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As the world is gripped by World Cup fever, the craze for football seems to be peaking with each match. With club football on the sidelines, fans and players have forgotten their usual rivalries to team up for a national identity.
But behind the scenes, there has been a tussle going on between footballing bodies over a phenomenon known as the European Super League.
KPMG International recently published a study on the economic damage caused by the European Super League and its impact on LaLiga and professional football clubs in Spain.
Javier Tebas, president of LaLiga, had this to say at the headquarters of the Spanish Confederation of Business Organisations (CEOE) in Madrid where the KPMG report was presented:
“The format they are talking about is very detrimental to the national leagues, so they know that the opposition to it will remain strong. Let’s hope the Super League doesn’t go ahead because it will destroy the local league and their supporters.”
Implementation of Super League to be severely detrimental to LaLiga and other European footballing bodies: Report
According to the report, LaLiga faces an estimated revenue loss of up to 55%. Additionally, the loss of value for non-Super League clubs will be up to 64%.
The Super League has faced opposition from all corners of the football world, but is now garnering attention from political authorities across the EU as well. The Council of Europe and the European Parliament have voiced their opinion against the idea.
The domestic leagues have a 70% revenue share in European football with the 40 European professional leagues and associations generating a total revenue of €25.725 billion, including €11 billion audiovisual rights. According to the KPMG study, domestic leagues account for 75% revenue in European football.
Based on the study, LaLiga stated that the Super League will cause an economic vacuum from the domestic leagues and destroy Europe’s economic and sporting ecosystem, impacting the distribution of money between clubs and federations.
In 2019, UEFA/ECA had presented a pyramidal Pan European League System which was rejected in May 2019 by all European clubs and leagues. According to the report, the 2022 Super League model offers a semi-closed promotion and relegation system.
LaLiga mentioned that access to European competitions must be maintained on sporting merit from domestic sporting competitions, otherwise it would mean the disappearance of chances of all clubs to qualify.
According to the 2022 system, each season there will have four spots out of the 20, which will be offered to clubs from lower leagues. LaLiga added that reforms are needed in Europe but Super League is not the answer needed.
Another issue that the study raised against the Super League was that of its revenue model. According to analysis by LaLiga, the Super League would increase revenues for both FC Barcelona and Real Madrid by €400 million, decreasing the revenue for other clubs by 55%.
LaLiga stated that the overall economic impact on broadcasting rights would reduce the relevance of domestic competitions by diluting the talent of top-level teams in local leagues and increasing match congestion, with the possibility of domestic matches being moved to midweek.
