mrleojeli

A possible alternative would be to look at something like the American sports "all-star game"

Two games; one pre-season, replacing the Charity Shield; one mid season in the !winter-break!

The teams involved would be EPL representative teams (could be North/South, fan votes etc. - something which means that players from all of the 20 EPL teams are fairly rep'd) rather than actual club teams.

Different countries bid for the right to host the games on an annual basis, like international tournaments.

Discuss

Amaroq

This link: BBC: What they say on overseas games shows, I think, just how far it is from reality yet - certainly not something SI would include as it isn't finalised!

Many of the objections raised there are valid - the argument about throwing off the sporting integrity by having unbalanced schedules is a particularly strong one.

Paz-CCFC

Call yourself a fan? You'd boycott something just because the teams are trying to make money - what a joke.

The only downside i can see is the flights knackering players, but the african cup of nations is more damaging than a single match played abroad.

As to the original post, if it happens SI will include it, they aren't going to do anything until it happens IRL. </BLOCKQUOTE>
I call him a fan and I'd hope Premier LEague fans call for a mass boycott

The clubs even thinking about this is a complete and utter disgrace. It just shows how greedy *****s they are. The coudln't give a crap about the fans so long as they get the €€€'s.

This is also wrecking the hard work the smaller leagues are doing. The League of Ireland are doing hard work to try and promote the game to the Premier League obsessed country. As well, there's other places like America and Asia that are trying to build the game there. Basically, what the PL is doing is ****ing on them and knocking them back to square one.

I don't think you'd be too happy if you supported a smaller club in a smaller league, that was trying to make progress at home and some suits who are thinking about nothing but the €€€'s came along and just undermined that league by playing their own leagues game there.

This actually reminds me of when Wimbledon FC were nearly based in Dublin, Ireland. Thank god that did not happen...

C'mon fans of PL clubs. This would be whoring your club out to the people of other countries, that the clubs just see as cash cows. If this goes ahead, please boycott the games and make the losses of this venture greatly exceeding the gains.

After all it's the ENGLISH Premier League

displaced_seagull

Don't just boycott the games.

Boycott everything related. Cancel your Sky/Setanta subs, don't bet on games, don't buy merchandise, don't trade with 'Corporate partners' - Barclays, Budweiser, Wrigleys etc.

Go and watch Football Leagues/Non League games - even Rugby. Anything but let them win this one.

Fans United.

Tom =)

Being a season ticket holder at arsenal now for nearly 10 years, i've seen many a title or champions league place decided in that 38th game of the season, what if the premier league is decided in america, and IMO this is completely unfair. If the top 5 from last year are seeded and can't get each other fair enough, but a team like Arsenal could get say , Spurs, while a team like manchester united could get Derby, now if this was the last day of the season how would this be a fair outcome to the premiership? Also these draws could also get claimed as match fixing, no matter how professional they are, and IMO the english f.a has done this to get money for themselves, as im sure they will be charging for people to watch this draw, AND they will surely be getting a LOT of money from which ever country gets these games.

Mike7077

I agree wholeheartedly. Only one problem. My addiction to my team is too strong for me to see that through. And I just don't know if we could turn the (rightful) wave of objection into a powerful enough movement to stop it happening. FC United did not bring about the Glazers' ouster at Old Trafford. Indeed, the ground got bigger, and they still fill it. You can criticise all you like the type of fans that fill those seats, but it shows the awesome power of the big clubs to put bums on seats, no matter what objectionable things might be going on. And I just cannot imagine masses of football supporters cancelling their Barclay's account. I happen to get excellent service in my local branch.

Like I said, I agree with your plan of action. I'm just not sure that a big enough movement could come about to make it work.

sthptngomad76

Tbh i thought it was an April Fools joke until i realised it was February...

x42bn6

I'd imagine this would become a league of some sorts, like the World Cup, with rotating venues.

It's still a ridiculously stupid idea, of course, because Wigan vs. Birmingham is really going to bring in the crowds. :-/

Mike7077

It would be the exact same Premier League, but with one additional game for each club. Effectively, you'd play one random team three times, instead of two. And that would be decided by a draw, which would also choose the venue. Fulham vs. Middlesbrough in Dallas, anyone?

And I think you're be pretty gutted if you were a relegation candidate and had to play an extra game against Man. United!

x42bn6

I think the top sides would be exempt from it via a seeding method.