New Champions League format from 2024

[Muzzy_Larsson]

16 minutes ago, pmcla26 said:

It’s not being a part of the elitism that makes fans want Champions League, it’s more the natural progression of the club and seeing us compete against sides that we wouldn’t typically compete with - plus we then get to see the top level standard of football from both us and our opposition. 

It's a careful what you wish for scenario though, I've seen both sides of the coin. I've seen Celtic sides where there was still a financial gap compete well in the Champions League and conversely I've seen that gap now grow so seismicly that we've taken a few absolute hammerings.

 

Leicester are obviously a better side than Celtic and have more money to compete by virtue of being an EPL club but the same fate could be bestowed on Leicester should they make the Champions League such is the ever widening gap between the "elite" clubs and the rest. We've seen for example Bayern absolutely emabaress Spurs, Barcelona and countless other sides in recent years.

 

Bayern are maybe not the best example as they are far more ethically and prudently run than a lot of these new rich clubs but the example still highlights the gap between a small clutch of clubs and the rest.

Edited 30 March 2021 by Muzzy_Larsson

[Muzzy_Larsson]

2 minutes ago, LCFCbwoi said:

It would be great if each team had some sort of ‘Fan Union’ who ultimately voted for and against decisions made by UEFA.
 

The idea that a few wealthy men ,with ulterior motives, make these massive decision to change the sport that is loved worldwide just doesn’t sit right with me. When almost every fan doesn’t want this new format yet somehow it still gets pushed through, no democracy at all.

"Football without fans is nothing"

 

[Tielemans63]

2 minutes ago, LCFCbwoi said:

It would be great if each team had some sort of ‘Fan Union’ who ultimately voted for and against decisions made by UEFA.
 

The idea that a few wealthy men ,with ulterior motives, make these massive decision to change the sport that is loved worldwide just doesn’t sit right with me. When almost every fan doesn’t want this new format yet somehow it still gets pushed through, no democracy at all.

This is the thing that makes me so angry. Wealthy men who couldn't give a flying **** about a sport which brings so much pleasure for so many. Just another business opportunity for them.

[Hammo]

The greatest treasures are the rarest.

 

In football as in life.

 

If the big clubs want to fight among themselves over fool’s gold, let them.

 

True sporting glory will be found elsewhere.

 

 

[Hammo]

32 minutes ago, StanSP said:

Decision to be made in a few weeks. Not tomorrow now. 

 

 

Getting cold feet after reading this forum??...😉

Edited 30 March 2021 by Hammo

[Voll Blau]

2 hours ago, filbertway said:

I wonder at what point fans will vote with their feet. This is surely a universally unpopular decision?

It doesn't matter when there's a TV audience of millions around the world. It's a fvcking racket.

[sheffield_fox]

1 hour ago, turlo said:

Especially when it will end up being the Leicester Foxes vs the London Gunners with games played in quarters and powerplays a few years down the line

You forgot to mention it will be played in dubai or Qatar 

[Tielemans63]

5 minutes ago, StanSP said:

Decision to be made in a few weeks. Not tomorrow now. 

 

 

Says it all that the sticking point is commercial rights. The new greed-fuelled format is held up by...more greed no doubt.

[RoboFox]

International footballing body in controversial greed-driven decision shocker.

 

I'm past caring. It's so commonplace that I don't even find myself getting annoyed about it any more. 

 

Football will eventually eat itself, and I look forward to the day.

[sheffield_fox]

Such a shame that this happens just as Leicester start doing well again. It totally devalues the CL imo. 

[davieG]

26 minutes ago, Nalis said:

The future....

 

I honesty think we're moving towards at an NFL top tier style franchise and then moving towards European cities bidding to join the league.

 

Teams will have a couple of seasonal games against teams outside the locked out league like local derbies such as Liverpool v Everton, Juve v Torino but that will be the extent of it.

 

Tickets will be around 200 quid a match, obviously.

At least the NFL try to get a level playing field with their draft system and their sharing of all club merchandise profits under the NFL badge.

[Le Renard]

This has been driven through by Agnelli of Juventus and probably the American owners in the premier league.  These American owners don't believe in relegation and believe they have an automatic right to the pot of gold!

[davieG]

Just now, sheffield_fox said:

Such a shame that this happens just as Leicester start doing well again. It totally devalues the CL imo. 

It's most likely because of teams like Leicester encroaching on what they perceive as their right.

[st albans fox]

It’s the yanks ..... once the yanks got involved it’s all gone tits up and some of the European heavyweights are delighted to have this change in outlook to grab onto .....

 

 

[SouthStandUpperTier]

1 minute ago, davieG said:

At least the NFL try to get a level playing field with their draft system and their sharing of all club merchandise profits under the NFL badge.

And they have a salary cap too. I don't like the NFL franchise system, but at least it is a meritocracy. The most recent Superbowl was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Vs Kansas City Chiefs. That would be the equivalent of something like Bournemouth Vs Norwich. Meanwhile the Dallas Cowboys, the most valuable sports team in the world, haven't sniffed a Superbowl in 25 years.

[HoChiMinhFOX]

2 hours ago, AKCJ said:

Vote with your TV subscriptions. Would have a far greater impact than not going to the ground.

And definitely, definitely don't illegally stream! 

[AKCJ]

2 minutes ago, HoChiMinhFOX said:

And definitely, definitely don't illegally stream! 

[TiffToff88]

Is there still a limit of 5 teams from a nation in the Champions League even if one is a wildcard? What happens if, lets say:

 

Man City win the League, Liverpool 2nd, Tottenham 3rd, Leicester 4th.

 

Chelsea finish 8th but win the Champions League (or Europa League) so they qualify. Manchester United finish 9th but they get given a wildcard as one of the highest ranking non-qualifiers. Would that mean that our place would be given to them?

[Trav Le Bleu]

Champions League 2024: Decision on new format with 10-match first phase delayed -

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56573883

[yorkie1999]

2 hours ago, turtmcfly said:

 

A chance to embarrass yourself. It's a remarkably popular option

 

 

At the moment Saville and Arsenal would be keeping out Dortmund Chelsea Spurs and a number of other big clubs which would mean they would have to get top 4 in order to qualify for CL.

[Hoopla10]

This feels like as much a push into the EPL market without actually hurting the finances of the top 4 big teams in the EPL. The whole thing sounds horrific and some Frankenstein's monster of a compromise instead of the "super league" that they really want. And the sad thing is as others have mentioned the decision is entirely taken out of the fans hands because the international money generated by this will be huge. We are surplus to requirements (other than bringing crowd "atmosphere" for the TV cameras). At least once we get back into the stadiums there's a place we can have our voices heard. 

[PhillippaT]

27 minutes ago, Voll Blau said:

It doesn't matter when there's a TV audience of millions around the world. It's a fvcking racket.

It's really not tennis, is it?  

[yorkie1999]

4 minutes ago, Hoopla10 said:

This feels like as much a push into the EPL market without actually hurting the finances of the top 4 big teams in the EPL. The whole thing sounds horrific and some Frankenstein's monster of a compromise instead of the "super league" that they really want. And the sad thing is as others have mentioned the decision is entirely taken out of the fans hands because the international money generated by this will be huge. We are surplus to requirements (other than bringing crowd "atmosphere" for the TV cameras). At least once we get back into the stadiums there's a place we can have our voices heard. 

Not really, you've probably noticed the synthesized crowds over the last year. The main selling point of professional live football was the fans, that's what sky really sell, and without them it's just a game of sunday morning football with skillful players. Now they've figured out that it's possible and  acceptable to play a recording over the top, they don't need fans.  I heard villa chants during our last league match and probably no-one batted an eyelid.

[GlennyFox55]

Sounds absolutely awful and of course they push this through when there’s no fans in grounds to make their feelings known.

[turlo]

28 minutes ago, Le Renard said:

This has been driven through by Agnelli of Juventus and probably the American owners in the premier league.  These American owners don't believe in relegation and believe they have an automatic right to the pot of gold!

Yep Agnelli knows the likes of Seria A will be never able to compete with the EPL financially but can bridge that gap by making the European League the most lucrative competition in Football, with his club having a guaranteed seat at the top table. The American owners want to Americanise football so they can make inroads into the American market, which is where the big money is.