Liverpool and Manchester United have submitted a plan to reduce the EPL to 18 teams and get rid of the League Cup & Community Shield [Thread]

Can they do that? Who owns the EPL?

The EPL is a private company owned by the 20 playing clubs. Each club gets a physical share certificate. They take it away if you get relegated

Clubs are allowed to propose changes. For a change to be approved it needs 14 clubs to agree (70%)

So clubs all get in a room and vote on any major league changes?

Exactly.

There's 4 meetings a year. Each club gets one vote at the meeting. You stick your hand up if you agree & they count the hands (proper old school).

What's the argument motivating for 18 teams?

Smaller teams sometimes take on disproportionate financial risk trying to get to the EPL & end up imploding.

There's 72 teams below the EPL (the EFL). These teams will get $326m in emergency funding ++ 25% of the income of the EPL

How lucrative is a spot in the EPL?

Massive.

There's an equal share payment across UK based broadcasting and international TV revenue.
This is especially important to lower ranked teams.

98% of the Huddersfield's revenue from the EPL related to broadcast + shared revenue.

What about "parachute" payments?

Under the proposed plan parachute payments will be scrapped. These are payments to teams which get relegated.

Rick Parry is the chair of the EFL & he supports this deal

Won't this increase the power of the wealthiest teams?

Yes.

Man United is owned by the Glazers and Liverpool owned by John Henry. Both sets of billionaires recognize the power that comes from a smaller league ++ change in voting systems.

(14 club majority rule will change)

Who is expected to support this deal for 18 teams? When will it start?

Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs and City are expected to support the deal. So essentially that's 8 votes.

With 6 more clubs on-board, we could see 18 teams in the EPL as soon as the 2022/ 2023 season

What's in it for the England's Football Association (EFA)?

There's a once off payment to the EFA of $130m for "handling the conronavirus pandemic".

Which is not so subtle code for "here's money for your support in this plan"

Where have we seen this before?

Enter another billionaire family. The Agnelli's (estimated worth of $13bn+)

Andrea Agnelli is the chairman of Juventus and has said that he favors reducing league sizes to create space for better games between Europe’s elite teams.

Football is a multi-billionaire empire run by men in suits who can alter history by simply sticking up their hands in a boardroom.

True fans of football who spend hours on trains travelling to games & religiously supporting their teams will watch this unfold helplessly.

[END]

Are you supportive of the Man United & Liverpool proposal to reduce the EPL to 18 teams?

Here's a link to more on the finances behind big football https://bankerx.co.za/2020/07/27/inside-the-cut-throat-world-of-football-finance/

Additional reading:

1. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/11/sports/soccer/premier-league-reform-plan.html

2. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/54499998

3. https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/document/2020/10/02/207ba212-d4d8-4c1c-bc0b-7d3cf6c8eedb/2020-21-PL-Handbook-021020.pdf

Shout-out for making it to the end