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New Chelsea owner, Todd Boehly has floated the idea of the English Premier League holding a yearly All-Star Game, similar to those currently in place in American sports.
Could we ever actually see this happen? Well, an All-Star Game even existed in the past, but let’s look at the proposals, the American format, and if we’ll ever see such a game take place in future.
The proposal from Chelsea’s Todd Boehly
The new owner of Chelsea has wasted no time in making his presence felt in English soccer.
After spending a record-breaking Β£272 million in his first transfer window, he fired Thomas Tuchel 100 days into his tenure. He has now brought in Graham Potter to succeed the Champions League-winning coach.
Added to this frenetic start, at the SALT Conference in New York, the new Chelsea chairman riffed off on an idea to kick off a Premier League All-Star Game. Boehly, also the LA Dodgers part-owner spoke at length regarding the disparities between American sport and relegation into the EFL Championship, when he raised the idea.
The gist of his argument is that the EPL is missing out on some very easy money generation from not holding an All-Star Game, as well as not having a playoff to determine who remains in the league.
North versus South. Winner takes all for the Premier League All-Star Game. Who will win MVP?
Doesn’t have much of a ring to it does it?
What is the All-Star Game format?
The All-Star game in baseball, run by the MLB, is an annual tournament between the so-called “best players” from the American League (AL) and National League (NL) in the United States. Since it takes place roughly in the middle of the MLB season, it is also referred to as the “Midsummer Classic.” The two teams represent their respective leagues rather than clubs, and the players are chosen by both the managers and even the fans.
Meanwhile, the NFL has its own version, called the Pro Bowl, whereby players are voted to specific divisional teams by fans. First started as far back as 1951, The Pro Bowl is at odds of other All-Star Games in that it happens at the end of the NFL season.
There was ALREADY an All-Star Game played in English football
Did you know that there was already an All-Star format in the English game that was played up until 1974?
Called inter-league matches, the English Football League played a Scottish League XI, dating all the way back to 1892. In fact, in the post-war years, the games attracted huge numbers of spectators.
Due to rising numbers of European club fixtures, players began to decline inclusion and eventually, due to overwhelming English dominance when the two sides did play, the matches were scrapped for good in 1974.
Reaction to Todd Boehly’s proposal
To say the criticism has been withering, to simply over-the-top would be an understatement. Football365 published a story entitled: “Todd Boehly and his All-Star comments fit the worst stereotypes of American owners.”
A who’s who in the game came out with a mix of bemusement, bewilderment to rage when responding to the All-Star Game. Liverpool’s manager, Jurgen Klopp seemed discombobulated by the proposal, asking – “Does he want to bring the Harlem Globetrotters as well?”
High-profile pundit Gary Neville even opined that Boehly’s idea indicates that English football needs an independent regulator to protect the game.
Apart from somewhat positive comments from Steven Gerrard, the idea has been roundly panned, ridiculed and utterly trashed.
But, really, let’s all calm down here.
It really isn’t the worst thing to be suggested. Remember some of these same clubs who now have impassioned opinions about the All-Star Game were also fully on board with the Super League before being forced into an embarrassing climb down?
But could there ever be a Premier League All-Star Game?
In short. Yes.
Traditionalists will scoff but there’s a very real chance it could happen in the future. Why? If there’s a perceived demand for it.
Where could this come from? Overseas audiences, especially as the EPL recently earned more from foreign broadcast rights than domestic rights for the first time. Also, if the juggernaut that is the EPL launched its own All-Star Game series, it would far eclipse any rival efforts from other leagues (looking at you LaLiga).
However, a word of caution before you go off to buy a North or South All-Star jersey. The format amongst US audiences is particularly jaded. In fact, the last Pro Bowl had the lowest ratings in over 16 years, and the NBA All-Star Game also saw historically low levels of audiences.
My gut says that this proposal is likely dead for the foreseeable future. Why? One key reason – players are already at breaking point when it comes to the number of games they are playing in each season.
However, I wouldn’t be surprised in a few years if this idea is revisited and revived.
