Two-tier Premier League is bad news for football
This week, the Premier League will discuss the proposals put forward by Phil Gartside to expand the league into two divisions of two teams. The idea for the revamp was first put forward last year and the inclusion of Celtic and Rangers in the two tier league has also been mooted. Under Gartside’s proposals, relegation and promotion between the two Premier divisions would be possible but there would be no relegation to the Football League; something that would be a devastating blow to Football League clubs such as Charlton and Notts County who have long-term ambitions to reach the Premier League.
The motivation that Gartside has cited for his idea is to increase the competitiveness at the summit of the Premier League. At present, we have the top four; the challengers to the top four (Tottenham, Manchester City, Aston Villa and Everton); Fulham and Sunderland; and then ten teams who would view staving off relegation as a successful season. It is unclear as to how a restructure of the league will make it more competitive; in theory there will be another title race to follow in the second Premier Division, but it is only natural that the majority of interest will be focussed on the top league as this is where the stronger teams will remain. Distributing television revenue evenly across the divisions will not increase competitiveness as the big clubs gain their advantage through the money generated from participating in the Champions League; it will simply provide financial security for the clubs in the Premiership that currently fear relegation to the Football League where the revenue streams are much lower. The more settled Premier League clubs will oppose the move as it is likely to reduce their revenue and they are succeeding with the current structure; whilst those clubs that spend most of the season worrying about relegation (including Gartside’s own Bolton Wanderers) will be more receptive to a reform of this nature.
The suggestion that relegation to the Football League should be scrapped is nonsense. Removing the fear of relegation and the reward of promotion would destroy football. Clubs at the lower end of the league would have no reason to try and improve if there was no threat of relegation and a guaranteed level of television revenue each season. The quality of the league would suffer and there would actually be a loss of competition; presently the relegation battle in the Premier League generates as much intrigue and drama as the race for the title. Closing the door on the Football League would be a massive mistake; some of the greatest footballing stories in recent years have involved sides like Hull and Wigan rising through the divisions and earning the right to play in the same league as European giants Manchester United and Liverpool.
It is not possible to create an American-inspired franchise with the same teams participating each year; franchises such as the NFL and the NBA only work because the worst team each season gets the first pick of amateur college players; in addition there are salary caps that prevent a few teams from hoarding all the top players. These measures could not work in the English football league as most youth teams are already affiliated to clubs and their academies; and a salary cap would simply drive the top players away to the Spanish, Italian and German leagues.
Overall, the idea to split the Premier League into two divisions seems pointless; the redistribution of television revenue would have little impact on those teams that participate in the Champions League or those clubs that can rely on wealthy benefactors. The proposal to completely separate the Premier League and the Football League can only harm the game and is unlikely to ever be approved, whilst the introduction of Celtic and Rangers to the English league system may be mutually beneficial, but they should both have to navigate their way up to the Premier League, no club deserves a free pass!
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Too right.
An excellent argument against what must be a pie in the sky idea by an idiot.
So the suggestion is that no matter how good a team you are in the Football League you will never get promoted? Ever!
In principle I don’t object to a two tier Premier league, it may help soften the blow better than the current system which seems to do little for relegated clubs who lose all their star players, especially if they are an established club rather than a yoyo team like WBA. The need for parachute payments may not be such and issue. The old play-off system could be re-adopted with top three in the lower league playing of with the bottom placed team in Prem 2 but whatever full relegation and promotion must prevail.
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here we go again two tier leauge,with two scot teams in it ,
its not fair on the teams in the lower divisions who cares a toss about celtic or rangers, lets think about the english clubs,i personly wont watch premier football if they allow scots teams in , by the way im a notts county supporter.its a disgusting idea.
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Another half-baked idea, even worse than the 39th game!! In addition to the points already put forward (which I agree with) what makes anybody think that Celtic or Rangers would want to be in a league where they are NOT going to finish first and second and hence not going to qualify for the Champions League?
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Another ploy to bring in Celtic and Rangers. Please lets put this to bed tThe majority of English teams DO NOT want Celtic or Rangers. The majority of fans I have spoken to DO NOT want the trouble these teams will bring south or in some cases the trouble our fans will export North. Ive witnessed at close hand the trouble when Scottish teams have played English teams.Even in friendlies. Please please please, just leave it the way it is.
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I think that system will drive attendances down as the excitement of promotion and relegation will be gone, as well as the prospect of seeing teams like Hull City progress through the leagues! Isn’t that what it is all about, building a team to succeed. I think we should leave it the way it is and keep the dream alive for all the english teams!
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