“Tackling challenges head on”
New attempt at a Super League model – under a different name
December 17, 2024 – 2:10 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
The Super League failed after headwinds. Now there is a new attempt under a new name – and with new qualification criteria.
The promoters of a European Super League are pushing ahead with their plans and on Tuesday submitted the proposal for their competition under the new name “Unify League” for recognition by the European Football Union (Uefa) and the world association Fifa. The leading sports marketing agency A22 relies on the ruling of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) from a year ago.
“A22 is committed to sustainable growth and development in football,” said A22 boss Bernd Reichart: “Our close cooperation with key stakeholders has highlighted urgent issues that need to be addressed: rising subscription costs for fans, a too-full match calendar, insufficient Investment in women’s football and dissatisfaction with the format and governance of European club competitions. Our proposal aims to address these challenges head-on.”
According to A22, a central feature of the “Unify League” is the revised qualification criteria, in which the clubs’ participation is based on their annual placement in the national leagues. The application is in line with UEFA’s interpretation of the “European sports model”.
A central component of the league should be a streaming platform on which all games are broadcast live. There will be “both free, ad-financed broadcasts” and “inexpensive premium subscriptions”. “Now is the time for everyone involved, including UEFA and FIFA, to promote real progress,” said Reichart: “For us, the focus is on respect, transparency and constructive dialogue.”
Last December, UEFA was banned by the ECJ from preventing competitive competition by threatening sanctions due to incompatibility with European competition law.
The first attempt to introduce a Super League failed in 2021. Within a few days, original supporters backed out under pressure from fans, sponsors and politicians. The top German clubs Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have repeatedly emphasized their rejection of a Super League.