The vast majority of EFL clubs are prepared to support ‘Project Big Picture’ (PBP), spearheaded by Liverpool and Manchester United, despite concerns over a significant shift in power at the top of English football.
The changes put forward by the English giants are certainly intriguing; with the reformation of the Premier League and extinction of the EFL Cup and Community Shield included in the proposal.
It’s a project which appears to hugely benefit the EFL amid a mightily difficult financial climate. Thus, The Guardian report that Championship and League One clubs have unanimously agreed to support chairman Rick Parry’s proposals, while League Two outfits are also overwhelmingly in favour following a day of emergency meetings.
Despite PBP handing all the power to English football’s powerhouses, owners and executives of EFL sides believe that the ‘calculated reform’ of the game and COVID-19 bailout makes the proposal worthwhile from their perspective.
The project will oversee £250m transferred to the Football League to help maintain the financial stability of lower league clubs amid the ongoing pandemic.
In regards to TV deals, a particular topic of frustration for EFL clubs and major factor in the Championship’s threatened ‘breakaway’, the 72 league clubs will be granted a 25% share of future Premier League TV deals. Overall, the Championship feel PBP would help ‘smooth the cliff edge’ between the second tier and the Premier League.
From the EFL’s perspective also, they’ll be supportive of the pledged salary cap for the Championship and the end to parachute payments which they claim ‘have distorted the game’.
Preston North End chairman Peter Risdale perhaps perfectly summarised the feelings within the EFL in regards to the project, believing the compromise is worth it due to the financial benefits. “Do I trust the top six today? No, I do not,” he remarked.
“I don’t think some of them believe in the football pyramid. But there is nothing to stop a change in the voting structure in the Premier League today. And what we’ve got is an offer to assist the rest of the pyramid that wasn’t on the table.”
The Premier League will convene on Wednesday to discuss the proposals, with resistance likely from clubs who may be affected by the prospect of takeovers being vetoed.