BAYERN MUNICH CHAIRMAN Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has reignited the idea of creating a “European league” with 20 of the continent’s leading clubs.
“You can’t rule out that, in the future, we could create an European league with the major clubs from Italy, Germany, England, Spain and France, under the auspices of Uefa or a private organisation,” Rummenigge said during a financial fair-play meeting in Milan on Tuesday.
“It would be a competition with 20 teams and perhaps we would play some matches in America and Asia,” added Rummenigge, who is also president of the European Club Association (ECA), an independent body which represents clubs at European level.
According to Rummenigge, “the best teams are becoming stronger and stronger in relation to others in the main leagues and another league is in fact already being born beyond the Champions League”.
The idea suggested by Rummenigge goes back to recurring calls for a “Superleague”, a rival tournament to Uefa competitions proposed by leading European clubs who were part of the now-disbanded G14 group.
It would also appear to be a message sent to Uefa, whose president Michel Platini is appealing an eight-year ban from football that was handed down by a Fifa tribunal last month.
Rummenigge received the backing of Juventus president Andrea Agnelli, himself an ECA member, who claimed the financial benefits of the Champions League were insufficient.
The Champions League is worth €1.5 billion in TV rights compared to almost €7 billion for the NFL.
“However, market studies show that of the two billion sports fans worldwide, 1.6 billion are football fans with American football accounting for just 150 million fans,” Agnelli said.
“This must make people think about the untapped potential regarding the format of current football competitions,” he added.
Exceptional athlete. Looking forward to seeing how she gets on.
Fair play to her.. personally i dont think its healthy
The body can do amazing things. How could this possibly be unhealthy?
ww.independent.ie/lifestyle/health/fitness-fanatics-warned-too-much-exercise-could-shorten-your-life-30157316.html
Phillip.. I think although the body can do amazing things its another thing to over exert the body and cause damage. am i correct in thinking she is going to run nonstop for 46 hours? thats putting the body under extreme stress which i feel is unhealthy
I would love to be that able. It takes 24hr commitment. I take it u couldn’t have kids and commit to these type of fitness programmes. You wouldn’t get the 8 hour sleep for one thing. Amazing athlete and to be admired for her focus and drive
If you type in “Kona Ironman” into youtube you’ll find hour long documentaries featuring the different years of competition. Some of the stories covered are truly inspirational from the amateur athletes that manage to complete the course, ranging from the extremely over weight to people missing both their legs. If it doesn’t inspire you to get off your ass than nothing will!
Best of luck Diana!
The lady is an Animal and I mean that on the best possible tough sense , I wish I had an ounce of her drive