SAN FRANCISCO, October 15, (THEWILL) – The English Premier League (EPL) has agreed an urgent strategy review involving all 20 clubs after Project Big Picture was rejected at an emergency meeting on Wednesday.
The Project Big Picture plans aim to both radically overhaul the power structure of the Premier League, on the one hand, and help to financially safeguard teams in the divisions below, on the other.
The plans proposed the following changes:
• The EPL to be reduced from 20 to 18 clubs.
• The EFL Cup and the Community Shield to be scrapped.
• 16th placed Premier League club to join a play-off with Championship teams in third, fourth, and fifth.
• Nine Premier League clubs (Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Man United, Man City, Southampton, Tottenham, West Ham) to be given special power over rule changes, broadcasting rights, and even club takeovers.
• Creation of a $450 million rescue fund for EFL clubs.
• 25% of Premier League annual revenue (instead of just 4%) to go to EFL clubs, and scrapping of parachute payments (money given to clubs when they are relegated).
• Price caps on tickets to away games.
• A redesigned loan system, an extended pre-season, and a later league start date.
• Funding will be provided to set up a new and independent women’s league.
For the EPL, this would see the power on big decisions such as rule changes and broadcasting rights shift unequivocally in the favour of the “Big Six” which are Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool, Man United, and Man City.
As things currently stand, all 20 clubs get to vote on such issues, with a majority of 14 needing to vote in favour to pass any motion. Under Project Big Picture, however, only nine clubs (Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Man United, Man City, Southampton, Tottenham, West Ham) would get to vote, with a majority of six needed to push through any proposed changes.
What this effectively means is that the EPL’s smaller clubs have no say in what happens, with the big six holding all the cards. And therefore, all the power.
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These proposals for the Project were being driven by leading figures at Old Trafford and Anfield with support from the English Football League (EFL) chairman Rick Parry. The vote effectively snuffs out any chance of the current proposals being implemented in their current guise. Although, the possibility remains that they could still be used as a model to draw up a new framework that will revamp the English pyramid.
The meeting saw EPL clubs not included in the traditional ‘Big Six’ voice considerable opposition to Project Big Picture, which, as laid out above, would have seen a significant proportion of power afforded to United and Liverpool as well as Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.
These other 14 clubs stood opposed to Project Big Picture, while some of the ‘Big Six’ were not entirely on board with the plans, which had been initially forged in secret talks between Liverpool, United and Parry over the last three years. The meeting recorded some expression of upset with Parry and his reactions when the story originally broke on Sunday.
The EPL has spoken publicly against Project Big Picture. This follows comments against the Project made by the English Football Association. The implication is that the plans are dead in the water. In addition, as soon as it was clear that there was strong opposition against their proposals, both Liverpool and Manchester United sided with the other 18 clubs to unanimously agree that Project Big Picture was not the way forward.
Project Big Picture is the brainchild of Liverpool owner John W Henry and club president Mike Gordon and United co-owner Joel Glazer. Yet, neither of them appeared in the videoconference meeting. Instead, Liverpool were represented by chairman Tom Werner, while United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward was in attendance along with chief executive Billy Hogan.
A statement from the EPL read:
“All 20 Premier League clubs today unanimously agreed that ‘Project Big Picture’ will not be endorsed or pursued by the Premier League, or The FA.
“Further, Premier League Shareholders agreed to work together as a 20-club collective on a strategic plan for the future structures and financing of English football, consulting with all stakeholders to ensure a vibrant, competitive and sustainable football pyramid.
“Clubs will work collaboratively, in an open and transparent process, focusing on competition structure, calendar, governance and financial sustainability.
“This project has the full support of The FA and will include engagement with all relevant stakeholders including fans, government and, of course, the EFL.
However, there were some positives from the meeting. For instance, the EPL agreed a financial rescue package for clubs across League One and League Two, which will support them throughout the 2020/21 season. The £77.2m bailout will include an additional £50m in grants and interest-free loans, which would follow solidarity payments of £27.2m that have already been distributed.
With the Football League throwing its support behind a £250m rescue package that fell under the proposals of Project Big Picture, the decision is set to be a huge blow to a number of clubs that will have hoped for more financial help than is being offered.
This is because the rescue package by itself does not include the Championship clubs. But, talks are set to continue with the EFL especially for clubs in the second-tier, with the Premier League eager to get government assistance on the matter.
The statement continued:
“Also at today’s meeting it was agreed to make available a rescue package which aims to ensure that League One and League Two clubs will not go out of business as a result of the financial impact of Covid-19 and be able to complete the 2020/21 season.“
THEWILL acknowledges the fact that League One and League Two clubs rely more heavily on matchday revenue and have fewer resources at their disposal than Championship or Premier League clubs and are therefore a lot more at risk, especially at such a time when due to COVID-19 restrictions fans are excluded from attending matches.
This offer will consist of grants and interest-free loans totalling a further £50m on top of the £27.2m solidarity payments already advanced to League One and League Two this year, making a total of £77.2m.
“Discussions will also continue with the EFL regarding Championship clubs’ financial needs. This addresses Government concerns about lower league clubs’ financial fragility,” the statement noted.
The financial rescue package is for cushioning the effect of matchday revenue lost by the absence of fans since the coronavirus pandemic began seven months ago. The debate over the subject has triggered an ongoing row between sporting bodies and the government over the latter’s refusal to allow supporters back into stadia across the country with worsening spikes in coronavirus cases.
Plans for the reintroduction of fans from October 1 following a number of successful pilot events, had to be scrapped last month when coronavirus cases started to rise once again.
The EPL has joined calls behind the “Let Fans In” campaign, even as the government insisted on Wednesday that it is “too soon” for doors to be reopened following this week’s tightening on restrictions in certain areas.
“Football is not the same without attending fans and the football economy is unsustainable without them,” the EPL statement added. “The Premier League and all our clubs remain committed to the safe return of fans as soon as possible.”
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
