The European Super League has been the cause of much debate within the football community. Some say it’s the solution to a large portion of football fans losing interest in the sport, as argued by Florentino Perez. What Perez failed to mention in press conferences, and to media, was the amount of money that stood to be gained by the clubs taking part in this league. The potential financial gain is often the reason for widespread apprehension from fans and pundits alike, as it is seen as the driving force behind the founding of the potential competition.

While the reception has not always been positive, is it all doom and gloom? Or are there a list of pros that fans can’t yet see that could make this competition a little more worthwhile?

The Super League has been a concept that dates as far back as the 60s

Talks to begin a potential Super League competition, or at least a competition that shares the concept of a modern day Super League, began back in 1968 by Hans Bangeter, who at the time served as general secretary of UEFA. The idea was for the Super League to replace the European Champions Cup and the Cup Winners’ Cup. The interest in creating this new, and thought to be improved, league continued to gain traction throughout the 70s.

After some interest appearing again in 1987 coming from representatives of Real Madrid, AC Milan, and Glasgow Rangers, the concept was again dismissed. Talks of a Super League were not part of footballing conversations for two decades, until Florentino Pérez announced the concept of a new league made up of 14 teams from England, Italy, and Spain.

What’s Wrong with The European Super League?

The main issue, and the cause of widespread protest amongst fans, is to do with the reasoning behind the inception of the Super League. Many fans believe that the competition has been founded for the financial gain of the clubs involved, rather than for the reason to provide more footballing action.

Another criticism has been the decision-making surrounding the teams that were initially invited. Rather than choosing the top performing teams in Europe, the super league comprised some of the most financially valuable in the world, as listed by Forbes.

The teams weren’t necessarily selected by their prowess in European football. Arsenal, for example, had not featured in any European competitions, and Manchester United had been far from the level of the likes of Bayern Munich and PSG. These teams had been invited, had snubbed the offer to take part in the league.

The fact that this entire competition felt like it was driven by money, and not by football, was where some issues began arising.

What could be right with the Super League?

While the Super League has received a questionable reception, one could understand why Perez and co have jumped on a bandwagon involving the potential financial gain of some of Europe’s top clubs. The COVID-19 pandemic lay waste to world football, and a competition that could generate profit would greatly aid the biggest clubs in the world, making the desire to create such a league understandable.

Another aspect that Perez talks about at length is the fact that fans would get to see some of the biggest teams face off in a competition running every week. While Arsenal have not managed to make it to the Champions League for some time, football fans can’t deny that seeing them face off against the top teams from Italy and Spain would be entertaining.

The Champions League is full of iconic match ups, but in all honesty, they are far and few between until the knockout stages. The Super League could lead to more of Europe’s oldest and most successful teams (while not all are successful right now) face off far more regularly.

Alex Goldstein, website manager for My Betting Sites Canada also mentions that the Super League could positively influence sports bettors, as in his experience, bettors love to bet on the big games. The Super League would certainly be able to promise is the big games.

Closing thoughts

The proposal of the European Super League has led to a lot of strong feelings in the footballing world. The reasons these feelings appear to be negative is rooted in the fact that the decision to go ahead with the competition appears to be rooted in money, and not rooted in the love of football.

What many fans, and sports bettors alike wouldn’t be able to deny, is the fact that the Super League could lead to some undeniably juicy football match ups. But it is clear to see that fans of football are happy with the way their football calendars are structured.

While the Super League is a beautiful dream, it appears that most football fans would like to see it remain a dream.