Ex-“RTL” boss Reichart at the top
With the former “RTL Deutschland” boss Bernd Reichart at the head of a sports agency, the three top clubs Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Juventus Turin are making a new attempt to introduce a Super League in European football. “I am sure that if we together have an honest and open dialogue – free of constraints – about a better future through serious reform, the football we all love will benefit,” Reichart said. The Super League project failed in its original form in April 2021.
The European football union UEFA, which organizes what is currently the most important and most profitable international club competition with the Champions League, and its president Aleksander Ceferin had put up massive resistance. Of the twelve top clubs that initially sought a spin-off, nine withdrew within a few hours. At that time, German associations were not among the founding members.
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The fundamental question of whether UEFA and the world association FIFA form a cartel with their competitions is currently before the European Court of Justice. The “European Super League Company” had filed a lawsuit against UEFA and FIFA with a court in Madrid, which had asked the ECJ to interpret EU law for the proceedings. A verdict is expected next year.
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Reichart was head of the media group “RTL” in Germany from 2019 to 2021. As chairman of “A22 Sports Management” he will “start a comprehensive dialogue with the various stakeholders in football, including clubs, players, coaches, fans and political decision-makers,” it said. “The aim is to initiate the development of a sustainable sporting model for European club competitions that reflects the long-term interests of fans and the football community as a whole.”
Super League hopes for a new attempt on Bundesliga clubs
The makers of the controversial Super League are also hoping for the participation of German clubs for their renewed attempt. “Of course I would also like to convey to the German clubs what has changed in the approach,” said Reichart of the “German Press Agency”. “I look forward to talks in every European territory, including Germany, of course. I’m just going to file the openness of the competition.”
There was particularly strong criticism, among other things, of the concept that undermined the sporting qualification through permanent memberships of clubs. “There is no format sketch that is ready,” Reichart said about the new plans. “It’s an open dialogue. The clubs involved have taken the concept of permanent membership off the table. “It is also important that we openly discuss this with the football family,” says Reichart. “The name Super League is not set either.”
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The Super League makers see the financially tense situation caused by the corona pandemic as an argument on their side. The Spanish and Italian top clubs in particular are heavily in debt, Barcelona and Juve are facing relegation to the Europa League despite a record minus.
The football ecosystem is no longer sustainable.
“The football ecosystem is no longer sustainable, the pandemic has accelerated this trend, the system has become unstable and is no longer self-financing,” said Reichart. “European club football is losing its leading role in world sport because it doesn’t offer the best matches week after week. The consequences are sometimes dramatic, especially the younger audience prefers to watch other offers and less and less live football.
Regardless of the court’s decision, UEFA boss Ceferin had already called the Super League project “dead”. “If someone declares something dead like a prayer wheel, I become suspicious and would get to the bottom of it,” said Reichart. “I’m very excited and very motivated to see how the clubs really think and whether Aleksander Ceferin really speaks for all clubs in Europe qua office.”
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