Europe's top leagues want more votes and cash from UEFA

Europe's top leagues will seek more power and cash from European football's governing body UEFA within the next 12 months, the chief executive of the European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL) said on Monday.

The EPFL, which represents 15 top European leagues including the English Premier League, Italy's Serie A, Spain's Primera Liga and the German Bundesliga, will ask UEFA for a vote in how the game is run.

At present, only UEFA's 52 member associations have any power within the Swiss-based organisation and are entitled to profits from its European Championship.

Money generated by UEFA competitions, such as the Champions League and UEFA Cup, are shared among the associations and teams involved but the EPFL wants a say in how it is distributed and more cash for those clubs which do not qualify for Europe.

"This is not a revolution but an evolution," chief executive Emanuel Madeiros said after an EPFL meeting in Brussels.

"Considering the leagues generate 88 percent of the game's revenue, it is only democratic that we have a say. We will be seeking to start a framework for full UEFA membership."

LEAGUE POWER

While the exact proportions of power and revenue being sought are still under discussion, Madeiros pointed to the influence of the leagues at domestic level as the way forward.

"In France, the league has around a third of the power, while in other countries such as England the leagues have at least 25 percent of votes within their association," he said.

Madeiros said his organisation could be the solution to bridging the gap and overcoming the continuing spat between Europe's top clubs and those running the game around the world.

Football's world governing body FIFA, of which UEFA is a member, is currently embroiled in a war of words and two court cases with the G14, representing 18 of Europe's most powerful clubs, over how the beautiful game should be run.

A case taken by Belgium's Charleroi and the G14 against FIFA seeking compensation over a player injured while representing his country, is before the European Court of Justice and a similar case is pending involving Olympique Lyon in France.

"We accept that the G14 has the right to exist and lobby, but we represent not just the cream of the crop but over 500 clubs of all sizes," Madeiros said.

"But at the same time we are not looking to be Robin Hood by robbing from the rich clubs and giving to the poor. What we are seeking is a fair balance."

Here we go again.

while to get real European COMPETITION the big three leagues have to REDUCE A LOT of power

Because the way it is going right now small leagues are on the brink to get KILLED!!!!!!!!

Ricardo Jol wrote:while to get real European COMPETITION the big three leagues have to REDUCE A LOT of power

Because the way it is going right now small leagues are on the brink to get KILLED!!!!!!!!

Why dont they use the corporate philosophy of merging? I am sure if the lower countries unite their leagues, it could compete in quality and money with the big 3. Same with an Austrian-Swiss combined league.

I guess FIFA is against it. But it doesnt make much sense.

aby_gooner wrote:

Ricardo Jol wrote:while to get real European COMPETITION the big three leagues have to REDUCE A LOT of power

Because the way it is going right now small leagues are on the brink to get KILLED!!!!!!!!

Why dont they use the corporate philosophy of merging? I am sure if the lower countries unite their leagues, it could compete in quality and money with the big 3. Same with an Austrian-Swiss combined league.

I guess FIFA is against it. But it doesn’t make much sense.

I am one of the biggest promoters of a Bene(lux)-liga because we have to increase our market and we have to make our leagues stronger.... But,

A lot of questions have to be answered first I am not sure the UEFA supports this in the first place.

Second, how will our European spots look like? Will we lose a lot of places or do we remain the same amount of spots? Also many Dutchies don't want to recognise it is 5 before 12 o'clock in the night for us. Also a lot of smaller clubs don't want to be relegated. How that league does looks like...? A play-off system at the end of the season or a full combined league...? How many Belgian and Dutch (and Luxembourg) clubs can enter this league? How the board must looks like? How many Belgian and Dutch officials have to take part in it? Etc….etc….

It is not as easy as it looks like in the first place!

Perhaps we have to start first to combine our Cup competitions...

Having said this, it doesn't make the lowlands a big player in the football market and we will still be one of the smaller leagues. It can only reduce the enormous gap between us and the big leagues.

It also isn’t a free way to increase the big leagues power because a great European competition must give every nation a serious chance to compete with the big leagues....

For the same reason the Belgian clubs, and especially any clubs from Luxembourg don't want to join in a Dutch fusion - they're behind us, and they know it. That means the majority of Belgian clubs (and possibly all Luxembourg clubs) will relegate as they're not good enough to survive in a more difficult Eredivisie.
FACT.

It always comes down to this: too many people against it, with lots to lose; the few who are for it do so reluctantly at best.

It won't happen because a majority will always boycott it.

For example, Belgian clubs have a CL and UEFA spots now. Not only won't it be guaranteed but it looks likely that Belgian clubs (Anderlecht likely) can only aim for UEFA (at best) in the early years, thus losing their investments and history.