Feb 11 2008
The Pitchman Thinks You Should Slow Down
Everyone’s chiming in on this whole overseas “39th Game” that the Premier League is proposing. UEFA boss Michel Platini says it’s “a nonsense idea.” Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger are mad because nobody talked to them about it. The Football Supporters Federation has already created this protest petition, and it’s making plans for a sponsors boycott if the proposal goes through.
But here’s the really fun part about the 39th Game proposal — even Alexi Lalas thinks this might not be such a great idea.
I caution you folks, because there are a handful of ‘super clubs’ in the EPL, but when you get into the mid and lower tier, those brands — as strong as they may be domestically in the UK — have much less value here. Just because it is EPL does not mean it is going to sell.
Alexi Lalas is as big a shill as you’ll find in soccer. If you give Alexi Lalas 30 decibels and a ShamWow, he becomes Billy Mays before your very eyes. Yet even he thinks the Premier League might want to cool its heels on this 39th game business.
That’s not to say he doesn’t have a point. After all, Middlesbrough v. West Brom isn’t going to fly outside of England, relegation six-pointer or not. Some folks might show up out of curiosity, or if a specific player from their country is there, but they’re not going to fill a 40,000-seat stadium just because two random Premier League clubs are coming to town. It’s really the Big Four or nothing outside Ol’ Blighty.
But don’t tell Richard Scudamore that. No, the Premier League chief seems bound and determined to go through with this, fans and FIFA be damned. Club owners are behind him, too, because they see jerseys sales in Bombay and want to keep feeding the pig there. I hope they all go through with it. After all, everyone enjoys a good train wreck. It’s why bloggers keep writing about the New York Knicks.
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You can’t believe all the negative feedback that the plan for the 39th game has been getting by British fans. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A32196477
I agree with you, it is a train wreck of an idea. My alternative idea is to play the top 8 teams in a mini tournament overseas before the season begins.
Oh, I can believe it. I still think my Premier League-La Liga Challenge is a better idea than this, not to mention even more marketable around the world.
I forgot about your BPL-La Liga Challenge idea.
It’s a very good one.
The only thing that this proposal and its aftermath has clarified is that English fans are 1) selfish, and 2) arrogant. One game abroad is going to cause the downfall of the English game? Please.
I just also want to add that in the age of the UEFA Champions League, the Premiership’s breakaway from the Champions League, the slow decline of both domestic cup competitions, the fielding of XIs that are almost completely foreign based, and massive squad rotation, playing one measly game abroad to grow the stature of your league is probably the least transformative thing that can happen to English football.
The football world has to start looking past national borders. This would be a good step towards leagues that can cross political lines.
Before anyone shouts “European Super League”, show the Real Madrids, Milans, and Manchester Uniteds of the world a Proposal where half of them end the year with a losing record and rarely play local rivals, and they will be the first to throw it overboard.
*”premiership’s breakaway from the Football League”
They can come to Africa any time they want. It would be a tremendous boost for the game.