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AHC: No Premier League

Venocara

God Save the King.
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A simple one really: how far back do you have to go to avoid the breakaway of the top flight and the creation of the Premier League in 1992? Is it something that can be avoid for all time? What would need to happen to increase the chances of this, and what would be the effect on both British and European football?
 
First I imagine you need the FA to be on better terms with the EFL so if and when top clubs eventually broach them with the idea, they stand in opposition. Beyond that I'm not really sure. From what I understand, English football was in a bit of a decline relative to the rest of Europe in the 80s and the EFL was a bit of a mess, so you'd have to sort those issues out.

What would need to happen to increase the chances of this, and what would be the effect on both British and European football?
Well there's a lot less money flowing into the top flight of English Football. The money from the PL allowed top flight english clubs to upgrade their facilities, build new stadiums, bring in foreign players, managers, and investors and allowed a previously declining English league to compete with European powerhouses. It also had the knock-on effect of making developing home-grown talent much less of a priority for the top clubs, and solidified the top clubs as the consistent top clubs.

Since then all the other leagues have been playing catch-up.

Without it, I'm not sure if you prevent that revolution but it probably takes hold elsewhere.
 
From what I understand, English football was in a bit of a decline relative to the rest of Europe in the 80s and the EFL was a bit of a mess, so you'd have to sort those issues out.

Having English soccer/football stay second rate might have the butterfly of reducing the sports popularity on the other side of the Atlantic. Because of the common language and level of play, the EPL is the most popular league in the sport for American fans, especially casual fans.

I don't see a continental league having the same effect.
 
No Heysel (so no ban) and no Hillsborough (so no Taylor report and no need to rebuild stadia) might change the financial pressure and progress of English clubs.

I think the only way to prevent it is to either bring the Football League under FA control early in the history of the game, of have the FL negotiate better TV deals for the big clubs
 
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