Stupid question time

[arbiez]

I've never been exposed to football (soccer) in the states, other than the occasional viewing of Pele when I was a kid and the Olympics. With my travels, I try to get at least a nominal sense of goings on outside of my American shell. So I'll use this post to ask a stupid question.

 

Can someone explain the differences in the various football leagues and how they interact/relate to others?

From what little I know, there appear to be several leagues. Using a baseball analogy, are some considered minor leagues and others (Premier League) considered majors? What's are some of the others (Champions League, Group "B", ???)

 

Can someone explain the names of some of the teams that are not named after a city? How are teams determined? Are they named after corporate sponsors?

 

And why do the jerseys have advertising -- I remember one team with a logo for Emirates. Isn't that an airline? Does the airline own the team? Are large multi-national corporations allowed to own teams? Or, is it simply that uniform advertising is for sale like the names of stadiums in the US?

 

Please advise

Edited September 25, 2007 by arbiez

[Esco]

Yes you have different classes of leagues... The highest one in England for example is the Premier League.

 

The top teams compete in international tournaments (in Europe the Champions League and UEFA cup).

 

Names of the teams not named after a city... well ask the ones who came up with them

 

As for the jerseys... yes all clubs have sponsors. That doesnt mean they own the team by the way

 

Hope this helps

[Siam Sam]

I've never been exposed to football (soccer) in the states, other than the occasional viewing of Pele when I was a kid and the Olympics. With my travels, I try to get at least a nominal sense of goings on outside of my American shell. So I'll use this post to ask a stupid question.

 

Can someone explain the differences in the various football leagues and how they interact/relate to others?

From what little I know, there appear to be several leagues. Using a baseball analogy, are some considered minor leagues and others (Premier League) considered majors? What's are some of the others (Group "B"???)

 

Can someone explain the names of some of the teams that are not named after a city? How are teams determined? Are they named after corporate sponsors?

 

And why do the jerseys have advertising -- I remember one team with a logo for Emirates. Isn't that an airline? Does the airline own the team? Are large multi-national corporations allowed to own teams? Or, is it simply that uniform advertising is for sale like the names of stadiums in the US?

 

Please advise

 

 

Every European country has a professional football league. In the minor countries its just one division but in the main countries its several divisions, with the best teams obviously being in the top division. The biggest and most successful leagues are the ones in England, France, Spain, Germany, Italy and Holland to name just a few. As well as playing to win the league every year, each country will have a knockout cup competition. Every year in Europe there is a major knockout cup competition called the UEFA Champions League which is the most important competition in Europe, being made up of the teams that finished highest in the top division from the previous seasons league campaigns so in effect the best European teams.

Teams are always named after the city or town they are from but some teams have a name that does not incorporate the name of the city or town they represent. In London England, there are several teams in the top division.The biggest and best teams come from the largest cities in each country as this is obviously how you would expect it to develop. Some of the biggest sides and most successful in Europe are Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea (England), AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus and Roma (Italy), Monaco and Marseille (France), Real Madrid and Barcelona (Spain), Ajax and PSV (Holland).

The main teams in each country are owned corporately usually and through billionaire businessmen. Its big business. In each respective country millions of football fans go to games every week throughout the season. In nearly all cases the sponsorship names you see on shirts are just that, sponsors that pay huge amounts of money to have their name associated with the club and its products.

[arbiez]

Thanks for the quick replies. Let me see if I have this right.

 

A team in the English Premier League, like Man U or Arsenal, will play through to completion of their season and conclude with playoffs and finals. From that point, the winners of the Premier League and similar leagues in other countries throughout Europe compete in a separate league called the Champions League. I assume this is because all teams are champions from other leagues and the teams in this league vary year to year. The winners of the Champions League is essentially the winner of Europe. Is this correct?

 

Kewl. This helps a lot as I was confused on how teams could be in multiple leagues.

 

As for ownership, any tax paying entity can own; be it a corporation, individual or ownership group. (This is somewhat different than in the states where corporations are not allowed to own teams, generally speaking. The most notable exceptions is Disney owned teams: Mighty Ducks (hockey) and formally the Angels. The team itself may be a corporation, but not owned by one. (Ford Motor Company can not own a team, but an owner of the Ford Motor Company can own a team.)

[Matt]

I've never been exposed to football (soccer) in the states, other than the occasional viewing of Pele when I was a kid and the Olympics. With my travels, I try to get at least a nominal sense of goings on outside of my American shell. So I'll use this post to ask a stupid question.

 

Can someone explain the differences in the various football leagues and how they interact/relate to others?

From what little I know, there appear to be several leagues. Using a baseball analogy, are some considered minor leagues and others (Premier League) considered majors? What's are some of the others (Champions League, Group "B", ???)

 

Can someone explain the names of some of the teams that are not named after a city? How are teams determined? Are they named after corporate sponsors?

 

And why do the jerseys have advertising -- I remember one team with a logo for Emirates. Isn't that an airline? Does the airline own the team? Are large multi-national corporations allowed to own teams? Or, is it simply that uniform advertising is for sale like the names of stadiums in the US?

 

Please advise

In England we have 4 professional football leagues, in highest to lowest order these are The Premiership, The Championship, League 1 and League 2. I guess the major difference between England and America is that we have promotion and relegation. Every season the bottom 3 clubs in the Premiership drop down into the Championship and three clubs come up to replace them. This happens between all of the leagues and even semi-professional teams and lowly amateur clubs are all part of the league structure, albeit way way down in the hierarchy.

The clubs are either privately owned or are run as PLC's but they are not franchises like they are in USA and we currently have no salary cap in enforcement.

With regard to team names the only one I can think of in England that isn't named after a town or city is Arsenal, however Im sure somebody will be able to prove me wrong

[Esco]

Thanks for the quick replies. Let me see if I have this right.

 

A team in the English Premier League, like Man U or Arsenal, will play through to completion of their season and conclude with playoffs and finals. From that point, the winners of the Premier League and similar leagues in other countries throughout Europe compete in a separate league called the Champions League. I assume this is because all teams are champions from other leagues and the teams in this league vary year to year. The winners of the Champions League is essentially the winner of Europe. Is this correct?

Yes although not every team competing in the Champions league is champion of their own league.

It depends on how high a country is ranked as to how many teams can compete in the champions

league. For the UK it is 4 I think... smaller or lower ranked countries only one or two

Kewl. This helps a lot as I was confused on how teams could be in multiple leagues.

 

As for ownership, any tax paying entity can own; be it a corporation, individual or ownership group. (This is somewhat different than in the states where corporations are not allowed to own teams, generally speaking. The most notable exceptions is Disney owned teams: Mighty Ducks (hockey) and formally the Angels. The team itself may be a corporation, but not owned by one. (Ford Motor Company can not own a team, but an owner of the Ford Motor Company can own a team.)

Yes this seems to be different.. although Chelsea for example is owned by a person rather than a company

[Matt]

Thanks for the quick replies. Let me see if I have this right.

 

A team in the English Premier League, like Man U or Arsenal, will play through to completion of their season and conclude with playoffs and finals. From that point, the winners of the Premier League and similar leagues in other countries throughout Europe compete in a separate league called the Champions League. I assume this is because all teams are champions from other leagues and the teams in this league vary year to year. The winners of the Champions League is essentially the winner of Europe. Is this correct?

 

Kewl. This helps a lot as I was confused on how teams could be in multiple leagues.

Because the English league is so good we get 4 Champions League places. The top two teams qualify automatically and the 3rd and 4th teams enter the qualifying stages. This season We have Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool all in the Champions League.

Champions league games are played alongside the regular domestic season with the games taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings

[Siam Sam]

With regard to team names the only one I can think of in England that isn't named after a town or city is Arsenal, however Im sure somebody will be able to prove me wrong

 

Port Vale?

Edited September 25, 2007 by Pharang_bah

[Matt]

Port Vale?

Not according to Wikipedia

"Although it is widely believed that Port Vale is one of the few teams not to be named after a geographical location, the name Port Vale exists on maps predating the formation of the club in 1876, and is a reference to a valley of ports on the Trent and Mersey canal, associated with the city's pottery industry."

[Siam Sam]

Not according to Wikipedia

"Although it is widely believed that Port Vale is one of the few teams not to be named after a geographical location, the name Port Vale exists on maps predating the formation of the club in 1876, and is a reference to a valley of ports on the Trent and Mersey canal, associated with the city's pottery industry."

 

 

Aaaaaghh. You're right there aren't any.

[richardb22]

With regard to team names the only one I can think of in England that isn't named after a town or city is Arsenal, however Im sure somebody will be able to prove me wrong

 

Actually our origins were south of the river The old works team of the Woolwich Arsenal hence our nickname THE GUNNERS

 

As for other teams not being named after their area I am thinking of the Scottish league and Queen of the South.

 

An indication of te Heirarchical nature of footy can be seen in tonights fixture of Eon FA Cup first round Needham Market v Grantham.

 

If Needham market keep wining ( the FA cup is a nock out tournament )( no ifs no buts no play offs no repercharge just straight wins ) they will be in the final playing one of the premier league big boys. Little chance of it happening but the fans dream on.

 

Richard

[richardb22]

Thanks for the quick replies. Let me see if I have this right.

 

A team in the English Premier League, like Man U or Arsenal, will play through to completion of their season and conclude with playoffs and finals.

 

No play offs you win the league or you do not. There are playoffs in lower leagues ( in England ) top two in the lower league take the places of the Premier league relegated three teams and the third team comming up is decided by a play off

[richardb22]

The most notable exceptions is Disney owned teams: Mighty Ducks (hockey)

 

Come on DUCKIES Im proud to sing that name every time we sing this song we'el win the game DUKS DUCKS DUCKS

 

Please god keep the barbarian disney corp from our door

 

Richard

[richardb22]

ps Port Vale is not a place and they have a team

[HeinekenDrinker]

I don't think I'll ever understand the structure... I'll stick with NFL...