Boris Johnson will do 'whatever it takes' to stop formation of the Super League
By Ross Jackson
Prime minister Boris Johnson has threatened to introduce new laws to prevent the formation of the Super League and has informed Premier League chief executive Richard Masters that he will do 'whatever it takes' to halt the plans.
Six English sides have agreed to join the closed-doors league which will see them withdraw from the Champions League, with Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham all announcing their intention to join the competition.
More on this: The government has told the PL it would prefer it to stop ESL via football regulations but (importantly) has added that it will do 'whatever it takes' - including possible competition law exemption & sports-specific legislation. Game on. More at @MailSport shortly. https://t.co/3L4EWrNtAI
— Mike Keegan (@MikeKeegan_DM) April 20, 2021
As six of the 15 founding members of the Super League, they will not be subjected to the threat of relegation and thus will be guaranteed the continuous stream of revenue it will bring.
The reaction to the announcement has been largely negative, with fans refusing to engage with an event that effectively removes the element of competition, as those 15 original members will remain a constant regardless of how well they perform.
The prime minister has had his say on the proposal, with the Daily Mail reporting that he's told Premier League chief executive Richard Masters he'll do everything in his powers to scupper the plans.
He added that the event would be 'anti-competitive' and that he does not intend to allow the proposal to come to fruition, while The Athletic report that Johnson will even go as far as to introduce new laws to see the idea discarded.
They add that he met with a number of fan groups on Tuesday morning to gauge the reaction of those impacted by the Super League, and their disapproval has led him to reassure them the plans wouldn't go ahead.
Culture secretary Oliver Dowden has already informed the House of Commons that the government would do whatever it takes to stop the formation of the Super League, adding that they must protect their national game at all costs.
“We will put everything on the table to prevent this from happening," he said. “We are examining every option from governance reform to competition law and mechanisms that allow football to take place.
“We will be reviewing everything government does to support these clubs to play. We will do whatever it takes to protect our national game.”