We are all ruined without change….

BY JAVIER PALENQUE

Florentino Perez, President of Real Madrid pictured on February 18, 2020 in Madrid, Spain. Mateo Villalba Getty Imaged Quality Sport Images

Those are the words of the President of Real Madrid amid the new formation of a super-super league of only the top 20 European teams, in essence this is the plot: few top clubs want a new league and more revenue for them due to changing viewing patterns of the public, changing demographics and due to the fact that they care to capture more revenue for them as they are the attraction of the sport. This in essence is very much related to tennis and the beloved USTA. Here are the key points to ponder with this massive intent to shift soccer in the world and how it relates to us here at home and the links to tennis in this great country of ours:

1. “Audiences are decreasing, and rights are decreasing and something had to be done. We are all ruined. Television has to change so we can adapt,” Florentino Perez, chairman of the new European Super League, said.
2. If soccer lost 25% of revenue for broadcasting rights? imagine what will happen to tennis rights when they are due for renewal or renegotiation?
3. When you read the article think what the four Grand Slams do and how they capture the core of all tennis revenue, and consider the move by the top 20 European teams in perspective and historical terms. Follow this story and you will understand how the divorce of the clubs from their grassroots will…