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10 Nov 2015 06:18:56
Hi eds, recently read a few articles about Barcelona possibly leaving LA liga if Catalonia gain independence from Spain. any ideas on where they would play their league football if this were to happen? also a couple of journos in Spain think that if they do leave LA liga it could be the kickstarter that leads to the breakaway euro league, could you see it happening?
Cheers.

1.) 10 Nov 2015 08:52:29

{Ed002's Note - We won't get to the point where Barcelona are expelled from La Liga and if they are they would be welcome in France - but it won't happen. The breakaway league will happen but is not dependent solely on Barcelona.

A breakaway league remains very much a now issue with regular discussions on the matter between a dozen or more clubs.

Without going in to too much detail: (a) A number of clubs take the opportunity a once or twice a year to discuss various issues including changes in rules, television rights, the power of UEFA, exploitation issues for new technology streams, etc.. These discussions, the last of which were in late March in Monte Carlo, also always turn to the possibility and structure of a breakaway pan European league. Several are ex-G14 clubs, several are not, and some clubs decline involvement in such discussions. The next meeting will be toward the end of August. (b) The plan is that at some point a number of clubs would break away from their national leagues and UEFA. They accept that they would be banned from all existing club competition and the players would initially be banned from all FIFA competitions as well, but know that FIFA would be looking to negotiate in any case. It would be the end of UEFA in all probability and UEFA are very aware of this. It would also result in a restructuring of many of the national leagues. (c) The clubs would renegotiate their television rights, rights of distribution via other streams etc.. (d) It remains the greatest fear of UEFA and all major national authorities that one day this will happen. (e) Timing wise, two very prominent clubs want it to happen as soon as possible (2018) but most are looking at 2022 being a good option. Realistically, a few clubs are looking at 2025 to 2027 and I suspect that could end up as the reality.

There is every likelihood that the big money from television, sponsorship etc. would go with a breakaway league. It would completely rupture the operations of UEFA and I would expect it would require national associations like the FA to restructure their leagues. Nobody wants this but it is the eventual consequence I would expect. Initially it could be that there is a single 16 team league with 2 or 3 EPL teams making the initial plunge. If I had to speculate, I would think (1) you might eventually see something like five or six EPL teams leave for two-tier pan European league - but it won't be based on the UEFA rankings; (2) the Premier League would be disbanded as an organisation; (3) the FA would restructure in to two 20 team divisions with lower leagues regionalised as they were many years ago; (4) FIFA would ban all players from the breakaway teams from International football - perhaps rescinding that position to stop FIFA breaking up as well. I could also see many teams lose their professional status. I would think we are probably 10 years away from any significant move at this time.

I hold a reasonably strong view in terms of the need to restructure football in Europe in any case. For me an eventual a breakaway pan-European league would force the restructuring of many of the national leagues, possibly resulting in a British league with perhaps only a couple of professional tiers and then regionalised amateur leagues below that. Financially I do not see that so many pro sides can be sustained within the sport which, like it or not, will see more and more money going in to the highest levels of the game. Governments will ensure that grassroots sport get funding but everything in the middle (Southern, Northern, Conference, Division 2, Scottish Divisions 1-3, League of Wales will not get the funding needed to continue on any sort of professional basis.

This would create a separate situation in Spain with the likes of the Real Madrid and Barcelona B sides.}

2.) 11 Nov 2015 19:20:07
Cheers ed very useful info

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11 Nov 2015 19:20:07
Cheers ed very useful info

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