Rupert Murdoch is reported to be planning to launch a 16 team summer league which could start as early as 2015.
Murdoch’s Sky Sports organisation have been the driving force behind the success of the English Premier League which has globalised the sport with billions pouring into the English game.
UEFA has had to constantly update the qualification criteria for the Champions League to keep the biggest clubs happy with that success being noticed around the globe.
In March of this year there were reports of a world series type competition being based in Qatar who will host the 2018 World Cup with Murdoch looking for a slice of the action for his global News Corporation.
According to a report in The Guardian Murdoch is looking to host a 16 team series of matches during the summer with cities from Los Angeles to Shanghai bidding to host fixtures.
Manchester United, Barcelona and Real Madrid are essentials for any global league to have credibility with all three clubs already committing themselves to extensive worldwide pre-season tours.
This summer the Guinness International Cup involving Real Madrid, Chelsea, Juventus, AC Milan and LA Galaxy will get underway with Celtic unable to take up an invite due to being involved in the early rounds of the Champions League.
With the largest active fan base in North America and the worldwide Irish support to tap into Celtic would be a natural choice among the second tier clubs involved in a worldwide league.
Plans by Murdoch and the Qatar Royal Family are both at advanced stages and present a genuine threat to FIFA and UEFA who keep an iron grip on their tournaments with lucrative long term sponsorship deals in place.
Moves to switch the 2018 World Cup to January are certain to be resisted by clubs- paving the way for leading clubs to break free and set up their own leagues- just as English sides did in 1992 with the formation of The Premiership breaking away from The Football League.
Something needs to happen!!
Don’t know about Murdoch getting his teeth into it though!
Nope, he wouldn’t be my first choice by a long way, either. In fact, I see him as the Devil’s earthly ambassador. But money will talk as always.
Murdoch is an extremely dangerous right wing Vulture Capitalist. He has bought the UK Government under both Labour and Tories, whatever he touches is corrupted. Any League he is involved in will be a scandal ridden, investors dream and cash cow . A disaster for the future of Football. I agree we need to leave the biased Scottish League and find another League but this scum .No thanks
I totally agree with the above posters. If there was a trial today for Crimes against Humanity, Rupert Murdoch would be imprisoned for life, if not hung by the neck.
What about the mob that run it just now everyone corrupt and they have been caught doing it but still nothing happens to them.
Champions league is a joke now the rich leagues get there four teams into it to get richer and the scraps get tossed to the lower leagues who grab it like poor orphans.
I welcome this maybe it will show the corrupt uefa that they won’t get it all there way from now on.
Oh and I hope someone does it for country’s to play in a knock out tournament because if the last bid wasn’t corrupt don’t know what is, to play a World Cup tournament in one of the hottest country’s out then just realise that it was going to be super warm after the bid must have alarm bells going that maybe someone was getting there pockets lined.
It’s not just the sfa who are corrupt it’s uefa and FIFA as well.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Murdoch is a person, who has corrupted Governments, the Media and is in a corrupt Political class all by himself.The EPL, FA are as corrupt as UEFA and FIFA. The SFA , however, are also in a corrupt football class all by themselves as well.
Celtic has to get out of the corrupt sfa spl’ and joining this new league would be much better. A lot more money and the fanbase of Celtic Football Club worldwide,hail hail
Brilliant piece earlier about Kenny Sheils parting compny with Kilmarnock under “mutual agreement”. Yeah, right. The Killie chairman said, “you better get your ass out of here before I kick it out” Sheils said, “okay, I agree”
Murdoch isn’t anymore corrupt than the bastards at UEFA/ FIFA or SFA. The way he’s marketed a very average EPL has to be applauded. If he sets up a new tournament which involves Celtic, then so be it… Anything beats the monotony of our domestic season.
Would rather see all the chancers and hangers on in the SFA be eradicated and the organisation reformed and modernised so that Scottish football can go to where it ought to be. Just sayin’
no football club should go cap in hand to media broadcasters to play football they should come to us. clubs need to organise with each other reguarding any new league set up and let the media mafia fight to gain access.
am aw’ furrit, a mean fitba’ in the land o’bagpipes, porridge and of coorse the irresistable,trio of dumbfex @the new S.P.F.L . MUST BE VERY WELL INFORMED BY ” brother murdoch”