With Ronaldo and Benzema gone out there (but not Messi), and Neves apparently gone and our own Kante linked and maybe something about Abamyang, there appears to be a growing trend of taking oil money without having to at least put in a token amount of work for it at Man City.

Is this a real threat to football as we know it, or is this Pele and Marsh to the USA, Oscar and Hulk to China mark III?

They are insanely rich beyond Western understanding, but is it still ultimately a hot sandpit without any real culture, history or supporters to care less about who wins? And can Grealish get that pissed and drugged up without getting flogged and jailed?

I think this is very different to China and the other 'retirement superleagues' that have been created in the past, primarily because it is part of a broader cultural and economic project for the Middle Eastern Gulf States. The Gulf States know that within the next 10 years, the world will largely switch to renewable energy and will enter the post-oil period. Unfortunately for them, the world economy is experiencing an inflation crisis and the vast majority of their assets are in cash and oil reserves i.e the two most affected asset classes. 

To mitigate this, the Gulf States are engaging in construction "megaprojects" and foreign investment to help sustain the local economy in a post-oil world. The league and tourism/entertainment in general are another step in this direction for Saudi Arabia. Saudi of course has a natural advantage over the other Gulf States, being that it is the spiritual home of Islam.

This league is no threat to UEFA hegemony and in many ways it relies on that being preserved, but it is a death knell for virtually every minor league (eg MLS, A-League) in developing commercial markets. On the flip-side, a Saudi Retirement League is ideally situated for broadcast rights in developing markets across the subcontinent and Africa so there may even be a chance of sustainability.

 

 

 

 

 

15 minutes ago, SydneyChelsea said:

I think this is very different to China and the other 'retirement superleagues' that have been created in the past, primarily because it is part of a broader cultural and economic project for the Middle Eastern Gulf States. The Gulf States know that within the next 10 years, the world will largely switch to renewable energy and will enter the post-oil period. Unfortunately for them, the world economy is experiencing an inflation crisis and the vast majority of their assets are in cash and oil reserves i.e the two most affected asset classes. 

To mitigate this, the Gulf States are engaging in construction "megaprojects" and foreign investment to help sustain the local economy in a post-oil world. The league and tourism/entertainment in general are another step in this direction for Saudi Arabia. Saudi of course has a natural advantage over the other Gulf States, being that it is the spiritual home of Islam.

This league is no threat to UEFA hegemony and in many ways it relies on that being preserved, but it is a death knell for virtually every minor league (eg MLS, A-League) in developing commercial markets. On the flip-side, a Saudi Retirement League is ideally situated for broadcast rights in developing markets across the subcontinent and Africa so there may even be a chance of sustainability.

 

 

 

 

 

Yup - EPL is at a very fast pace these days... Different game but the Senior's golf is very popular in the US.

Good for the players and good for Chelsea [us] atm as we should be able to get rid of some of the deadwood that we have...

I stick by what I said on another forum that it will be a retirement home for elite players and those who aren’t good enough for the top level in Europe.

The ‘pull’ of CL and to a certain extent Europa league.will keep most, if not all the top players in Europe. 

17 hours ago, Blue Exile said:

I stick by what I said on another forum that it will be a retirement home for elite players and those who aren’t good enough for the top level in Europe.

The ‘pull’ of CL and to a certain extent Europa league.will keep most, if not all the top players in Europe. 

It's mutually beneficial for UEFA. UEFA keeps its prestige, funded by Middle Eastern money, and Saudi clubs bask in that reflected glory by signing the high-profile has beens.

Once they sort out the branding, i.e general re-branding of the clubs, from kits to badges and general characteristics to make it similar to established European clubs they will kick on but it will definitely take time. At present, most of those clubs have social media profiles all in Arabic, so unless they are willing to dilute their culture a little, it will be as insular as the Chinese league; which was never going to be globally marketable. It’s a huge project that will take decades if they genuinely want to became a real power, having said this.. a quick short cut would be access to the Champions League in Europe, which would be insane and compromise the integrity of the game to new levels. 

It's funny seeing fans get upset about money in football, the sport sold its sold decades ago and its just a progression of that.

Clubs have been chasing money from anywhere and anyone, so it's only expected that billionaire investors would move in over local millionaires eventually. 

On 22/06/2023 at 23:29, Term_X said:

Once they sort out the branding, i.e general re-branding of the clubs, from kits to badges and general characteristics to make it similar to established European clubs they will kick on but it will definitely take time. At present, most of those clubs have social media profiles all in Arabic, so unless they are willing to dilute their culture a little, it will be as insular as the Chinese league; which was never going to be globally marketable. It’s a huge project that will take decades if they genuinely want to became a real power, having said this.. a quick short cut would be access to the Champions League in Europe, which would be insane and compromise the integrity of the game to new levels. 

The world club cup suddenly becoming a bigger and better tournament (long overdue in my opinion) is fantastic timing for them in that regard.

On 23/06/2023 at 08:29, Term_X said:

Once they sort out the branding, i.e general re-branding of the clubs, from kits to badges and general characteristics to make it similar to established European clubs they will kick on but it will definitely take time. At present, most of those clubs have social media profiles all in Arabic, so unless they are willing to dilute their culture a little, it will be as insular as the Chinese league; which was never going to be globally marketable. It’s a huge project that will take decades if they genuinely want to became a real power, having said this.. a quick short cut would be access to the Champions League in Europe, which would be insane and compromise the integrity of the game to new levels. 

Hope not - clubs like Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal already have their own proud histories as some of the most renowned clubs in the Asian Football Confederation.  It is very different to China, whose clubs really had no relevance on the Asian continental stage until the investment explosion. Saudi is also an actually football-mad country with a long standing association with the sport.

However, for the reasons I outlined above, we shouldn't lose sight of the real reasons for the sudden PIF investment into global sport nor the existential crisis that Arab economies face if they do not become cultural powers.

 

On 25/06/2023 at 09:31, Argo said:

The world club cup suddenly becoming a bigger and better tournament (long overdue in my opinion) is fantastic timing for them in that regard.

IMO FIFA should remove its grubby mitts from club competition, but you are right and also FIFA will love the influx of Saudi money into the AFC.

Edited June 28, 20233 yr by SydneyChelsea

Rory Jennings says Henderson wouldn't be going to Saudi for the £700,000 a week, it'll be because he " believes in the project "   😂😂😂

Saudi was a growing issue when they were after Chelsea players. All gone a bit quiet now the darlings of English, sorry, European football, have a few deals lined up. 

17 hours ago, PhilH930 said:

Saudi was a growing issue when they were after Chelsea players. All gone a bit quiet now the darlings of English, sorry, European football, have a few deals lined up. 

Sure you meant world football. Unless football has gone intergalactic?

33 minutes ago, Munkworth said:

Sure you meant world football. Unless football has gone intergalactic?

I’m just fortunate to have seen Liverpuddle play in my lifetime 

What sort of attendance figures are they likely to get on match days, does anyone know ?

On 14/07/2023 at 01:12, PhilH930 said:

Saudi was a growing issue when they were after Chelsea players. All gone a bit quiet now the darlings of English, sorry, European football, have a few deals lined up. 

Dunno about that , Henderson has been in the sports news non stop lately. 

3 hours ago, The Rising Sun said:

Dunno about that , Henderson has been in the sports news non stop lately. 

Totally agree - there was a lull but as you say since Henderson moved lots of chatter. I stand corrected 

What's the punishment for a professional foul in the Saudi league - chop your hands off and stone you to death?

8 minutes ago, PhilH930 said:

Totally agree - there was a lull but as you say since Henderson moved lots of chatter. I stand corrected 

Blimey, !! Cheers mate. Someone on the radio was speculating that we might have had agreements in place months ago for the summer transfers with the Saudi's that allowed us to spend that money in the January window. Dunno why that would be a problem anyway but it seems to have amounted to nothing.

But as usual it makes you think " FFS what are they going to hit us with now?" 

Anyway cheers again mate