Time for a true 'league' structure for Europe's 'Champions' League?: A proposal
When:
—
Venue:
Birkbeck Main Building, Malet Street
A seminar as part of the Birkbeck Sport Business Centre Public Seminar Series.
Given by: Alex Fynn.
Synopsis
As a Director of Saatchi & Saatchi, Alex Fynn produced a European Super League [ESL] plan for Silvio Berlusconi (the then owner of AC Milan) in 1988. This plan, together with Glasgow Rangers’ proposals for a group system, arguably later led UEFA to launch the UEFA Champions League in 1992.
Against the background of recent media reports that some of Europe’s major football clubs were again considering plans for a breakaway European Super League, in this presentation, Alex re-visits the ESL concept thirty years on. Whilst acknowledging, in hindsight, there were some issues with his original proposal together with the hybrid group stage/knockout structure that was eventually adopted, he now suggests that a format has finally been arrived at which provides the raison d’etre for the competition in the first place, namely to answer the question which is the best club in Europe. In this presentation he attempts to find that answer.
Biography
Alex Fynn is a well-known consultant to the sports’ industry who has also written extensively on the subject of the football business. His clients have included Arsenal, Celtic, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur football teams, as well as the Football League and the Football Association. Through his work he has been influential in the formation of both the English Premier League and the UEFA European Champions League. Previously Alex was a director of the well-known advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi, latterly as vice-chairman. He was responsible for a number of major clients including Procter & Gamble. Throughout his career Alex has acted as an advisor on the negotiation of the sale of TV broadcasting rights for a number of clubs and federations including the FA, the Football League, the RFU and the British Athletics Federation.
Reading
- Bennetts, J. (17th September 2018). How the Champions League ate the world – the story behind European football’s behemoth. The Daily Telegraph.
- Der Spiegel (2nd November 2018). Documents Show Secret Plans for Elite League of Top Clubs. Der Spiegel.
Contact details
- Twitter: Follow Alex @AlexFynn1
Seminar Series details
For further details on this seminar series contact:
Sean Hamil
Department of Management
Birkbeck College
Malet Street
London
WC1E 7HX
Tel: 020 7631 6763
Email: s.hamil@bbk.ac.uk
Twitter: @Birkbecksport
Contact name:
BEI Events and Communications Team