Since its inception in 1992, the Premier League has become globally renowned as the most attractive and competitive league in world football.
The aspirations of players of many countries, have always had some linkage to England’s top division.
They hope to play for one of its famous teams, seek inspiration from their role models of the past or just simply enjoy priceless moments of sporting genius.
Super League Threats
Despite the status the Premier League has acquired, its future has recently been in potential jeopardy, due to the bombshell proposals of the Super League which sent shockwaves throughout the football world.
Although the idea and its proposals have been met with widespread discontent and condemnation, its founders have tried to convince us of similarities which can be identified with how other football reforms took place, such as how the Premier League started.
For example, the idea of a ‘break away’ by ‘founding’ teams was certainly apparent in 1992, as the 22 founding members of the Premier League decided to cut ties with England’s ‘Football League’ which was founded in 1888.
Also, finance appeared to be a significant factor in the decisions as there was an incentive of a lucrative television rights deal.
So, if there are some similarities between them both, why has the Premier League been so successful?
As these Super League proposals have rocked football to its core, looking at and remembering the Premier League’s evolution might just answer that question.
Sporting Competitiveness
In the 1995/96 Premier League season, the league format was altered and reduced the existing 22 teams down to 20.
This was a direction from FIFA and an effort to facilitate the development of the Champions League – a competition which has earned extensive history in its own right, over the years.
In addition to these motives, the Premier League also aimed to support the development and growth of football on domestic and international fronts.
Restoration
In the 1980s, English football experienced issues which the Premier League would eventually go on to resolve.
Hooliganism and poor conditions in stadiums and facilities caused serious problems within the game but in the early seasons of the Premier League, these issues became problems of the past.
In the 1990s, clubs such as Manchester United earned much respect for their achievements in the league, stadiums began to populate in mass numbers and a positive image of English football was restored among the rest of Europe.
Leading on to the 2000’s, the league went from strength to strength. Adding to Manchester United’s high status, were Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea.
Collectively, they were named as the ‘Big 4’ and brought even more European attention to the Premier League, due to their successes in the Champions League.
Useful Sponsorship
In 2003, the Premier League – then previously known as the Carling Premiership and then Barclaycard Premiership – secured a three-year title sponsorship deal worth £57m, for the league to be called the Barclays Premiership.
Barclays’ end of the bargain involved them supporting the Premier League community initiatives of coaching programmes and the development of grass-roots football.
This was a sign of commitment by Barclays and also one which represented the Premier League investing back into the English game.
It was recognised that the growth of the league depended on future generations taking it on, so the Premier League aimed to provide future prospects with the tools to carry on the league’s legacy.
Fruits Of The Labour
In 2016, Leicester City defied all odds as a non-big-six club and won the Premier League title.
It was also a success for English football, as the Premier League since its inception, sought to preserve the important sporting values of competition and achievement based solely on merit.
Future
The Premier League evolved in the right way, a way which protected the vital principles of sport, and also illustrated a much more appropriate way to undertake reforms in football.
With all of the ‘big six’ clubs pulling out of the Super League and its proposals, football can use the Premier League to learn an important lesson for the future.
When all is said and done, the competition, merit and sentiment of football will always prevail, especially in England.
While there is still more work to be done with navigating football back to its original founding roots of integrity, we can all look back on the evolution of the Premier League to always remind us of the values we must protect to preserve our beautiful game.
