A senior English football executive has voiced concerns that some of the Premier League’s foreign owners want to abolish the relegation and promotion system.
The League Managers’ Association chief executive Richard Bevan claimed on Monday that “American owners and some of the Asian owners” want to get rid of relegation, and implement an analog of the North American system instead.
Half of the Premier League’s 20 top clubs are owned by foreigners, while changing league rules requires 14 clubs to back a motion.
Arsenal, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Manchester United and Sunderland are owned by Americans, who are expected to become the driving force of the initiative.
“American owners, without doubt, there have been a number of them looking at having more of a franchise situation and that would mean no promotion or relegation,” Bevan commented.