Topic: Project Big Picture

[robertobaggio37]

The article is on torygraph so rather not linking it.

Manchester United and Liverpool are the driving force behind the biggest changes to English football in a generation and an extraordinary overhaul of the Premier League, The Daily Telegraph can reveal.

The two clubs have worked together on a radical set of proposals – called “Project Big Picture” - that will reshape the finances of the game. The Premier League, the most lucrative sports league in the world, would see a reduction to 18 teams, and controlling power in the hands of the biggest clubs.

In return for tearing up many of the rules that have governed the game since the Premier League’s inception in 1992 there will be £250 million rescue package to the Football League to see them through the Covid crisis.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal the details of the working document “Revitalisation” authored by Liverpool’s American ownership Fenway Sports Group with support from United. It anticipates the backing of the other members of the so-called big six, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.

In a remarkable set of proposals, which will send shockwaves through the game, 25 per cent of the Premier League’s annual revenue will go to the EFL clubs with £250 million paid up front to see them through the current crisis. There would also be a gift of £100 million to sustain the Football Association.

However, there would be an abolition of the one-club, one-vote principle that has sustained the Premier League since its inception as well as the abolition of the threshold of 14 votes to pass any decision or regulation change.

Under the new proposals, the League Cup and the Community Shield would be abolished. There have been additional discussions that the League Cup would survive but without the participation of the clubs in Europe.

There would be two automatic promotion places for Championship clubs, but the third, fourth and fifth placed clubs would be in a play-off tournament with the 16th placed Premier League club.

The nine clubs who have been in the Premier League for the longest - which includes the big six - would dictate its running in every aspect and would be free to play more games in the expanded Champions League that is anticipated from the 2024-2025 season onwards.

As well as the Premier League dropping from 20 clubs to 18, there would be 24 in each of the Championship, League One and League Two making a total of 90.

The plan is supported by the EFL chairman Rick Parry who has held talks with Liverpool’s principal owner, the American investor John W Henry, and shareholder and director Mike Gordon. In addition, Parry has spoken to the Glazer family, who own United.

The talks began in 2017 but have been accelerated since the coronavirus pandemic has thrust football into the grip of crisis with no fans in stadiums until March at the earliest. Liverpool and United are prepared for a fierce debate over their proposals but they want them implemented as soon as possible.

The Revitalisation document calls for immediate action to cut dramatically what it calls the “revenue chasm” in earnings from television contracts between the Premier League and the EFL. In order to discourage Championship clubs from gambling recklessly on promotion, the parachute payments system would be abolished in favour of the 25 per cent share of Premier League revenue being shared more equitably among EFL clubs.

Under proposals for the new model of distribution of television revenue in the Premier League, Fenway, the driving force behind the document, insist there would be no greater share for the top six. Their stated aim is to eliminate the huge gap in earnings between Premier League and EFL clubs while in return having a greater control of the decisions made by the Premier League.

The document says: “A reset of the economics and governance of the English football pyramid is long overdue”.

The proposals also rewrite the Premier League’s 20-club democracy in favour of placing huge power in the hands of the nine clubs with the longest continual stay in the division. As things stand that is the big six, as well as Everton, Southampton and West Ham. Those nine clubs afforded “long-term shareholder status” would have unprecedented power, with the votes of just six of them required to make sweeping changes. These clubs would even be able to veto a new owner taking over a rival club.

In an exclusive interview with The Daily Telegraph, Parry said that he had the support of many of his 72 members, many currently facing financial ruin, to go ahead with the plan. He said: “What do we do? Leave it exactly as it is and allow the smaller clubs to wither? Or do we do something about it? And you can’t do something about it without something changing. And the view of our clubs is if the [big] six get some benefits but the 72 also do, we are up for it.”

He accepted there would be opposition from the Premier League clubs outside the big six who would see it as detrimental to their financial prospects with less money and two fewer places in the top flight.

“It is definitely going to be challenging and it is an enormous change so that won’t be without some pain,” Parry said: “Do I genuinely think it’s for the greater good of the game as a whole? Absolutely. And if the [big] six are deriving some benefit then why shouldn’t they. Why wouldn’t they put their names to this otherwise?”

A list of the proposals:

Here's the full list of changes:

Rescue Fund
An immediate rescue fund of £350,000,000 to the English Football League and Football Association for lost revenues of 2019/20 and 2020/21

For the EFL:

£50,000,000 to cover 2019/20 EFL matchday losses;

Up to £200,000,000 available to cover 2020/21 EFL matchday losses;

Money will be advanced to the EFL from increased future revenues.

For the FA:
£100,000,000 in grants, made up of £55,000,000 to cover operational losses, £25,000,000 for clubs below the EFL, £10,000,000 for the Women’s Super League and Championship, £10,000,000 for grassroots

Funds to be made available by the Premier League through loans guaranteed by the clubs.

Infrastructure Plan
Infrastructure funding of 6% of Premier League gross revenues to be distributed annually to the top four divisions.

Each club will receive £100 per seat annually.

Infrastructure funding can only be used for stadia and fan experiences.

Fan Charter
A cap of £20 on Premier League away ticketing (adjusted every 3 years for inflation)

Subsidised Premier League away travel

Safe-standing sections at the discretion of each club, subject to government permission.

Away sections must provide at least 3,000 or 8% of capacity, whichever is higher.

Annual Good Causes
An increase of 66% in annual contributions to good causes in England.

A total of 5% of Premier League gross income to be contributed annually to good causes and grassroots football, to include focus on combatting racism and discrimination.

Redistribution of Media & Sponsorship Revenues (three possible options)
Option A: 50% equal, 25% current-year merit, 25% previous 3-year merit
A greater emphasis will be placed on merit in both the Premier League and the Championship with half of payments reflecting positions over the past four years.

Option B: Current Premier League distribution scheme (50% equal, 25% by merit and 25% by facility fees) but newly promoted clubs must holdback £25m of first two years in the Premier League to mitigate risk of relegation.

Option C: Current Premier League distribution scheme, but newly promoted clubs receive 25% of their allocated Facility Fees for first 3 years in league.

For all above options:
Excluding parachute payments and including new infrastructure payments, solidarity from the Premier League to the English Football League would increase from 4% to 25%.

Premier League and English Football League domestic and international media rights will be collectively sold by the Premier League.

Compensation payments to The EFL and FA, infrastructure monies and related borrowings are deducted prior to determination of distributable revenues.

Pyramid structure
The Premier League, originally formed to house 18 clubs,would be reduced from 20 to 18 clubs.

This would free up the calendar and, with fewer teams and an end to parachute payments, provide additional resources to the EFL.

Reduction from 38 to 34 rounds of matches will also aid the national team.

Championships, League One and League Two to all be made up of 24 clubs

Promotion and relegation
Premier League relegation. At least 2 clubs automatically relegated annually

Championship promotion: 1st and 2nd automatically promoted.

Club finishing 16th in the Premier League joins four team Championship play-off tournament with teams who finish 3rd, 4th and 5th. Semi-finals would be 16th place PL team vs 5th place Championships team nad 3rd place Championship team against 4th place Championship team.

Championship relegation – 3 clubs

Leagues One and Two: promotion of 3 clubs. Relegation of 4 clubs

Club media
All Premier League clubs have the exclusive rights to sell eight live matches a season directly to fans via their own digital platforms in all international territories.

All Premier League and Championship clubs allowed to show limited in-match highlights on their own digital platforms.

No more than 27 games per club will be shown live in UK per season

Saturday 3pm broadcast blackouts remain to help protect EFL attendance

Other competitions
League Cup and Community Shield discontinued;

Establishment of a new independent league for the Women’s professional game, not to be owned by the Premier League or The Football Association;

FA Cup replays retained but there will be no replays in the winter break;

Premier League begins later in August and pre-season friendlies extended;

No more than two weeks between the end of the Premier League and the Champions League final;

Premier League clubs must participate at least once every five years in the Premier League summer tournament.

Other structural changes
Elite Player Performance Plan funding is included in the revenue received by EFL clubs;

Clubs in League One and below are no longer required to have an academy;

Clubs permitted to have up to 15 players out on loan domestically at any time, including up to four in a single English club. Introduction of one month loans for players under 23, an ability to recall loanees in the event of managerial change, incentivise loanee clubs through payments based on future performance or sale of loaned players;

Remove the scholarship clause permitting players to terminate at any stage.

Cost Controls & Related Party Income
Financial Fair Play rules that align with Uefa to ensure English clubs are not at a disadvantage in Europe;

A £50 million cap per annum on all related party transactions and a more stringent ‘related party’ definition;

Premier League executive provided with full access to clubs accounting information to investigate cost control

A joint Premier League and Championship body will monitor cost controls.

The English Football League will introduce hard salary caps.

Governance
All material matters relating to the business of the Premier League will require shareholder approval, except that the Board will decide whether to approve a new owner;

All votes will require more than two-thirds majority to be approved;

All other votes for the operation of the Premier League will be one-club, one-vote except those provided for under ‘Special Voting Rights’

Special Voting Rights
Each of the nine clubs who, at any time of determination, have been members of the Premier League continuously for more seasons than other clubs will be considered a ‘Long-Term Shareholder’.

Two-thirds of the long-term shareholders can cause to be adopted without approval from the other clubs:

i) the election or removal of the CEO and/or a member of the board;

ii) amendments to cost control rules and regulations;

iii) contracts for the sale of league broadcasting and media rights

Two-thirds of the long-term shareholders can prevent from being adopted resolutions to:
i) change the distribution rights of the sponsorship, commercial and broadcasting rights sold centrally;

ii) change the distribution to clubs from other PL centralised rights or assets

c) alter in a material way the nature of the competition

Two-thirds of the long-term shareholders can veto the Premier League board’s approval of a proposed new owner.

Thoughts?? Don't think this is the way forward to be honest, I believe this will be the end of the football as we know it.

[killer-heels]

Some of the proposals are good, but some like the loan system and giving top clubs the power not so much.

[CraigDS]

Think some of the ideas are needed, and more money going down to the lower leagues is not a bad thing.

I’d need to see more detail before I formed a solid opinion though.

[Chris~]

Getting rid of the League cup and cutting the League to 18 teams sounds good, then you realise it's just so the bigger clubs can play more matches in an expanded Champions League, club world cup and big money preseason games.

I don't know how this would be voted on, but unless Parry/The EFL can get the other Premier League clubs to think of a better proposal I can't see them being unable to pass up the money they need. Also, if there is another proposal that doesn't benefit us and the other top clubs it'll just speed up the process of a super league

[Brain Potter]

Not a big fan of this having read it.

[Zeb]

John Henry seems to be saying, we don't want more money for the top six - we want to to distribute it downwards better. But we do want greater control over who gets to own clubs and to be able to schedule towards CL football more at the cost of the League Cup.

From what's said in that report, I think it will help in the absence of not much else being on the table for lower league clubs. But I want to know more about how the six of nine works, or more specifically what changes would be possible for them to force through if they chose to. It seems a nice lead into domestic FFP and ownership regulation while also potentially working badly in forming a bit of a cartel of interests to lock others out.

[keano7]

I agree with scrapping the League Cup and Community Shield. Strongly against the 18 teams in the PL - if it’s not broke don’t fix it. It feels like there is currently something wrong because we’re in the midst of a pandemic and there’s games every Saturday and Wednesday but in normal times the schedule is fine (and would improve if the League Cup was scrapped). A smaller league in Germany works for example because the strength in depth from the teams in Bundesliga 2 is nowhere near to what the Championship standard is.

Perhaps pushing for it so the league can finally introduce a winter break which would remove games over the Christmas period = rubbish!

[CraigDS]

I agree with scrapping the League Cup and Community Shield. Strongly against the 18 teams in the PL - if it’s not broke don’t fix it. It feels like there is currently something wrong because we’re in the midst of a pandemic and there’s games every Saturday and Wednesday but in normal times the schedule is fine (and would improve if the League Cup was scrapped).

It’s not fine though. Clubs and managers have complained about the fixture congestion for years now.

Also we’ve had a winter break before, it comes in late Jan/Feb so doesn’t stop Christmas games.

[keano7]

It’s not fine though. Clubs and managers have complained about the fixture congestion for years now.

Also we’ve had a winter break before, it comes in late Jan/Feb so doesn’t stop Christmas games.

That’s what I’m saying, if you scrap the League Cup there would be more recovery time and less games to fulfil. It’s only the ‘Top 6’ sides managers which complain about the schedule because if a side goes all the way in Europe and League / FA Cup then you’re playing 60+ games a season. A team such as Palace or Burnley would have 39-44 games max dependent on how well they performed in the FA Cup.

[Collymore]

About damn time they get rid of the league cup and community shield!

[CraigDS]

That’s what I’m saying, if you scrap the League Cup there would be more recovery time and less games to fulfil. It’s only the ‘Top 6’ sides managers which complain about the schedule because if a side goes all the way in Europe and League / FA Cup then you’re playing 60+ games a season. A team such as Palace or Burnley would have 39-44 games max dependent on how well they performed in the FA Cup.

The league cup isn’t that many games though, and most top clubs put their kids out for it - so not like it would suddenly give first teamers less games.

European sides, and those aiming to get in those positions, make up a good half the league (at least) though, so it’s not like they are a small minority whose opinions shouldn’t be taken into account.

[Snail]

[peachybum]

I agree with scrapping the League Cup and Community Shield. Strongly against the 18 teams in the PL - if it’s not broke don’t fix it.!

It is broke though. Fixture congestion is a big problem. And money spinning friendlies, expanded CL and CWC are going to happen. You either make more room for them or you run the risk of your biggest teams leaving domestic football for some super league. We already had to throw away a LC semi because of the CWC and that competition is only getting bigger.



to be honest i'm okay with most of these proposals. It was obvious that some would use the current situation for a power grab but i actually thought they'd want stuff far more outrageous.

[Gods_Left_Boot]

Some good ideas (grassroots and EFL support, some of the fan charter measures), some terrible ones. Disappointing that our club seems to be one of the driving forces pushing for top flight football to become even more of a closed shop. The loan system overhaul in particular seems to blatantly pave the way to feeder clubs. The 18 teams league and the relegation playoff system might sound controversial, but they are both or lifted directly from the Bundesliga and they seems to work there.

[Medellin]

Take out the League cup & Community shield..
Expand the Champions league..
The overall fixture congestion won't change much.

[El Lobo]

Sounds alright to me

[Suareznumber7]

Surprised more aren't talking about the potential changes to the loan system.  Clubs can have up to 15 players out on loan and up to 4 with one club.  That could lead to more Chelsea style youth player farming from more and more players.  Considering how expensive transfers are I can definitely see clubs taking a gamble on having more and more youth players in the hopes that one of them makes the grade saving the club millions in transfer fees. 

[Suareznumber7]

to be honest i'm okay with most of these proposals. It was obvious that some would use the current situation for a power grab but i actually thought they'd want stuff far more outrageous.

I'm surprised they didn't include b teams being introduced to the football league. 

[peachybum]

Take out the League cup & Community shield..
Expand the Champions league..
The overall fixture congestion won't change much.

Well yeah. Reducing the PL and getting rid of the CS and LC isn't too reduce the number of fixture. It's to free up space for the CL and CWC otherwise the bigger teams will be forced to make a decision.

[peachybum]

I'm surprised they didn't include b teams being introduced to the football league.

I think the new loan system is probably something they(we) thought would be more palatable. English football is not ready to have 'b' teams i think.

[B0151?]

So they don't want 18 clubs in the league and the League Cup gone so the fixture list is less compacted, but so they can have extended lucrative pre-season tours and to accommodate an extended Champions League?

When I say 'they', I should be saying 'we' really... Bit of a farce, isn't it?

[Chris~]

I'm surprised they didn't include b teams being introduced to the football league.

they know how unpopular that is with EFL clubs and can get round it a bit with the loan changes.

[peachybum]

So they don't want 18 clubs in the league and the League Cup gone so the fixture list is less compacted, but so they can have extended lucrative pre-season tours and to accommodate an extended Champions League?

When I say 'they', I should be saying 'we' really... Bit of a farce, isn't it?

Would you rather English teams didn't enter these UEFA and FIFA comps? Because they aren't going to stop their expansions just because we have 2 extra teams in our league and 1 extra cup.

[gamble]

modern football hardly resembles the game i loved as a kid. pure greed, look what that's done to F1.

as soon as klopp goes, I will follow

[koptommy93]

If it weren't for the expanded CL i'd be in favour. They clearly don't give a shit about fixture congestion despite whining about it full stop. The CL is already bloated and has too many shit teams in it.

[Zizou]

Doesn't sound like it'll get voted through to me, we've seen the stance a lot of the smaller clubs take with their vocal "void the league because it suits us" nonsense. I doubt they'll care much for the lower leagues if it weakens their own positions. Would we, in their shoes?

[B0151?]

to be honest i'm okay with most of these proposals. It was obvious that some would use the current situation for a power grab but i actually thought they'd want stuff far more outrageous.

I mean that's ignoring the fact one of the changes is giving them the power to vote more drastic changes through without a majority

[Avens]

I get that as an initial reaction but when you read it properly the proposals make a lot of sense. This isn't just about a one off payment in exchange for more power, it's a proposal that secures the future of lower league clubs, whilst providing benefits to those that will be the primary providers to the rest of the clubs.

The EFL clubs should be snapping up this offer. It's the clubs just outside the 9 that miss out. Clubs like Newcastle and Villa that are big clubs but don't get the benefits of the teams like West Ham who just happen to have not been relegated more recently. Other than that group it looks win-win to me.

[Sheer Magnetism]

They could fix the League Cup simply by keeping it to teams not in Europe that season. I have no strong feelings about the Community Shield but don't agree with changing the loan system - there are rules coming in precisely to curb the abuses of that system by clubs like Chelsea.

In general though, taking voting rights away from teams lower in the league, reducing the number of teams and bringing in playoffs is just a way to entrench revenue at the top clubs. I'd be amazed if they get 14 votes. Once that new voting system is in what's to stop the big clubs eliminating relegation for themselves and changing the revenue sharing rules? Embarrassing Fenway have come up with that but hardly a shock.

[jillcwhomever]

The league cup isn’t that many games though, and most top clubs put their kids out for it - so not like it would suddenly give first teamers less games.

European sides, and those aiming to get in those positions, make up a good half the league (at least) though, so it’s not like they are a small minority whose opinions shouldn’t be taken into account.

While there are some good ideas in it, I would worry about games for the younger players. If Liverpool want to do away with the League Cup, how do our younger players get games? The League Cup does play a part in that.

[cdav]

The finance stuff and changes to the fixture schedule seem sensible and is really needed but the headlines will be on the changes to the voting

It at least is a set of proposals on the future of the game and more equitable distribution of money down the leagues, something that does need to change. Most journalists will bleat on about the pyramid and how its too much power at the top, whilst clubs are about to go to the wall. Action is needed and a structural change is required to make lower league football more sustainable

[StevoHimself]

It's a power grap. Plain and simple.

[CraigDS]

While there are some good ideas in it, I would worry about games for the younger players. If Liverpool want to do away with the League Cup, how do our younger players get games? The League Cup does play a part in that.

I imagine the additional numbers allowed to have loans improves this a lot more than a couple of games in September in the league cup does.

[jillcwhomever]

I imagine the additional numbers allowed to have loans improves this a lot more than a couple of games in September in the league cup does.

Except we have a manager presently whose not that keen on loans, also loans don't always improve things for younger players especially if the chosen club decide not to play them.

[sminp]

Sounds good to me although there are some things I don’t agree with or would want to see more info before forming a solid opinion about. Reducing the number of teams in the league is definitely needed in my opinion and better distribution of money to the EFL in place of parachute payments is also a good idea.

[CraigDS]

Except we have a manager presently whose not that keen on loans, also loans don't always improve things for younger players especially if the chosen club decide not to play them.

This may change if we can send 4 kids to the same club. Maybe have a coach there some of the time too, etc.

[Illmatic]

Im opposed to most of these changes and i'm a little disappointed that we appear to the are driving forces behind them. I think the League cup becoming optional for teams Europe is probably sensible, not sure why Charity shield would need to be scraped it just a pre-season game a week before the season starts.

I'll be amazed if 14 clubs agree to a reduction in the PL to 18 only 6 clubs have been ever present in the top flight since the inception of the PL. I mean outside of the the so called big 6 how many of them are guaranteed to be in the PL in say five years, anyone of them could be battling relegation and with less teams in the league and more teams going down in order to get to the reduced level they would literally be voting for their own demise.

[jillcwhomever]

Having read it properly it's not something I could agree too. I don't get why those nine clubs have to get special rights either, it means football will become even more divided then what it presently is.

[disgraced cake]

Stop fucking with football you greedy bastards

[Suareznumber7]

How does voting on something like this work?  Would it have to be approved by all the clubs in the PL and the clubs in the FL in 2 separate votes or is it one vote that includes all clubs in the PL and FL?