| Regarded as the most popular and richest soccer | | | | was a unique structure that effectively created a |
| league in the world, the English Premier League was | | | | limited company that was able to negotiate |
| established in 1992 after breaking away from the | | | | commercial revenue and share the benefits based |
| traditional Football League. Now in its sixteenth | | | | upon performance. |
| season, the Premier League is capable of attracting | | | | Structure of the Premier League: The Premier League |
| the best soccer players from around the world and | | | | consists of twenty soccer clubs from all regions |
| its top teams compete regularly in the latter stages | | | | across England. They play a thirty-eight match season |
| of Europe's premier soccer tournament, the UEFA | | | | that begins in August each year and is concluded the |
| Champions League. | | | | following May. All teams compete home and away |
| Origins of the Premier League: During the 1980s, the | | | | against the other teams twice. |
| reputation of English soccer was at an all time low. | | | | At the completion of the season, the bottom three |
| Years of misbehavior from fans and a number of | | | | teams are demoted to the football league and |
| related tragedies, had subsequently led to English | | | | replaced by the three best teams in that league the |
| clubs getting banned from participating in European | | | | following season. The winners of the Premier League |
| club competitions. | | | | are declared the champions and are eligible to play in |
| For this reason the top clubs were unable to sign the | | | | following season's UEFA Champions League, along |
| best players and they could not complete financially | | | | with the next top three teams. |
| with the major teams in the other European leagues. | | | | Notable Clubs: The most successful club in the history |
| Consequently, spectator attendances at many of the | | | | of the Premier League is Manchester United. In the |
| games began to decline rapidly. | | | | 2007/08 season they won the competition for a |
| However by 1990, many of these trends began to | | | | record tenth time. The only other teams to win the |
| reverse. The English national team played a great | | | | league are Arsenal, Chelsea and Blackburn. |
| tournament in that year's World Cup, reaching the | | | | The Future of the Premier League: By 2008 the top |
| semi-finals and this encouraged a feeling of renewed | | | | English clubs, through their ability to negotiate ever |
| interest in the game. UEFA removed its ban on | | | | increasing commercial revenues have created a global |
| English clubs participating in the Champions League | | | | sports brand that allows them to dominate European |
| and compulsory seating was introduced in all stadiums | | | | club soccer. In the last four seasons, an English team |
| to alleviate the problems associated with violence | | | | has reached the final of the Champions League. |
| amongst spectators. | | | | However, the impact of this success at the top of |
| In the midst of this renewed optimism, the top | | | | the English soccer league is having a detrimental |
| soccer clubs such as Arsenal, Liverpool and | | | | effect on the teams at the lower scale of the league |
| Manchester United decided to break away from the | | | | system. Many teams are struggling to survive |
| existing league structure to capitalize on the influx of | | | | financially and there is much criticism and concern that |
| television money that was offered by new satellite | | | | the concentration of wealth and power in a small |
| broadcasters such as Sky TV. | | | | group of teams may have long term negative |
| In 1992 all top division clubs resigned from the | | | | consequences for the future of the game. |
| football league and formed the Premier League. This | | | | |