Manchester United and Arsenal rule! Forget a European Super League, the Premier League is simply the best

Sun, Mar 23, 08 13:06
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Gianfranco Zola: Helped make the Premier League a success (gettyimages.com)

English sides are dominating the Champions League, they've got the cream of world footballing talent and they're watched by more people in more countries than any other league. Why would you want to watch anything else?

'The Premier League is the most watched sporting league in the whole world. It has viewing audiences of half a billion people in a staggering 202 countries.'

Since its inception in 1992, the Premier League has been a phenomenon. The league is simply world-class and attracts the very best in the game to sign for the English clubs and the chance of success.

Just look at the Champions League quarter-finals and you will see four English sides in the draw, each one having a very good chacne of actually lifting the trophy. OK, the league may be dominated by these four teams but the other 16 clubs do their bit to make it unpredictable and one of the most talked about leagues in world football.

The Premier League is the most watched sporting league in the whole world. It has viewing audiences of half a billion people in a staggering 202 countries. It is hugely popular in Asia where viewers tune in their satelite systems to catch a glimpse of their favourite stars playing for their favourtie teams.

It is also huge in the Far East, where English teams are often found playing friendly matches against local sides trying to enhance the league as the best in the world. Just look at the level of merchandising clubs get from these foreign countries - especially if David Beckham happens to be on the pitch!

The Premier League is home to some of the richest teams in the world. Although the Italian and Spanish leagues have their fair share of "rich list" clubs, English sides dominate. The league as a whole had club revnues hitting £1.4billion a few years ago - a figure which is growing all the time as media coverage is sold across the world via Newscorp and BSkyB. It is the fourth highest sporting league for gross revenue, only beaten by the NBA, MLB and NFL in America.

While other leagues such as La Liga and Serie A are huge also, they simply don't compare in stature to the English game. The TV revenues for football matches escalate as more and more satellite channels fight for the rights to show live games.

Of course, if you're a footballer deciding on which league to play in, you may be forgiven for looking abroad simply because the climate in Mediterranean countries is generally better, but this doesnt seem to put off the cream of the world's talent making the switch to the UK. Fernando Torres, Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez and Didier Drogba have all left warmer climates to try their hand at playing in the English game - rain, wind, sleet and snow included.

Other great players who have had careers in the Premier League include Gianfranco Zola, Dennis Bergkamp, Fabrizio Ravenelli, Thierry Henry and Eric Canona to name but a few. Even the less attractive clubs are able to sign world-class players - Blackburn Rovers have Benni McCarthy, Tottenham Hotspur got Dimitar Berbatov and Everton have Yakubu.

There is no doubt in my mind that this league is special. It is home to the best players and the best football on offer anywhere in the world. It is a lucrative business and has helped transform a number of top talents into the truly world-class players they are today.

Although there are talks of a possible European Super League being created, I for one hope it doesn't happen and that the English Premier League remains as it is - simply the best.

How does the Premier League compare with the rest of the world? Comment below, or send us your own article.
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Comments
craig (23/03/2008 21:48)
let face it spain, italy, england, scotland, holand, germany, portugal, france its the same all the time, we all can narrow it doen to three teams before a ball is kicked, in england accept they hae outgrown derbys an citys and portsmouth, its time man u arsenal,liverpool,chelsea, lyon,marseiles, b munich, verder brennen, shalkter 4,real madrid, seville, barca, inter milan, ac milan, juve, latsio, porto, sporting libon, benfica, ajax,psv eidenhoven,rangers and celtic all formed a super league, come on it would be a league where every team would play attacking football, and teams like reading and bolton when they come and play for a point,would not exist, a league where a team like man u may actually finish last and not be a suprise, you are kidding your self, 20 years and this is where it will be.it would also sort out two other things domestically other teams could play to win the league, and teams like west ham man city derby could stop spunging of tv rights, and lets face it, if we did it like the spanish league, teams like man u and arsenal would be negotiating billion pound dals over 5 years and deby and man city would get f*ck all
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