Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore insists he is not worried by “super clubs” Real Madrid and Barcelona cleaning up in the transfer market.
Three days ahead of the start of a new Premier League season, Scudamore boasted on Wednesday that competition in English football makes it a more attractive product than the Spanish game, regardless of the world stars on show in the Primera Division.
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Real Madrid have brought in James Rodriguez and Toni Kroos this summer, following impressive World Cup performances. Barcelona have also strengthened, most notably by signing Luis Suarez from Liverpool, who was top scorer in the English top flight last term.
Asked how the English game might compete with Spain, Scudamore said: “In one sense, you don’t.
“The way the economics of Spanish football work, you’ve got two clubs who, with the way they sell their television rights, they’re allowed to sell their own, and they clean up and they make more money than any of our clubs do.
“Our clubs, even our biggest clubs, have stuck with the collective which means we have a collective selling of TV rights. It’s then distributed, and therefore every club has a chance to compete.
“Whilst they do have two super clubs that have always attracted some of the world’s top talent - remember (Zinedine) Zidane didn’t come here, Luis Figo didn’t come here - we have the most competitive league.”
Scudamore added on BBC Radio 5 Live: “There are more teams being talked about as able to win our title than you’ll ever hear discussed in Spain.
“That makes us more interesting around the world. We have a much bigger global appeal than they do currently.”
EPL chief exectuive glad to see Luis Suarez go
Luis Suarez was “an accident waiting to happen” and the “time had come” for him to leave Liverpool this summer, according to Richard Scudamore.
Barclays Premier League boss Scudamore admitted he was not sorry to see Suarez join Barcelona, praising shrewd business from Liverpool in offloading the controversial Uruguay striker.
Catalan giants Barcelona prised Suarez away from Liverpool in a £75million transfer.
The 27-year-old was hit with a four-month ban from all football-related activity after biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup in Brazil.
Chief executive Scudamore conceded the Premier League will be a calmer place this season without Suarez, whose latest ban is his third for biting.
“I think probably the time had come,” said Scudamore.
“He’s a great player and I’m not taking anything away from his talents: he was voted by both his own players and the media last year the player of the year and deservedly so.
“He’s great to have but an accident waiting to happen, and if you spend your time trying to promote what’s good about the Premier League, you’re always waiting for the next thing to come along.
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