Just last week, I was browsing through Yahoo Sports when I saw this: 'European football's governing body is pondering a proposal to launch a 64 team uber-tournament that would double the size of the existing Champion's League Group Stage.'
On a first glance, this proposal seems like a great way to improve the interest in the Champions League by adding a whole new set of teams. But on a second glance, you can see just how messed up this proposal is. The reason the tournament is called the Champions League is because the CHAMPIONS or the top teams in each domestic league play. With the size of the group stage now doubled, the only thing that can happen is that the quality of the Champions League will drop. It's hard enough to get people interested about the group stage of the current 32 team champions league and with 64 teams, all interest will be lost. I can't see people queuing up for a fixture like Everton vs Levante; a kind of game that will soon be common in the new proposal.
Another factor that will come into play is the quality of the side that teams put forward. Will Barcelona play Messi, Xavi and Iniesta for a game against Aston Villa? Of course not. The group stages will become more like warm up matches and that is something I do not look forward to.
I am glad that someone else shares my view; none other than Arsene Wenger. This is an excerpt from his interview:
"That could be detrimental to the national leagues as well and could take some interest out of the first stages of the Champions League. It would be a European league.”
Was this plan just a another scheme for UEFA to gain more money through increased game revenue? If so, I don't think they've done the math completely because whatever they gain, they will lose from a lower audience turnout. I would take 40,000 fans for 10 games over 20,000 fans for 20 games. ( I could just make a whole list of pairs of numbers whose product is 400,000 but I guess I would lose my point.)
