{"id":9334,"date":"2021-04-24T14:43:08","date_gmt":"2021-04-24T21:43:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/calleam.com\/WTPF\/?p=9334"},"modified":"2025-12-30T15:07:34","modified_gmt":"2025-12-30T23:07:34","slug":"super-league-soccer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/calleam.com\/WTPF\/?p=9334","title":{"rendered":"Super-League Soccer"},"content":{"rendered":"

The following entry is a record in the \u201cCatalogue of Catastrophe<\/a>\u201d \u2013\u00a0a list of failed or troubled projects from around the world.<\/p>\n

\n

Organization: <\/strong>Super League
\nProject type : <\/strong>Establishment of a new\u00a0professional sports league
\nProject name :<\/strong>\u00a0Super League
\nDate :<\/strong>\u00a0Apr 2021
\nCost :<\/strong>\u00a0Unknown<\/p>\n

Synopsis :<\/strong><\/p>\n

The public announcement of a new project can be a significant milestone. It\u2019s an opportunity to draw media attention and generate some buzz about an upcoming product.\u00a0 When done well it leaves the target stakeholders intrigued and eager for launch day to come.<\/p>\n

Sadly, this week\u2019s launch of the new European soccer super-league earns it a nomination for the millennium\u2019s worst launch.\u00a0With fanfare, twelve of Europe\u2019s top soccer teams announced they were forming a new league. The plan was made public on 18th<\/sup> Apr 2021, but sinking like the proverbial lead balloon, the idea lasted just 2 days before being kicked to the curb!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Professional soccer – Creative Commons<\/a> – Share Alike 4.0 International<\/a> – Source: C. Bucco-Lechat<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

According to reporting from the BBC: \u201cThe idea was for the clubs to remain in their national leagues, but also to play each other in a new midweek European competition, which would have rivalled the Champions League. The ESL would have had 20 teams, of which 15 founding members would be permanent and never face relegation. Five other sides would qualify each year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Such a plan triggered concern from fans, governing bodies and even at the highest levels of European governments. \u00a0One immediate concern was the teams who can\u2019t be relegated to a lower league would result in less competition and chip away at the very heart of the merit based system upon which European soccer has been based for more than a hundred years: Teams that win rise up through the leagues. Teams who lose drop down.<\/p>\n

The negative reaction seems to have come as a surprise to those behind the project.\u00a0 The billionaire owners of the teams were left embarrassed and spurned. \u00a0Speaking via video to the fans of Liverpool FC, owner John Henry said<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to apologise to all the supporters of Liverpool football club … it should be said the project was never going to stand a chance without the support of fans \u2026 over the past 48 hours you were very clear it would not stand – we heard you. I heard you. I\u2019m sorry \u2026 I alone am responsible for the unnecessary negativity brought forward over the past couple of days. It’s something I won’t forget and shows the power the fans have today and will rightly continue to have.”<\/p>\n

Henry is indeed right and the project should act as a reminder to\u00a0all those in the executive suit: Oftentimes the most important decision makers aren\u2019t in the room – That is the consumers.<\/p>\n

Contributing factors as reported in the press:
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Failure to engage stakeholders or anticipate\u00a0their reaction. Decisions made in the vacuum of the boardroom. Lack of change management.<\/p>\n

Reference links:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Super League: Why have the plans collapsed?<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. European Super League: All six Premier League teams withdraw from competition<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    The following entry is a record in the \u201cCatalogue of Catastrophe\u201d \u2013\u00a0a list of failed or troubled projects from around the world. Organization: Super League Project type : Establishment of a new\u00a0professional sports league Project name :\u00a0Super League Date :\u00a0Apr 2021 Cost :\u00a0Unknown Synopsis : The public announcement of a new project can be a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,5,3,77],"tags":[138,134,100,132,129,17,93,147],"class_list":["post-9334","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-causes-of-failure","category-private-sector","category-failed-project","category-why-projects-fail","tag-causes-of-failure","tag-decision-making","tag-examples-of-failed-projects","tag-private-sector","tag-failed-project","tag-leadership","tag-why-do-projects-fail","tag-why-projects-fail"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/calleam.com\/WTPF\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9334","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/calleam.com\/WTPF\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/calleam.com\/WTPF\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calleam.com\/WTPF\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calleam.com\/WTPF\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9334"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/calleam.com\/WTPF\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9334\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9765,"href":"https:\/\/calleam.com\/WTPF\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9334\/revisions\/9765"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/calleam.com\/WTPF\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9334"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calleam.com\/WTPF\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9334"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calleam.com\/WTPF\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9334"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}