{"id":602302,"date":"2021-09-27T11:50:50","date_gmt":"2021-09-27T15:50:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/?p=602302"},"modified":"2021-09-27T11:50:50","modified_gmt":"2021-09-27T15:50:50","slug":"premier-league-overseas-matches","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2021\/09\/27\/premier-league-overseas-matches\/","title":{"rendered":"Premier League Overseas Matches Discussed Among Shareholders"},"content":{"rendered":"

Premier League shareholders met in London last week, with the long-proposed idea of holding competitive overseas matches proving a central area of discussion. Building on the plan to \u2018take Premier League matches to the world\u2019 first mentioned in June\u2019s AGM, the proposition of a \u2018roadmap for meaningful matches abroad\u2019 was brought up in last week\u2019s meeting. That\u2019s according to The Athletic\u2019s David Ornstein<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Premier League Shareholders Discuss Possibility of Overseas Matches<\/h2>\n

Key Objectives<\/h3>\n

Global appeal is a crucial aspect in the development of domestic leagues in modern football. Breaking into foreign markets provides greater interest and coverage, which facilitates financial growth, which in turn increases the league\u2019s capability of furthering its draw to new audiences and international superstars.<\/p>\n

The Premier League<\/a> is already one of \u2013 if not the<\/em> \u2013 biggest league in world football, with a whole host of stars featuring week in week out. However, during last week\u2019s conference, shareholders identified possible regions in which it could be bigger.<\/p>\n

The United States, China, India, Brazil and Indonesia were all mentioned as potential markets in which a new and greater fanbase could be found.<\/p>\n

Premier League Plans<\/h3>\n

With haste, Shareholders also got into steps that could be taken to fulfil the league\u2019s potential in such areas.<\/p>\n

A new and enhanced pre-season tournament in the US, which would presumably predominantly feature Premier League clubs, was discussed as an initial step that could be taken as a pre-cursor to the 2022\/23 campaign.<\/p>\n

However, it was the league\u2019s long-term goal that particularly caught the attention. Last week, Premier League shareholders further discussed moving some competitive matches overseas. While the idea has seemed an inevitability for some time, Ornstein notes that it would take \u2018several years\u2019 for any Premier League match on foreign soil to take place.<\/p>\n

This comes after a gargantuan few months for football, in which the lust for financial gain was highlighted as clearly as ever by the proposal of the European Super League by the bosses of some of the continent\u2019s giants.<\/p>\n

The Premier League\u2019s proposed move would undoubtedly grow its international audience, generate much more interest in the targeted regions and help the league develop even further financially. However, it\u2019s hard to not see it as another step in taking football away from its roots \u2013 the fans.<\/p>\n

Main Photo
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>