Manchester City executive chairman Gary Cook believes that the Premiership remains too parochial in its outlook and the future lies in an elite league of perhaps 14 clubs with no relegation. Cook commented, ‘We are getting into a situation where there are maybe ten clubs. Do Saudi Arabians want to buy – and no disrespect to these clubs – Stoke City or Derby County? Or do they want to buy Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Manchester United, Manchester City?’ Cook’s model is the NFL in American football, but English fans are used to promotion and relegation.
Manchester City executive chairman Gary Cook believes that the Premiership remains too parochial in its outlook and the future lies in an elite league of perhaps 14 clubs with no relegation. Cook commented, ‘We are getting into a situation where there are maybe ten clubs. Do Saudi Arabians want to buy – and no disrespect to these clubs – Stoke City or Derby County? Or do they want to buy Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Manchester United, Manchester City?’ Cook’s model is the NFL in American football, but English fans are used to promotion and relegation. Television companies may believe that the relegation struggle is an important component that makes their product attractive. However, Cook denies that a league without relegation would minimise the excitement for supporters and lessen the appeal to supporters. ‘You would create that excitement in another way, wouldn’t you? The sport will change and the fans will find a way to get passionate about a piece of it.’ He insists, ‘If you want to become a multi-million pound empire, you may have to look at changing the model. There’s something not right about sitting in a bar in Bangkok or Beijing and seeing a match here and seeing Fred Smith’s plumbing.’ Brave New World indeed.