The twenty clubs in the Premier League unanimously voted against ‘Project Big Picture’ on Wednesday, a controversial plan to radically reform the competition.
Last Sunday, plans leaked from the American owners of Liverpool and Manchester United. They want to increase the power of the top clubs by giving the nine clubs that have been playing the longest in the Premier League special voting rights.
It is also intended that the top division will be reduced from twenty to eighteen clubs. The League Cup and the English Supercup will also be canceled and clubs will no longer receive extra money if they are relegated. However, extra money from TV income would go to clubs from lower divisions, which therefore applaud the project.
The plans were discussed by all clubs in the Premier League on Wednesday and received little support. The clubs unanimously agreed not to “endorse” the project. Remarkably, Manchester United and Liverpool are also behind the other clubs in a joint statement.
Alternatively, the clubs agreed to work together on a “new strategic plan to finance English football”. For example, it was decided to make an amount of 55 million euros available to clubs in League One and League Two, the third and fourth level in England. This is partly intended to help teams from the lower echelons through the corona crisis. Additional help for the Championship, the second level, is still being discussed.
The FA has not yet commented on ‘Project Big Picture’. Thanks to a gold share, the English Football Association has the power to stop major changes.
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