Prime Minister Boris Johnson has threatened to introduce new laws to prevent the formation of the Super League and has informed Premier League chief executive Richard Masters that he will do “whatever it takes” to stop the plans.
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Six English sides have agreed to join closed leagues that will see them withdraw from the Champions League, with Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham all announcing their intention to join the competition.
More about this: The government has told PL that it prefers to stop ESL via football rules but (more importantly) has added that it will do “whatever it takes” – including any exemptions from competition laws and sports-specific legislation. Bet on. More on @MailSport soon. https://t.co/3L4EWrNtAI
– Mike Keegan (@MikeKeegan_DM) April 20, 2021
As six of the 15 founding members of the Super League, they will not be exposed to the threat of relegation, thus guaranteeing the continuous flow of revenue it will bring.
The reaction to the announcement has been largely negative, with fans refusing to take part in an event that effectively eliminates competition, as the 15 original members will remain a constant no matter how well they perform.
The Prime Minister has commented on the proposal, and the Daily Mail reports that he has told Premier League CEO Richard Masters that he will do everything in his power to drop the plans.
He added that the event would be “anti-competitive” and that he does not intend to have the proposal implemented, while The Athletic reports that Johnson will even go so far as to introduce new laws to see the idea discarded.
Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola would both be influenced by Super League | Pool / Getty Images
They add that he met with a number of fan groups on Tuesday morning to measure the reaction of those affected by the Super League, and their disapproval has led him to assure them that the plans would not go ahead.
Secretary of Culture Oliver Dowden has already informed the House of Commons that the government would do whatever it takes to stop the formation of the Super League, adding that they must protect their national game at all costs.
“We will put everything on the table to prevent this from happening,” he said. “We are examining all options from board reform to competition law and the mechanisms that allow football to take place.
“We will review everything the government does to support these clubs to play. We will do what is necessary to protect our national game. ”
