Warning of ‘Nfl-style closed shop’
Neil Doncaster has warned that the champions league could turn into an “Nflstyle closed shop”.
The SPFL chief executive has added his voice to concerns surrounding the reforms of European club football’s premier tournament.
Uefa announced last month that it would be giving four guaranteed Champions League groupstage places to the top four leagues – the Bundesliga, La Liga, the English Premier League and Serie A.
But the umbrella organisation that represents European football’s professional leagues has angrily rejected the reforms.
In a move that will pitch “haves” against “have
nots”, European Professional Football Leagues’ board of directors has accused Uefa of breaching the terms of the deal that governs European club competitions. Doncaster shares their concerns.
“Notwithstanding the welcome retention of a route to the Champions League for the Spfl’ s ladbrokes premier ship winners, we absolutely share the EPFL’S disappointment about the regressive and protectionist direction of travel for the world’s most prestigious club competition,” Doncaster said.
“There needs to be a far stronger balance between sporting merit and commercial pressures, otherwise we risk an inexorable slide towards an Nfl-style closedshop system.
“Uefa has a duty to act on behalf of the entire game, not just a few, select clubs and leagues and it must take that duty far more seriously if it is not to risk presiding over a harmful fragmentation of the game.”
The EPFL says the reforms were made “without the support and consensus” from the domestic leagues.
“This decision will have a detrimental impact on domestic competitions and will lead to an exponential growth in the financial and sporting gap between the biggest clubs in Europe and all the others,” a statement from the EPFL said.
“As a result of the decision taken by Uefa, the EPFL believes that Uefa has breached the Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations. In the event that the EPFL were to terminate the MOU as a result of such breach, this would give all European leagues total freedom to schedule their matches as they see fit, including on the same days and at the same kick-off times as Uefa club competitions.”