Leaked document reveals justification for launching Super League

A leaked document has revealed that 'declining TV revenues' are behind the decision by top European clubs to break away from UEFA competitions and form a Super League next season.

It's been an unprecedented few days in European football after it was announced in the early hours of Monday morning that 12 clubs will attempt to form a new elite competition next season.

The Premier League's big six will join La Liga's Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico and Serie A's Juventus, Inter and Milan in the Super League. Three more clubs are expected to join to create a 15-team base of 'founding members' whose Super League status is automatic and permanent.

Outrage towards the competition has been rife with everyone from Gary Neville to Boris Johnson speaking out against it. Fan groups have hit out at the plans, with banners displayed at Anfield while Leeds players wore T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan 'Earn It' ahead of their clash with Liverpool at Elland Road.

As revealed by The Guardian, a document hidden in the code of the new Super League website reads: “Unanimity of view is rarely the case where fundamental change is involved. We welcome this debate as sport is all about passion and differences of opinion are an essential part of being a fan.

"But in the end, we are confident that when fans are welcomed back into the stadiums and the first Super League matches are played, fans will enjoy the greatest competition club football has ever seen.”

It goes on to claim that declining TV and media revenue has created the need for a breakaway division which exclusively involves the richest teams on the planet.

“The value of live media rights is stagnating or declining as some of our competitions fail to meet the needs of fans and new generations seek entertainment in ways which didn’t exist 10 years ago.

“The weaknesses in the foundations of football have been known for many years, Covid simply exposed their severity and none of the game’s stakeholders have come up with a solution. Inaction is no longer an option.”