European leagues want more equal distribution of revenue

BERN, May 23, (RTRS): The association which represents Europe’s domestic football leagues wants revenue from continental club competitions to be distributed in a more “democratic” way to restore competitive balance between clubs.

The EPFL (European Professional Football Leagues) has also reiterated its opposition to proposals for the creation of a so-called “Super League” or any mechanism which guarantees big clubs a captive place in the Champions League.

UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, splits 75 percent of revenue from its European club competitions among the clubs that play in them.

Around half is channelled through the market pool, which is distributed according to the value of each country’s television market.

In effect, this means that clubs from some countries receive far more than others for the same number of games.

“We are strongly in favour of, and we will make a proposal for an overall redistribution of the revenue system, which includes the UEFA system,” the EPFL’s deputy general secretary Alberto Colombo told Reuters.

“We need to have a more democratic and open distribution system.”

UEFA’s critics say the system also distorts smaller domestic leagues because teams qualifying for the Champions League receive a windfall which gives them a huge financial advantage over their rivals, creating a snowball effect.

“We need more competitive balance, we need to reduce the big financial gap that currently exists at domestic level,” Colombo added. “The game is only interesting if two teams go onto the pitch and the result is unpredictable.”

Colombo said that domestic leagues should remain football’s “bread and butter”.

“We want to maintain the current model where the clubs who play in UEFA competitions do so by qualifying from their domestic leagues,” he said.

“If you win, you qualify and if you don’t, then you have to play better. We believe in the sporting principle and in the pyramid which is a key value that characterises the European model.”

The threat of a Super League, which has been discussed in private meetings between clubs according to sources close to the matter, was acknowledged by Dutch football boss Michael Van Praag last week when he announced his intention to stand for the UEFA presidency.

Concern is growing over the gap between a handful of elite clubs and the rest, with the Champions League dominated by a small number of big clubs.