• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, December 17, 2024

96-Club European Super League Proposal Unveiled, but Critics Remain

The idea of the European Super League has roiled the sport for nearly four years. The notion is now resurfacing in dramatic fashion. 

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Plenty of soccer fans hate the idea of the European Super League in the sport. FIFA and UEFA bitterly fought the concept. Nonetheless, the notion is back—and bigger than ever—with Tuesday’s announcement of a 96-team Unify League.

A22 Sports Management, a company originally formed to aid the development of the ESL, introduced a restructured concept for a pan-European club competition with the Unify League that expanded from a prior, planned men’s competition with 64 teams. 

The new proposal, being submitted to FIFA and UEFA for official recognition, arrives almost one year to the day from a ruling by the European Court of Justice that prior restrictions around the ESL were “unlawful.” In the proposed new structure, the 96 teams would be divided into four “leagues”: two top tiers of 16 clubs each, and two lower ones with 32 clubs each. Top-performing clubs in each league would then advance to knockout rounds, and the four-level structure contemplates annual promotion and relegation among the tiers. 

“Now is the time for all stakeholders, including UEFA and FIFA, to bring real innovation that prioritizes fan experience and affordability, player welfare, and match competitiveness,” said A22 CEO Bernd Reichart. 

The original ESL proposal died in 2021 in the face of heated public criticism across Europe, but LaLiga rivals FC Barcelona and Real Madrid still spent more than two years in an extended legal effort to revive it. Now in this retooled incarnation, the Unify League will be based in no small part on a direct-to-consumer streaming service, called Unify, which will offer free, ad-supported distribution of matches as well as an ad-free subscription option.

“Our extensive engagement with key stakeholders revealed a number of pressing challenges facing the sport including increasing subscription costs for fans, an overloaded player calendar, insufficient investment in women’s football, and dissatisfaction with the format and governance of the current pan-European competitions,” Reichart said. 

Rough Reaction

Though some clubs, including those two LaLiga giants, have supported the Unify League concept, the Spanish league itself had some of the most blistering initial criticism of the new concept.

“Those from A22 Sports are back with a new idea: they produce formats as if they were churros, without analyzing or studying the economic and sporting effects on the competition,” LaLiga president Javier Tebas tweeted in Spanish. “The television model they propose only favors the big clubs (and they know it…) while endangering the economic stability of the national leagues and their clubs.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Dec 12, 2024; Flushing, NY, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto poses for photos during his introductory press conference at Citi Field.

Soto Sells: Mets Signing Spurs Record Ticket Sales, Surge in Fan Demand

The MLB club’s ticket sales surge following the historic signing.

Kirk Cousins’s Struggles Loom Over Falcons Future (and Salary Cap)

The quarterback is in the first year of a $180 million contract.

NBA Cup Needs Time, Tradition to Earn Fans’ Interest

The NBA Cup was inspired by European soccer tournaments.

Featured Today

Indiana's Elijah Sarratt (13) celebrates a touchdown during the Indiana versus Purdue football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.

How College Football Entered an Unprecedented Era of Parity

The reason the expanded Playoff bracket includes new faces.
Michigan signee Bryce Underwood smiles during national signing day at Belleville High School in Belleville on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024.
December 14, 2024

Reader Mailbag: Is the NIL Era Out of Control?

Readers had a lot to say about Ellison and the NIL era.
December 13, 2024

The Top-Secret Operation to Create the Army-Navy Football Uniforms

The two-year process includes dozens of employees, NDAs, and military historians.
Nov 2, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Detailed view of a Wilson NBA basketball held by a referee during the second half between the Utah Jazz against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena
December 9, 2024

‘Obvious Weak Point’: Refs Remain an NBA Gambling Concern

A season after Jontay Porter, the biggest risk may not be players.

Soccer’s Super League Back From Dead As Unify League

The UEFA challenger won an antitrust case last year.
December 16, 2024

A First: U.S. Ryder Cup Players to Receive $200K Stipend in 2025

This is the first time Ryder Cup players will be paid.
December 16, 2024

Players Care About the NBA Cup. Does That Outweigh Complications?

Players value the experience of playing in high-intensity regular-season games.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
Dec 14, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) controls the ball against Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. (5) during the fourth quarter in a semifinal of the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup at T-Mobile Arena.
December 16, 2024

NBA Cup’s Scheduling Dilemma: Fans Are Struggling to Commit to Final

The league wants the tournament to be a tentpole event.
Sep 24, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Liberty guard Courtney Vandersloot (22) looks to drive past Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard (10) during game two of the first round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Barclays Center.
December 16, 2024

WNBA Announces First Regular-Season International Game in Vancouver

The league played preseason games in Canada, Mexico, and England.
December 16, 2024

Mahomes Injury Highlights NFL’s Brutal Stretch for Four Contenders

The Chiefs, Steelers, Ravens, and Texans will play three games in 11 days.
Nov 9, 2024; Munich, Germany; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell signs autographs during NFL Live Munich at Augustiner-Keller.
December 16, 2024

NFL Stands Firm Amid DEI Blowback

Goodell said they’re committed to DEI “because it makes the NFL better.”