Football fans may have thought they had seen off the reviled tournament, which would have featured Europe’s richest clubs in a mostly closed league, when it collapsed within 48 hours of its launch last April. However, those same power-holders are looking to pave the way for a return.At the European Court of Justice today, the European Super League will try to persuade judges that it should be allowed to press on with plans to establish its rival competition.”The applicant (the European Super League Company) seeks the adoption of interim measures aimed at enabling the organisation and development of the European Super League,” say court documents.Last April, supporters took to the streets to blow away the profits of the proposed venture. In the face of this angry opposition, particularly from the fans of English clubs, nine of the 12 founding members, including Man United, Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal, withdrew from the project and quickly issued groveling apologies.🗣 “A billionaire’s blueprint.”🤝 As the Court of Justice of the EU holds hearings on the European super league, fans’ groups from across the continent have come together to restate their opposition. ✍️ Sign the #WinItOnThePitch ECI: https://t.co/U2ofLI6mZY pic.twitter.com/A1Wy20E8F5— FSE – Football Supporters Europe (@FansEurope) July 11, 2022 But as in any good horror movie, the monster is never really dead. And the European Super League Company, which retains the support of Real Madrid, Juventus and Barcelona, limped on and is pushing for a defining judgement under European competition law.To try and bring the idea back to life and close to fruition, the European Court is now being asked to consider whether it is against EU competition law if FIFA and UEFA:- demand prior approval of third parties wanting to set up a rival international club competition- make threats to adopt sanctions, or impose sanctions, against clubs joining a Super League- claim to be the ‘original owners of all rights emanating from football… under their jurisdiction’ so that clubs or organisers of alternative competitions cannot market those rightsOut of twelve Super League clubs – only Real Madrid earned money, others accumulated a debt of 2.85 billion USD in two yearsThe case could seek to establish that under the law, FIFA and UEFA are not allowed to prevent rival competitions becoming established and that they are not the sole owners of the rights to football, which has the potential to shift profits from those governing bodies to competitors, clubs and even players.”What this is about is the relationship between clubs and federations and athletes and federations.” said Mark Orth, an expert in sports competition law at MEO Law in Munich.”It is probably the most important judgement of the ECJ in the sports field. It will set the stage between clubs and federations, athletes and federations. It may give back some liberty to athletes and clubs against federations.”European Super League revamp on the way? Tebas: ESL creators lie more than PutinToday’s hearing follows court action in Spain last year.After the Super League was launched, UEFA repeated threats it had previously made along with FIFA, insisting any club or player that participated in the upstart tournament would be banned from domestic and international competition.The Super League went to court in Madrid claiming FIFA’s and UEFA’s rules and actions amounted to an abuse of position, which breached European competition law. The wannabe tournament won an interim judgement ordering UEFA and FIFA to desist from making further threats and withdraw any warning of sanctions.The issue of who controls the rights to football and its competitions is at the heart of the argument. Powerful clubs have long argued that they generate the wealth in the game and therefore deserve a greater share of the profits, which they already receive through UEFA, but would have significantly enhanced through the Super League.##NAJAVA_MECA_6495699##Most observers, except perhaps the president of Real Madrid, Florentino Perez, do not expect the Super League, to rise from the ashes, but the legal action it is engaged in could change the football – and the sporting – landscape, which would make it possible for rival competitions to succeed in the future.”At this point, it is absolutely impossible to know what the outcome will be,” said Orth, but the implications could be far-reaching.
