"The biggest clubs in England, Italy and Spain have found a solution to the very difficult situation that football is experiencing.
“Real Madrid in two seasons have lost 400 million euros, and that's just Real Madrid.
“When you only have income from television, you understand the solution is to create games that are more competitive and more attractive and that can be seen around the world.
“That's how we started working. We came to the conclusion that by doing a Super League during the week, instead of the Champions League, we would be able to mitigate the lost income."
In response to threats from UEFA that the clubs involved could be banned from domestic competitions and players stopped from playing in international games, he stated: "I entered football in 2000 and it has to evolve, like people, companies, social networks.
“Football must adapt to the times in which we live. Football was losing interest."
He insists their plan will appeal to young people who “no longer have an interest in football" in comments sure to upset many critics.
He stated: "It occurred to all of us. Instead of making the Champions League, which was losing interest.
“It was the same in 1950 with Santiago Bernabéu, who opposed the creation of the European Cup and then changed football The attraction is that we play among the greats, competitiveness.
“I don't own Madrid, everything I do is for the good of football. Football is at a critical moment.
"You can see that the audiences decrease and the rights decrease. Both had to be done. And with the pandemic.
“We are all ruined. Soccer is global, we have fans in all parts of the world. Television is the medium that should change to adapt to the times.
The Real Madrid chief claims the new plans are needed to maintain interest amongst young fans
“An analysis had to be made of why young people, from 16 to 24, no longer have an interest in football. There are many games, of little interest.
“They have other platforms. it has to adapt. We understand that we must change something to make this sport more attractive worldwide. “
Perez also revealed they plan to start the competition “as soon as possible" and will work with the relevant parties to make it happen
He added: “As soon as possible ... UEFA? We say that we will talk to UEFA and FIFA.
“We are the generators. Let's see how those five places are accessed ... I don't know why they get angry. We said in the statement that we will talk to UEFA."
"The footballer can be totally calm, that will not happen," Perez added. "It is the confusion of those who control the monopolies.
"Of course UEFA is a monopoly. It must be transparent, it does not have a good image throughout the history, I do not want to mention things.
"They do not have to threaten anyone, nobody did anything wrong. Their format in our view does not work, I have spoken with all the leagues, federations.
"Nobody understands. They also say that it starts in 2024, in 2024 we are dead. There are clubs that have lost hundreds of millions."
Perez continued: "They are threats from someone who confuses a monopoly with property.
"We must not threaten, we must dialogue. We have offered a format that we believe saves football, as they believed when they created the European Cup.
"The monopolies are over. Football is on the verge of bankruptcy. Not the big ones, everyone. If there is no money in the big ones, they don't buy players from others. It's a pyramid."
In response to criticisms that it will be a closed shop with founding teams guaranteed their places, he added: "That already happens now. Meritocracy cannot exist for 50.
"Napoli, Roma will also have the right.... If it is not one year, it will be the next. But what gives money are the 15 fixed that play between them every week, it's the biggest show.
"No sport has 4,000 million pending, actually pending from a few teams.
"The Champions League is attractive from the quarterfinals, the rest is of little interest.
"We play against modest teams that have no appeal. When we have the money we talk and we distribute it, we believe in solidarity. We believe in solidarity and values.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/super-league-president-perez-interview-23944156
Florentino Perez Statement
posted on 20/4/21
uncle flo
gotta love him
Viva Madrid !!
posted on 20/4/21
Let's get him to speak to fans of Bury FC and other teams that are on the brink of going the same way as them - I'm sure Real Madrid losing 400mil will be of far bigger concern for them
posted on 20/4/21
The reason why 18-24 yr olds seemingly lose interest is because of the cost of going to games, tickets at £55 ffs!
Legacy fans? That’s what they call us, legacy fans. The facking atmosphere, and support that the fans bring to the game which is what helps sell the product they “serve” up.
PPV I ain’t having that
This ESL stuff will also mean that they will be able to put matches in different territories just like NFL do..
posted on 20/4/21
Please spare me the faux outrage. It's been heading this way for 30 years an you all voted for it with your Sky subscription.
Galatians 6:7. As ye sow, so shall ye reap.
posted on 20/4/21
This stuff about “if the big boys fail, the entire football pyramid collapses,” is wilfully dishonest.
Football is the perfect sporting example of how trickle-down economics works in practice, demonstrating clearly that the trickle is, at best, a drip. They know this. And they also want to to turn the tap off completely.
Real and Barca are fan-owned clubs. If they are on the verge of going bust, their fans can do two things:
1. Inject capital into the clubs to keep them afloat
2. Stop electing presidents with complete fiscal abandon who have driven transfer fees and wages through the roof and failed their fans by failing to balance the books.
posted on 20/4/21
comment by *Redinthehead - FreeGaza - فلسطين (U1860)
posted 1 hour ago
The reason why 18-24 yr olds seemingly lose interest is because of the cost of going to games, tickets at £55 ffs!
Legacy fans? That’s what they call us, legacy fans. The facking atmosphere, and support that the fans bring to the game which is what helps sell the product they “serve” up.
PPV I ain’t having that
This ESL stuff will also mean that they will be able to put matches in different territories just like NFL do..
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Whilst I agree with your point, the issue is mainly that there is a finite capacity in stadiums. Liverpool pretty much sell out every game, at that £55 price point. Drop the price to £20 and the stadium will still be full, with the exact same people and those youngsters still miss out.
posted on 20/4/21
comment by rosso - can’t waste a day when the night brings a hearse (U17054)
posted 18 minutes ago
This stuff about “if the big boys fail, the entire football pyramid collapses,” is wilfully dishonest.
Football is the perfect sporting example of how trickle-down economics works in practice, demonstrating clearly that the trickle is, at best, a drip. They know this. And they also want to to turn the tap off completely.
Real and Barca are fan-owned clubs. If they are on the verge of going bust, their fans can do two things:
1. Inject capital into the clubs to keep them afloat
2. Stop electing presidents with complete fiscal abandon who have driven transfer fees and wages through the roof and failed their fans by failing to balance the books.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
florentino has financially run madrid v well
no madrid fan can deny that
posted on 20/4/21
comment by peks - 1974 (U6618)
posted 8 minutes ago
comment by rosso - can’t waste a day when the night brings a hearse (U17054)
posted 18 minutes ago
This stuff about “if the big boys fail, the entire football pyramid collapses,” is wilfully dishonest.
Football is the perfect sporting example of how trickle-down economics works in practice, demonstrating clearly that the trickle is, at best, a drip. They know this. And they also want to to turn the tap off completely.
Real and Barca are fan-owned clubs. If they are on the verge of going bust, their fans can do two things:
1. Inject capital into the clubs to keep them afloat
2. Stop electing presidents with complete fiscal abandon who have driven transfer fees and wages through the roof and failed their fans by failing to balance the books.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
florentino has financially run madrid v well
no madrid fan can deny that
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Between them, the last few presidents have left the club in the state it currently sits in, which, according to Perez, is perilous.
posted on 20/4/21
So we have to blame the Spanish Government for this bollox
Do the right thing, buy the Bernabau for €2bn and lease it back to them for a fiver a month
posted on 20/4/21
spanish gov at present are a bunch of loony lefties