The Premier League clubs have kicked Project Big Picture into the long grass and agreed instead to hold an urgent strategy review involving all 20 members, as well as making a new bail-out offer to the EFL.
An emergency meeting of the 20 clubs called after last weekend’s announcement of the Project’s aims to revolutionise English football — put forward by Liverpool and Manchester United and backed by the EFL chairman Rick Parry — has effectively killed off the plan at birth.
It would have handed all voting powers to the top teams in the Premier League and hugely increased their financial income but ran up against opposition from a large majority of the top-flight clubs.
It is understood that the meeting instead decided to commission a strategy review that would involve all 20 clubs rather than just the elite to plan for the future, with the understanding that it would take place promptly.
There was also an agreement to put together a rescue package for the EFL, with the offer including an option for the bail-out funding only to go to the League One and League Two clubs. That, however, could still be vetoed by the Championship clubs. As reported by The Times last week, the EFL had rejected an offer of a grant of less than £50 million and a £100 million loan — all with conditions attached.
It had been expected that there would be some fiery exchanges aimed at the Liverpool and Manchester United representatives but according to one club executive in the meeting it was “civilised”. However, there was irritation about the role of Parry in Project Big Picture, with some clubs suggesting he had attempted to destabilise the Premier League.
The project had won some EFL clubs’ support by promising 25 per cent of Premier League TV revenue with the three lower divisions. At least 14 of the 20 top-flight clubs were opposed, however, possibly some of the ‘big six’ clubs too, according to Premier League insiders.
The fans’ trusts of the big six clubs had also united to object to the Project’s plans, stating they were “totally opposed to concentrating power in the hands of six billionaire owners and departing from the one club, one vote and collective ethos of the Premier League”.
The FA chairman Greg Clarke had also spoken out, warning Liverpool and Manchester United that the governing body would use its special powers to prevent a breakaway league and stop them playing in the Champions League.
Clarke said the FA would use its “special share” in the Premier League to protect “the best interests of the game” and pointed out the FA nominates which leagues and clubs qualify for European competition. He confirmed that the threat of a breakaway league — understood to have been suggested for the big six Premier League clubs to join the EFL — had been raised in discussions between the two clubs and Parry.
Project Big Picture has been driven by Liverpool’s owner John Henry and president Mike Gordon, along with Manchester United’s co-owner Joel Glazer, but none of the trio faced the music at the Premier League meeting, which was held by video conference. Instead, Liverpool’s chairman Tom Werner and chief executive Billy Hogan took part, along with United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.
Clarke confirmed yesterday in a statement that he had taken part in early talks with the group around fixture congestion, with the knowledge of senior FA board members and the chief executive.
He said: “However, in late spring, when the principal aim of these discussions became the concentration of power and wealth in the hands of a few clubs with a breakaway league mooted as a threat, I of course, discontinued my involvement and counselled a more consensus-based approach involving all Premier League clubs and its chair and CEO. Our game needs to continually seek to improve but benefits need to be shared.
“We, the FA Board and Council, have to ensure that any changes would be to the long-term benefit of the whole of football and we have substantial controls to help ensure that the best interests of the game are served by any new proposals.
“In addition, to the Special Share in the Premier League, which prevents certain changes being made to the constitution without the FA’s consent, it is also the FA’s responsibility to sanction competitions in England — including any proposed new competition — as well as being responsible for licensing clubs, through Uefa, to play in Europe. Additionally, Uefa look to us to nominate the league, and therefore the clubs, that will play in their competitions.”
In a thinly veiled warning against Liverpool, United and Parry, Clarke added: “Let’s continue to work together to determine what is best for English football, with full dialogue between all key stakeholders. However, there is more to our game than economics. Change must benefit clubs, fans and players; not just selective balance sheets. In these difficult times unity, transparency and common purpose must override the interests of the few.”
The Times has seen the full project proposals and the documents outline the incredible extent of the power and money that would be given to the top sides.
Premier League clubs would be allowed to show Saturday 3pm matches to British viewers on their own TV channels and digital platforms if the broadcast blackout is lifted permanently, in what would be another significant money-making opportunity for the big clubs.
The big six clubs would not only dominate the voting rights in the Premier League — their powers would also extend to setting a salary cap in the Championship and wielding a veto over the fixture calendar in the second tier of English football.
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? Should learn new language and I would think watchign other streams would be more neutral and better