Chelsea’s owner suggesting an All-star game for the Premier League was met with widespread backlash. But let’s hold up a second and explore why it’s worth pursuing.
Chelsea’s new boss Todd Boehly has wasted little time trying to add an American flavour to the EPL season, proposing an All-Star game and a relegation play-off series.
The American was blasted on social media for his ideas, as many traditional EPL fans criticised him for trying to ‘Americanise’ the game.
But Boehly, who owns shares in the LA Dodgers and Lakers provided financial statistics that back up his points for an All-Star game in football.
“Ultimately I hope that the Premier League takes a little bit of a lesson from American sports… why isn’t there an All-Star game?” Boehly said at a recent event.
“People are talking about more money for the pyramid; the MLB did their All-Star game in LA this year and made $200 million dollars on a Monday and Tuesday.
“I think you could do a north vs south for the Premier League and fund what is needed for the pyramid very easily.”
Boehly presents some very valid points. The top league in England is critical to the survival of clubs from the second to fourth divisions of English football, as 50% of the TV rights money is distributed amongst the clubs.
This isn’t the first time a Premier League All-Star has been floated in recent times, as former Chelsea and Man United striker Romelu Lukaku suggested the idea on the back of his love for American sports.
The money generated from an All-Star game and or weekend would in theory be a win-win for all clubs in the pyramid. The Premier League clubs would have more revenue and be able to gain more from the TV rights as they could pass down money made from the game to the lower leagues.
An All-Star weekend will not only give the owners more money, but it would allow the players to have a weekend off in what is becoming an increasingly congested schedule on a yearly basis. In the NBA, for example, the players get a week off after the All-Star break to rest and gear up for the final stretch of the season.
With a World Cup this year and players not participating being able to have a month off, this will be a motivating factor for the players to push for an easy week for them in the midst of a gruelling season, whilst giving the owners even more money.
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The majority of people have immediately brushed off Boehly’s proposal and none have been more vocal than Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
“Oh great, when [Todd Boehly] finds a date for that tell him to call me, he forgets that in the big sports in America the players have four-month breaks,” Klopp said in response to Boehly’s suggestion.
“They’re quite happy that they can do some sports during these breaks, it’s quite different in football, what can I say.
“Does he want to bring the Harlem Globetrotters as well and let them play against a football team? I’m surprised by the questions so don’t charge my answers to it too much, but maybe he can explain it to me at one point and find me a proper date.
“Not sure people want to see that, imagine that United players, Liverpool players, Everton players altogether in one team, it’s not the national team.
“Interesting game, all the London teams together, Arsenal, Tottenham, great… did he really say it? Interesting.”
Klopp does have his players’ best interests at heart, but he is saying all of this under no assumptions of dates, potential breaks and financial gains for players and clubs.
The Liverpool manager does bring up what is probably the one thing holding back an All-Star game in the EPL, the rivalries between the clubs. Assuming the league will be split into north and south, there is undoubtedly high tension between lots of players from rival clubs, including the aforementioned London clubs.
But does it necessarily have to be an all-out aggressive-style game? The simple answer is no, most All-Star games are played with little effort and are purely to showcase the elite of the sport on the highest stage. Most of the time, the players are engaged in giving back to the community throughout these events and plenty of charities come out as beneficiaries.
Football is a sport that is constantly evolving and expanding, although its roots lie heavily in Europe there may not be that much harm in adding the American element to the sport.
Anything from All-Star games and competitions, including keeper face-offs, crossbar challenges and running races could attract mass fan interest, which would only benefit the league.
The traditionalist may never accept this format, but if the Premier League is willing to add this format to its season, there would be a lot more positives than negatives for all involved.
