma della Champions League a partire dal 2024, di cui da tempo si discute in maniera poco trasparente, senza coinvolgere tutti gli attori del settore e che rischia di sconvolgere il calcio continentale.
Una riforma a vantaggio dei grandi club secondo quello che è trapelato finora: partite nel weekend a scapito dei campionati nazionali, una lega d’elité riservata a pochi e dal difficile accesso garantito quasi per ‘diritto divino’. Tra indiscrezioni e conferme la proposta che circola piace veramente a pochi, sopratutto convince poco i tifosi.
In UK attraverso la Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) (da poco nata dall’unione della Football Supporters’ Federation e Supporters Direct UK) è partito un appello congiunto ai club dell’ECA condiviso dall’unanime consenso dei Supporters’ Trust della massima divisione inglese: Arsenal Independent Supporters’ Association, Arsenal Supporters’ Trust, Chelsea Supporters’ Trust, Blue Union (Everton), Leicester City Supporters’ Trust, Manchester City Supporters’ Club, Manchester United Supporters’ Trust, Newcastle United Supporters’ Trust, Spirit of Shankly (Liverpool) e Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust, con l’invito a salvaguardare e tutelare i campionati e le coppe nazionali, a puntare sul merito sportivo piuttosto che sulla storia dei club e a favorire un processo di redistribuzione delle risorse sia a livello nazionale che continentale per garantire maggiore equilibrio.
Le ragioni del No alla Super Champions League presentate dalle rappresentative dei tifosi in occasione dell’ultimo meeting con i rappresentanti della Premier League.
Six reasons to oppose a European Super League
1 – Promotion and relegation based on sporting performance – from the bottom of the pyramid to qualification for Europe
2 – No to closed leagues or franchise football – qualify on results, not through history or heritage
3 – Weekends are for domestic leagues – protect fan culture, home and away. No live broadcasts on Saturdays at 3:00pm
4 – We want competitive leagues – no to even more concentration of wealth and on-going domination by a fixed few top clubs
5 – Domestic football comes first – protect the pyramid and cup competitions
6 – Share the wealth – the money from elite football should be shared across the whole game
Reasons the European super league is bad news
— The FSF (@The_FSF) 5 giugno 2019
1. Loss of solidarity £ pushes EFL/NL clubs over edge
2. PL cut to 18 teams meaning EFL could relegate 2 more clubs from L2
3. No Saturday 3pm blackout which harms lower leagues
4. Damage to FA Cup/LCup
More: https://t.co/nDs9k0ylu8
Fan groups say “no” to European super league
Supporters’ groups have joined forces to tell their clubs they do not support proposals to create a European super league, hatched by the European Club Association (ECA) and UEFA.
The plans would starve lower league clubs of funding, destroy domestic cup competitions, and prevent newly successful clubs from competing in Europe.
Qualification to Europe would be partly based on heritage, undermining sporting integrity as entry is guaranteed regardless of domestic performances.
Only nine clubs in England are members of the ECA and supporters’ groups from each have contacted their clubs outlining serious objections to the plans.
The proposed reforms to the Champions League – creating a de facto European Superleague – have huge implications for our domestic football right down the pyramid.
— The FSF (@The_FSF) 4 giugno 2019
Here's a long read on what we think of the ECA-UEFA proposals: https://t.co/nIRWWrlsv6
Kevin Miles, chief executive of the FSF, said:
“These proposals are totally counter to the principles of sporting achievement, and the knock-on effects would be disastrous throughout the game.
“The plans could force lower league clubs to the edge of the abyss, destroy domestic cup competitions, and pull up the drawbridge on teams with no European pedigree.
“It doesn’t matter how big or small your club is – these proposals would be massively damaging throughout the football pyramid. We’ll do everything in our powers to oppose them.”
ECA and Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli is reportedly responsible for the plans which would create a new format for club competitions from 2024-2025 onwards.
The number of European fixtures would increase dramatically with each club playing 14 games between September and December. Currently they play six.
Many games would take place on a weekend, pushing domestic league fixtures midweek and signalling the end of the League Cup. The FA Cup would primarily become a midweek competition.
Weekend slots generate the most TV revenue so the ECA and UEFA money grab would mean more going directly to Champions League clubs with dramatic consequences for the EFL.
Last season Championship clubs received £72.6m, League One clubs £16.3m, and League Two clubs £10.9m of Premier League TV income but this could dry up if the European super league elite horde more of that wealth.
Supporters’ groups across Europe will be at the forefront of the campaign to oppose the ECA’s plans and future campaign activities are planned for fans at all levels.
Letters have been / will be sent by supporter group from the ECA clubs: Arsenal Independent Supporters’ Association, Arsenal Supporters’ Trust, Chelsea Supporters’ Trust, Blue Union (Everton), Leicester City Supporters’ Trust, Manchester City Supporters’ Club, Manchester United Supporters’ Trust, Newcastle United Supporters’ Trust, Spirit of Shankly (Liverpool), and Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust.
Traduzione di Stefano Pagnozzi via Fsf.org.uk