Project Big Picture, which was reportedly supported by Liverpool’s owners, FSG, is not yet dead and buried.
The plans attracted a great deal of controversy in the summer, with clubs outside of the ‘Big Six’ largely opposed to proposals that would hand greater power to English football’s leading clubs.
“Project Big Picture, the blueprint to revolutionise English football’s financial landscape, had always been Henry’s baby – an idea rattling about in his mind for five or so years before he started putting his thoughts down in writing in 2017,” Simon Hughes and co. wrote for The Athletic. “‘Big Picture certainly isn’t dead,’ a source close to the project insists.”
“It was never clear how the process would really work from the point of view of the original design but officials inside FSG believe Big Picture has been ‘expedited’ because, within 72 hours, the Premier League announced a strategic review, the findings of which are expected to be revealed at a shareholders’ meeting at the end of March 2021,” the Liverpool journalist added.
Liverpool and Manchester United had been working in concert behind the scenes to bring the changes about, however, the project has since been put on hold.
There’s no denying that the top clubs in the Premier would benefit directly from Project Big Picture, most notably in the form of voting rights.
However, it is worth noting the previously proposed £250m figure touted as a parachute payment to lower league sides in light of the financial impact of the pandemic.
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One particular advantage of the project, which we at the EOTK would certainly support, would be the cutting of meaningless fixtures, for instance, by abolishing the EFL Cup.
We wouldn’t be entirely surprised if the plans were revitalised at a more appropriate time, perhaps at the end of the season, with European football facing a similarly seismic shakeup.
Vulture Capitalists like FSG don’t care about football. They get a rise out of power, control and greed.
Theres no doubt they’ll be there to take advantage of football and a bigger piece of the pie in the PL and/ or for a European League post covi-when footballs at it’s most vulnerable.