How to really launch the European Super League.

The last time a European Super League was proposed was in the spring of 2021. A couple of weeks ago, A22 Sports Management — the company offering its vision for a revamped European football structure announced a new format for European Football. It will involve 60 to 80 teams with greater revenue distributions. As usual, it got a lot of pushback and negative publicity. How can Florentino Pérez make this work?

DISCLAIMER:

This article will be very unpopular because it is about the Super League. Disclaimer, I am not pro or against Super League. I believe in competition, and a monopoly is bad for the sport. As things are, both UEFA and FIFA have a monopoly in football competitions. It is time for a new force to compete with them like how the LIV Golf competes with the PGA Tour.?

So Florentino Perez (or his circle who is reading this), if you are still interested in launching the Super League in the future, do reach out to me. For the right price, I will be more than happy to assist you. Below are some key suggestions on what to do instead if I was launching the Super League:?

ANNOUNCE THE MEDIA THAT IS BUYING THE TV RIGHTS FOR THE COMPETITION?

Really Florentino Pérez? Really? Announcing the Super League without telling the media that will broadcast the Super League? How will you manage the teams participating in the league and their fans if you do not announce the media for the Super League??

Why is announcing the media for the Super League important??

Because it gives credibility. It indicates that the media company has faith in the competition to fork out the money to pay for TV Rights. It shows the participating teams where the source of money is coming from.? It will also tell fans that, hey, have no fear - you can still follow your team in the Super League. There will be no TV blackouts, and every single match will be televised!?

SEED THE NARRATIVE IN THE MEDIA TWO YEARS IN ADVANCE?

Football fans are tribal but passionate and must be eased into a new competition. You cannot drop a bombshell on them via a press release. Perez received a well-deserved backlash for doing this. The Super League needs to build it up. Engage the media via various platforms to seed the idea. Seed the format, seed the structure and seed the benefits. So when the time comes to drop the news or make the announcement, the fans will be ready. Rookie mistake by a chairman that rebuilt Real Madrid so many times. Maybe the companies Perez hired for this need to be evaluated. The seeding should have been done two years before the official announcement.?

HIRED EXPERT AND PROFESSORS TO COUNTER THE ARGUMENTS FROM THE EVIL EMPIRE?

The first thing EVIL EMPIRE (UEFA & FIFA) did after the announcement was to use their leverage with major media owners. Sky Sports, BBC, the Guardian, the Telegraph, The Athletic and many more immediately peddled a narrative that the Super League is bad for football. I saw at least three articles daily from these publications disparaging the Super League. To counter this, Perez should have gotten experts (from Universities and other establishments) to argue that the Super League is good for football and their fans in general. With this, fans can evaluate what is good for them in the long run. The narrative is now one-sided, painting a picture that both UEFA/FIFA are saints! A coordinated attack is required to paint both UEFA/FIFA in a bad light. This will make the fans/ audience more interested in seeing what the Super League offers.?

EXPLAIN THE FORMAT AND HOW IT DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH THE REGULAR LEAGUE GAMES ?

Either via video, writing or infographic, the management of the Super League needs to explain the format concisely and understandably. Emphasize to the fans/audience that having the Super League will not interfere with the regular league schedule. Paint a picture that the competition for the Super League is the UEFA Champions League and not others. Regular programming will continue even with the introduction of the Super League. ?

GIVE BACK TO THE LOWER LEVELS OR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT?

One of the arguments by the mainstream media is that lower-league football will suffer from the Super League. The management needs to factor this argument in their following announcement of the Super League. Have a proper plan that the Super League benefits lower league football and youth development. Set aside a percentage of the revenue generated for them. By doing this, they can evaluate what is good for them. In conclusion, give them something to ponder about. ?

WOMEN SPORTS?

Announce a Women’s Super League along with the men. Make it similar in format and equally attractive as well. Show that the Super League cares as much about women’s sports as men’s. Highlight in the press the shortfall of UEFA / FIFA in raising the women’s game! Commit to ensuring that the women’s side will reach a similar level to men in the set number of years.?

THE STANDARD OF THE REFEREE IN THE SUPER LEAGUE?

The best teams in the world require the best form of officiating. Inform the audience that the best referees worldwide will officiate games in the Super League. The goal is to reduce mistakes and ensure that controversial calls do not jeopardize the game’s standard. Highlight to the audience the technology that will be used in the Super League, from the referees to the fans. E.g. Referee will be mic’d up and explain a big call (threatening free kick, penalty, offside, yellow card and red card) to the audience watching at home. Just be committed to raising the standards of the game. Make the audience think hard about opposing the idea of the Super League.?

In the end, all of the above are my suggestions for Florentino Perez and the team to consider before making the next Super League announcement.I got more ideas in my armory and will be happy to share if you are willing to pay.? I recommend laying low for the next two years and working backwards. Prepare the necessary ammo first before shooting the gun. The Super League needs it against the evil empire of UEFA and FIFA. Let’s use Star Wars as an example. Luke Skywalker needed to go to Dagobah and learnt from Yoda before attempting the fight with Darth Vader. I suggest Florentino Perez do the same from this lesson before taking on the evil empire again!?