Global Premier League?

A quick take on the proposal to turn the EPL into the GPL for one weekend a year...


I think the Premiership adding a 39th fixture and having teams play international league games is an interesting idea, if not a wholly practical one. The EPL is undoubtedly the most popular league in the world in terms of television contracts and persistent interest among fans from all continents. So it's an understandable wish to promote the EPL brand by bringing it directly to several international destinations. If done correctly, the English game's brand will expand exponentially, and the sponsors and owners and television execs will enjoy a serious financial windfall. The NFL succesfully pulled off its first ever regular season game outside of North America this past season when it staged a festive duel at Wembley.

But there are considerable hurdles to making this work, some which may prove to be insurmountable. The fans, first, need to be guaged, and if there is overwhelming support against such a plan, then the EPL cannot simply ignore and marginalize its rabid domestic fans who essentially make the league so special. Second, but not of less importance, are the teams, managers, and players themselves to consider. Will they be keen to hopping jets to Singapore or Sydney or San Francisco? Perhaps, and perhaps not. But getting the clubs themselves and their managers and players to go along with this radical proposal will be an essential, an d difficult proposition.

Finally, there's the matter of the competition. How will this effect the Premiershiop title race, and will the integrity of the 38 fair fixtures be compromised? A 39th game means each team will have to play one team in the league three times. How will this be determined? Will the top four play each other a third time? That might hold balance, but then there would be disproportional weight given to the cities that host these matches. I have to believe the idea is to spread the big four out across the globe, to assure that each city has a big brand name of English football attracting fans to its site. But how then, to assign the fixtures? Must Newcastle or Middlesbrough or even Tottenham or Reading agree to playing Manchester United an extra time? Blackburn or Bolton against Chelsea...in Miami? And these points matter? A newly promoted team has to play Everton a third time, and it costs them being relegated. Is that a risk a club would sign off on in order to expand the global image of the Premier League?
It is indeed an intriguing proposal, and it may yet prove visionary. But from where I'm sitting right now, I just don't see it. I'm with Gareth Southgate: "Is it April the 1st?"