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Champions League Revamp Gives Top European Clubs More Clout

UEFA will guarantee more places for clubs from Europe’s top football leagues in the Champions League, "in a power shift towards the wealthiest teams in an effort to boost the appeal of the continent’s premier club tournament for broadcasters," according to Murad Ahmed of the FINANCIAL TIMES. The move, which "follows threats from wealthy clubs to create a breakaway competition, will ensure more places for teams from Europe’s largest television markets, but to the detriment of representation from smaller nations." From the '18-19 season, the top four performing leagues in Europe -- currently Spain, Germany, England and Italy -- "will be guaranteed four places each in the Champions League group stages." UEFA described the changes as "an evolution not a revolution," and stressed that clubs from all associations will still be able to qualify for the competition (FT, 8/26).

ITALIAN, SPANISH PRESSURE: The PA reported the move is "understood to have been championed by representatives from Spain and Italy." Other changes implemented by UEFA, to take effect in '18 "when the new three-year commercial cycle begins, will see clubs judged on their own records, deleting the country share for the individual club coefficient unless that coefficient is lower than 20% of the association’s coefficient." Historical success in the competition "will also be acknowledged in coefficient calculation with points awarded for European titles, while financial distribution to clubs will be increased significantly for the Champions League and Europa League." UEFA interim General Secretary Theodore Theodoridis said, "The amendments made will continue to ensure qualification based on sporting merit, and the right of all associations and their clubs to compete in Europe's elite club competitions." European Clubs Association Chair Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said, "I welcome UEFA's decision, it reflects a serious and fair solution for European club football. I am particularly pleased with the fact the European football community remains united moving forward" (PA, 8/26).

KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY: REUTERS' Brian Homewood reported UEFA also "stopped short of guaranteeing captive places for certain big clubs, another possibility which sources said had been discussed privately in meetings over the past few months." UEFA Competitions Dir Giorgio Marchetti said that the format itself "would remain the same with a qualifying stage, followed by a 32-team group stage and then a knockout contest." The "biggest losers" were the 11th and 12th ranked leagues, "currently Switzerland and the Czech Republic, who will lose their guaranteed places in the group stage." Instead, "they will now compete in a qualifying competition with national champions from all other European leagues for four places in a qualifying competition played in July and August" (REUTERS, 8/26). In London, Jeremy Wilson reported the "biggest winners," though, will be Italy’s Serie A which, with Spain’s La Liga, have become "especially alarmed at how income in the English Premier League has accelerated at a much faster rate than their own domestic revenues streams or those of the Champions League." Italians clubs currently have "only two guaranteed places in the group phase and a further playoff place." Despite its "vast prestige," the Champions League has "struggled to keep pace with the Premier League’s revenue growth." Last season, for example, Real Madrid "earned less from winning an 11th European Cup than the top 11 English teams from their involvement in the Premier League." That gap is "expected to further grow" in this current broadcast cycle from '16. The "frustration among some clubs" is that, by opening up European competitions to more countries, UEFA has "followed a path that might lead to political popularity but does not maximise the commercial potential for the most marketable clubs" (TELEGRAPH, 8/26).

EXEC REACTIONS: In Glasgow, Michael Gannon wrote Scottish Premiership side Celtic CEO Peter Lawwell has "claimed a win for Scottish Football after UEFA voted against slamming the Champions League door shut in the faces of the smaller nations." Lawwell "breathed a sigh of relief as the big guns opted against binning the champions route of qualification." Scottish Professional Football League CEO Neil Doncaster has "also been fighting Scotland's case and admitted the changes could have been worse" -- but he is still "wary of where UEFA are heading" (DAILY RECORD, 8/27). 20 MINUTES reported the changes represent a system that "discriminates against Ligue 1, which seems doomed to fight for the fifth place in the UEFA index," but does not seem to bother Olympique Lyonnais Owner Jean-Michel Aulas. He said, "The more weak or average teams that qualify for the Champions League, the less TV broadcasters will pay." From a sporting point of view, Aulas said, "For France, it is not a bad reform. We stay 2+1, but without passing the preliminary round and without the risk of falling out, in group stages, to a club from one of the four big leagues." Ligue 1 clubs union President Bernard Caïazzo said, "France finds itself condemned to fifth place, in the best scenario. Our clubs are being looted. The league will mobilize and try to mobilize with other leagues" (20 MINUTES, 8/27).

COLUMN: In London, Gabriele Marcotti opined if you are unimpressed by the announcement that "half the Champions League places are to be carved up between the big four European competitions, console yourself with the knowledge that the restructure could have been even more dramatic." Clubs "used their leverage, including the threat of a walkout, to push through this restructure." In truth, "they wanted even more: Champions’ League games on weekends; matches played around the world, from Asia to North America; wildcard entries for big clubs who failed to qualify via their domestic competitions." All these options "were on the table, backed up by the threat of a boycott." In those circumstances, UEFA "feels it did quite well, all told, to achieve a compromise" (LONDON TIMES, 8/26).

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