"We need a PL all-star game" - Fans dig up Rio Ferdinand's old tweet in wake of Chelsea owner Todd Boehly's recent claims
An old tweet from former Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has resurfaced after Chelsea owner Todd Boehly said that the Premier League should look to organize an all-star game.
Ferdinand tweeted back in 2011 suggesting an all-star game in the Premier League. The former defender was impressed by the viewership numbers that the Major League Baseball All-Star Game did that year. He suggested that the same sort of event should be organized for football, specifically the Premier League. The legendary centre-back tweeted:
"Baseball All-Star game tonight, tv coverage is quality. We need a PL All-Star game too...the powers that be let's talk + develop this...."
Baseball All-Star game tonight, tv coverage is quality. We need a PL All-Star game too...the powers that be let's talk + develop this....
Chelsea owner Todd Boehly recently claimed that an all-star game in the Premier League should be organized. Boehly is also the co-owner of MLB team Los Angeles Dodgers and NBA side Los Angeles Lakers.
Chelsea owner Todd Boehly thinks English football could benefit from an All-Star Game:
'MLB did their All-Star Game this year—they made $200M from a Monday and a Tuesday. You could do a North vs. South All-Star Game from the Premier League to fund the pyramid very easily.' ⚾ https://t.co/FzNANzrJ2g
The businessman wants to implement ideas from those leagues in the Premier League. The American recently said (h/t Sky Sports):
"Ultimately I hope the Premier League takes a little bit of a lesson from American sports, And really starts to figure out, why don’t we do a tournament with the bottom four sports teams, why isn’t there an All-Star game?
"People are talking about more money for the pyramid, in the MLB All-Star game this year we made 200m dollars from a Monday and a Tuesday."
He further suggested a North vs. South All-Star Premier League Game:
"So we’re thinking we could do a North versus South All-Star game for the Premier League, for whatever the pyramid needed quite easily."
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp reacts to Chelsea owner Todd Boehly's claims
Jurgen Klopp was notified by the media about the Chelsea owner's recent claims. However, the German tactician didn't entertain the idea with too much of an interest.
The former Borussia Dortmund coach stated that unlike English football, American sports have a longer period of rest each year. Hence, it won't be easy to schedule that type of event.
The Liverpool manager added that it's hard to imagine players from rival clubs like Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur playing together on a team that is not their national team. He said:
"He forgets in American sports these players have four-month breaks so they are quite happy they can do a little bit of sport in these breaks. It's completely different in football. I'm not sure people want to see that. Imagine that, [Manchester] United, Liverpool, Everton, Newcastle players all on one team that's not the national team, just a north team. Interesting game.
"All the London guys together. Arsenal, Tottenham. Great. Did he really say it? Interesting."