The Premier League won’t host regular season games overseas like the NFL and NBA do with chief Richard Masters insisting it’s ‘not the right time’… but the move is not completely ruled out!
- One international round of Premier League fixtures was proposed in 2008
- The plans were shot down by fans and soccer figures, including Alex Ferguson
- Major US sports leagues, including MLB, NFL and NBA host games overseas
- But Richard Masters has insisted that the Premier League is not discussing the idea
The Premier League is not currently discussing plans to follow the NFL and NBA into staging regular season games overseas as chief Richard Masters insisted ‘it is not the right time’.
Proposals to play one international round of Premier League fixtures in addition to the 38 regular games – dubbed the 39th step – were mooted in 2008 but quickly shut down.
The plans were met with strong opposition from fans and figures within the game, including former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
Premier League chief Richard Masters has insisted that the top-flight will not host games abroad
The Scot, who led the Red Devils to 13 top-flight titles, slammed club owners for failing to consult with managers on the matter, while FIFA and UEFA also dismissed the idea.
Despite the great global traction the Premier League has, with the overseas broadcast deal ($6.13billion) exceeding the domestic rights ($6.07bn), chief executive Masters has insisted the idea of taking games abroad is not part of the league’s agenda.
‘Yes,’ Masters said, via ESPN, when asked if it was too soon to review the proposals. ‘We had this discussion in 2008, which is a long time ago, but I don’t think now is the right time. It’s not part of our agenda.
Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was critical of the proposals in 2008
‘There are issues to sort out with the calendar because of the changes at the European level [new Champions League format from 2024-25] and FIFA haven’t yet concluded what they want to do with the global calendar.
‘We are an active part of the World Leagues Forum, discussing things at a global level and obviously want to protect domestic league football as best we can.
‘There are lots of issues going on and, at the moment, it [overseas PL games] is not something that is part of our discussion.’
Major leagues in the US, including the NFL and NBA, have long held games overseas.
Meanwhile, London will play host to Major League Baseball games in 2023, 2024 and 2026.
Fireworks explode following game one of the 2019 Major League Baseball London Series
It was announced last week that the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals will play a two-game set in the British capital on June 24 and 25 of next year.
The resumption of the London Series, as it is known, is part of MLB’s continued effort to grow the game overseas after previously holding a pair of sold-out Boston Red Sox-New York Yankees games at the West Ham United ground in 2019.
Other countries have taken soccer games overseas with Spain and Italy taking their Super Cup games, pitting league winners against cup winners, abroad to countries including China, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Morocco.
Lazio celebrate winning Italy’s Supercoppa against Juventus in 2019 held in Saudi Arabia
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