The English Premier League arose in the 1990s out of the ashes, rubble, and corpses of riots, stampedes, and stadium fires. British soccer was sinking fast in the '80s. English clubs had been banned from European competitions because of hooliganism, the domestic league had stagnated both administratively and on the field, and even the proud national team was about to decline.
That changed quickly thanks to the activism of supporters, some enlightened involvement from government authorities, and, eventually, the programming interest of Rupert Murdoch. The Premiership was essentially a relaunch of Football League, forcing clubs to modernize. The plan mostly worked as venues were improved and fans were treated more like consumers and human beings. Television rights fees exploded -- BSkyB recently renegotiated the Premiership rights for $1.65 billion for three years -- and all sorts of revenue streams developed, leading to an unprecedented importation of coaches and players.
In 1982, Ken Bates purchased controlling interest in Chelsea FC for one pound sterling (also assuming $1.5 million in debts). Bates figured that even if the club imploded and British soccer continued to decline, he at least had some valuable real estate.
Last July, Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich bought out Bates to the tune of $99.5 million for 50 percent interest, plus agreeing to settle $80 million in debts. Abramovich then went on a $170 million buying spree, bringing in 15 players, the latest being Claude Makelele for $26 million from Real Madrid.
There are many questions about Abramovich's background and intentions. Abramovich was ranked the second-richest Russian by Forbes Magazine last year, his wealth derived mostly from Yukos-Sibneft, the largest oil group in Russia, his reasons for buying into Chelsea "something to have fun with rather than an investment" but also to divest assets, improve his image, legitimize himself as a businessman. Abramovich, 36, has been received with hysterical optimism at Chelsea's stadium, Stamford Bridge, his presence causing something like "what social anthropologists identify as a millenarian movement," according to Peter Chapman in Friday's editions of the Financial Times. "They imagine that valuable goods -- fridges, TVs, silver cups, free subscriptions to Sky -- will one day fall down to them from the firmament."
Chelsea seemed to purchase a prominent or promising player every other day: Joe Cole and Glen Johnson (West Ham), Damien Duff (Blackburn Rovers), Wayne Bridge (Southampton), Adrian Mutu (Parma), Geremi (Middlesbrough), Juan Sebastian Veron (Manchester United), Hernan Crespo (Inter).
Makelele, apparently the last addition of the year, became dissatisfied with his status at Real Madrid. A year ago, though Makelele was well-respected for his ability, it was unimaginable that a 30-year-old defensive midfielder would command such attention or such earnings: Makelele will be paid more than $6 million this season.
Foreign players have been attracted to the Premiership since the '90s. And Bates's Chelsea led the way in changing to a more continental identity by bringing in Ruud Gullitt and Gianluca Vialli. But it never seemed any club was going on an all-out raid for players, nor was anyone so certain they could go to Italy and Spain for several high-profile stars, partially because such wholesale change upsets team chemistry. Chelsea has struggled recently, edging Leicester City (1-0) Thursday and tying Blackburn (2-2) Sunday.
But Abramovich is changing perceptions, and if he continues to succeed, it could open the way for others. Real Madrid's Far East tour and the ChampionsWorld promotion involving Manchester United and other top European clubs last month illustrated some enormous potential.
Another Russian, financier Aleksandr Mamut, has invested $100 million into Torpedo Moscow with the intention of making it a top-level team in Europe. With all the new money emerging in China, for instance, there certainly will be similar interest from possible investors seeking to expand their interests to the West.
Aiming for Pele
Defending champion Brazil not only will have to qualify for the 2006 World Cup, it will begin on the road -- against Colombia in Barranquilla Saturday. Game 2 will be against Ecuador in Manaus Sept. 10.
Real Madrid's Ronaldo, who scored both goals in Brazil's 2-0 victory over Germany in Yokohama in the 2002 title match, is hoping to break Pele's record totals of 95 goals in 114 national team appearances. Ronaldo (54 goals in 79 games overall) has scored 12 times in the World Cup finals, tying Pele's mark and two short of France's Just Fontaine's all-time record.
"I don't pretend to compare myself to Pele. But I think that these numbers are possible to reach," Ronaldo said. "It will be another motivation for me to contest these qualifiers."
Ronaldo's wife, Milene Domingues, has been selected to play in the Women's World Cup. Brazil will open against South Korea at RFK Stadium in a doubleheader with the US-Sweden match Sept. 21.
© Copyright 2003 Globe Newspaper Company.
!
That changed quickly thanks to the activism of supporters, some enlightened involvement from government authorities, and, eventually, the programming interest of Rupert Murdoch. The Premiership was essentially a relaunch of Football League, forcing clubs to modernize. The plan mostly worked as venues were improved and fans were treated more like consumers and human beings. Television rights fees exploded -- BSkyB recently renegotiated the Premiership rights for $1.65 billion for three years -- and all sorts of revenue streams developed, leading to an unprecedented importation of coaches and players.
In 1982, Ken Bates purchased controlling interest in Chelsea FC for one pound sterling (also assuming $1.5 million in debts). Bates figured that even if the club imploded and British soccer continued to decline, he at least had some valuable real estate.
Last July, Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich bought out Bates to the tune of $99.5 million for 50 percent interest, plus agreeing to settle $80 million in debts. Abramovich then went on a $170 million buying spree, bringing in 15 players, the latest being Claude Makelele for $26 million from Real Madrid.
There are many questions about Abramovich's background and intentions. Abramovich was ranked the second-richest Russian by Forbes Magazine last year, his wealth derived mostly from Yukos-Sibneft, the largest oil group in Russia, his reasons for buying into Chelsea "something to have fun with rather than an investment" but also to divest assets, improve his image, legitimize himself as a businessman. Abramovich, 36, has been received with hysterical optimism at Chelsea's stadium, Stamford Bridge, his presence causing something like "what social anthropologists identify as a millenarian movement," according to Peter Chapman in Friday's editions of the Financial Times. "They imagine that valuable goods -- fridges, TVs, silver cups, free subscriptions to Sky -- will one day fall down to them from the firmament."
Chelsea seemed to purchase a prominent or promising player every other day: Joe Cole and Glen Johnson (West Ham), Damien Duff (Blackburn Rovers), Wayne Bridge (Southampton), Adrian Mutu (Parma), Geremi (Middlesbrough), Juan Sebastian Veron (Manchester United), Hernan Crespo (Inter).
Makelele, apparently the last addition of the year, became dissatisfied with his status at Real Madrid. A year ago, though Makelele was well-respected for his ability, it was unimaginable that a 30-year-old defensive midfielder would command such attention or such earnings: Makelele will be paid more than $6 million this season.
Foreign players have been attracted to the Premiership since the '90s. And Bates's Chelsea led the way in changing to a more continental identity by bringing in Ruud Gullitt and Gianluca Vialli. But it never seemed any club was going on an all-out raid for players, nor was anyone so certain they could go to Italy and Spain for several high-profile stars, partially because such wholesale change upsets team chemistry. Chelsea has struggled recently, edging Leicester City (1-0) Thursday and tying Blackburn (2-2) Sunday.
But Abramovich is changing perceptions, and if he continues to succeed, it could open the way for others. Real Madrid's Far East tour and the ChampionsWorld promotion involving Manchester United and other top European clubs last month illustrated some enormous potential.
Another Russian, financier Aleksandr Mamut, has invested $100 million into Torpedo Moscow with the intention of making it a top-level team in Europe. With all the new money emerging in China, for instance, there certainly will be similar interest from possible investors seeking to expand their interests to the West.
Aiming for Pele
Defending champion Brazil not only will have to qualify for the 2006 World Cup, it will begin on the road -- against Colombia in Barranquilla Saturday. Game 2 will be against Ecuador in Manaus Sept. 10.
Real Madrid's Ronaldo, who scored both goals in Brazil's 2-0 victory over Germany in Yokohama in the 2002 title match, is hoping to break Pele's record totals of 95 goals in 114 national team appearances. Ronaldo (54 goals in 79 games overall) has scored 12 times in the World Cup finals, tying Pele's mark and two short of France's Just Fontaine's all-time record.
"I don't pretend to compare myself to Pele. But I think that these numbers are possible to reach," Ronaldo said. "It will be another motivation for me to contest these qualifiers."
Ronaldo's wife, Milene Domingues, has been selected to play in the Women's World Cup. Brazil will open against South Korea at RFK Stadium in a doubleheader with the US-Sweden match Sept. 21.
© Copyright 2003 Globe Newspaper Company.
!
