The European Super League is exactly what white masculine capitalist greed looks like. The rich owners of the 12 clubs, especially the 6 in England, have simply assumed that just because they have the money, they can do whatever they want and the rest of the world will simply keep quiet and listen. This is also quite typical of Americanism. They speak of the American dream but only for themselves. They do not want to share. If we are rich, we must get richer. We have the opportunity to be richer, why must we consider what happens to the rest of the world.
A direct quote mentioned by a Sky Sports journalist said to be made by a board member at one of the 6 clubs in England: "Our primary job is to maximise our revenues and profits the wider good of the game is a secondary concern.." This clearly shows that they are not bothered about the fact that such a league will increase the gap between the rich and the poor and might lead to some smaller clubs completely going bankrupt. It doesn't matter as long as they make money.
They say there will be a corresponding Women's Super League as well in an attempt to suggest they care about gender equality. But if you look at the roster of employees and list of members at all these clubs, you'll struggle to find many women. Additionally, women's football has been struggling with low sponsorship, low match day revenue, barely any TV rights and, of course, the patriarchy. If there is a Women's Super League as they say, which it seems to me to have been an afterthought in the minds of the old white men behind this endeavour, then it will be much worse for the women's game. That will mean only the women's teams of 15 European clubs in the whole world will benefit. The American clubs that have produced domineering world champions in the women's game will lose out completely. So, no, do not for one moment be fooled by their eyewash.
The owners of the English clubs have not stepped out to confront questions. Some of them are not even in England. They hadn't even communicated with their own employees what their plans were. They remain faceless presences in the background and have thrown their respective teams under the bus.
They are taking fans for granted. Florentino Perez believes young fans are moving away from the game because of "low-quality matches" meaning matches between the so-called smaller teams. I don't understand. I myself am in my late twenties. I've watched football played this way for nearly two decades. I have a lot of young people around me in my circle who haven't complained even once that they'd like to see Real Madrid play Liverpool every season. Because they know, as we all do, if you do something all the time, it's not special, is it? If you're having biryani every day, it soon just becomes coloured rice. It's no fun.
This shows the complete detachment of the owners from the club supporters. They have assumed they know better. They have assumed that they understand what the common people think. They do not, clearly. Because if they did, they would have asked the common people. They don't care what we think. They take for granted that we are all helpless creatures who will tune in to watch our favourite clubs no matter what. That is not going to happen.
The very foundation of sport is competition. If there is no jeopardy, if you can't lose, if there is nothing at stake, it's not sport. You don't need to win. You don't want to win.
That was the emotional side of things. Now let's consider the logistics. All ESL games will be played in midweek. That means for us in Asia, more games in the middle of the night. For most of us "young people" as well as older fans, we either have work or school or college to attend the next day. Every week we can't stay up late to watch these matches. Let's say matches are held at the normal weekend times. How many of us will actually be able to watch? School kids will have their hides ripped off them if they want to watch matches on weekends and during the week. College students will probably have a greater chance to watch but only till colleges are shut. When everything reopens again, how many of you all be willing to sacrifice after college addas or pub visits on weekends and during the week? Not many I'm guessing. Working people finishing work at 7,8,9 in the evening will too exhausted to watch 22 men not playing with enough passion to produce any form of entertainment.
So, no, the £3 billion revenue they are dreaming of, will not come. It will destroy football, just like the IPL destroyed general interest in cricket. Just as crowds in front of neighborhood TVs during cricket matches have dwindled so will subscription spectators at Super League matches.
Football is the only sport where everyone is equal. When you're on the pitch, anything can happen. You forget your sorrow, your suffering and you play. You play like your life depends on it, and it does, because without football you might really just give up. Football taught me how to accept defeat and come back stronger. Football taught me to celebrate victory and yet be graceful. Football taught me that there is a way out of the dark depths of depression. It is the sport of the working class. It is the sport that everyone can play. You don't need any special skills. Football was what allowed the oppressed to stand up to the upper classes. It was a part of India's fight for independence - barefoot vs boots. It is not about making money. It is not an industry. It is the one thing that capitalists had not been able to exploit up to now. If the clubs go through with this, this will be a bigger betrayal than any break-up anyone has ever had. Nothing will break my heart more than to stop watching Man United week in week out. But if this goes through, I will do it.
Football is nothing without the fans and, to be honest, we are nothing without it.
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