Champions Cup proposal nearly done
UEFA set to release final details sometime this week
Posted: Monday October 05, 1998 11:19 AM
LISBON,Portugal (AP) -- UEFA's executive committee meets Tuesday
in the Portuguese capital to put the finishing touches on its
new-look European Champions' Cup competition in response to
proposals for a rival European Super League.
Officials from European soccer's governing body will choose one
of two proposed new formats for its revamped Champions' Cup
competition -- one involving 24 clubs and another with 32.
The shake-up was unveiled last week in Geneva by UEFA's European
Football 2000 Task Force, which was quickly set up to combat the
breakaway Super League's promise of jackpot payouts for the
continent's top clubs if they defect from UEFA.
UEFA's proposal offers $440-590 million in total prize
money, with the winners pocketing $44-59 million. The final
sums depend on the format chosen by the executive committee.
That still falls short of the $1.2 billion reportedly
promised by Media Partners, the Milan-based marketing firm behind
the Super League. UEFA's insistence on retaining control of
broadcasting and marketing rights is another snag to be overcome.
UEFA favors the 24-club concept because the fewer number of
games would be easier to slot into already tight soccer schedules.
UEFA is also examining the possibility of pay-per-view and pay
television to finance the new model.
UEFA's scramble to make its most prestigious competition more
attractive came after Media Partners moved to lure some of the
biggest names in European soccer away from the body that has run
the sport for decades.
Manchester United, Inter and AC Milan, Bayern Munich and
Barcelona -- clubs which draw huge television audiences and generate
millions of dollars in spin-off businesses -- are some of the clubs
targeted by Media Partners.
UEFA has countered in two ways -- jacking up the cash on offer
and threatening to suspend defecting clubs from the national
leagues.
The executive committee will also announce the venues for next
year's finals of the three UEFA club competitions: UEFA, Cup
Winners and European Champions Cup.
UEFA has listed 22 possible sites, separating them into 12
stadiums described as five-star and 10 four-star stadiums across
Europe.
The Champions Cup final will be staged in a five-star stadium,
with the other two finals at either four- or five-star venues.
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