Many consider the UEFA Champions League as the most competitive soccer entertainment in the world. It is a competition that draws huge soccer fan audiences from all corners of the world. A majority of these fans make it a habit of staying close to their television sets (and other digital platforms) to follow the action every time the new season begins. Some wake up early in the morning to follow matches of their favorite teams regardless of the daily assignments that await them later in the day. Can you imagine someone waking up at six in the morning to watch a football match! Some even watch games around midday yet others stay late into the night to follow the action live. Yet the competition is staged in one continent; Europe. So, what makes the UEFA Champions League so popular?
Well, the UEFA Champions League came into being in 1992.A competition known as the European Cup which was almost similar to the UEFA Champions League had been in place since 1955. However, in 1992 football leaders across Europe considered it necessary to introduce reforms which brought a lot of changes in the way soccer competitions were managed in Europe. These reforms introduced several changes. For instance, more money was pumped into the tournament than before, and also changes were made to accommodate more teams as a way of making the competition more entertaining and more inclusive. UEFA Champions League operates under the umbrella of FIFA.
As it is today, the UEFA Champions League takes every year and involves top clubs from various countries across Europe although clubs from Israel participate due to historical factors that led to the expulsion of the country from competing in competitions of the Asian continent where it is geographically located. Indeed, Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club, the most decorated football club in Israel, has been a regular participant in the competition. The UEFA Champions League takes place from October to May of every season, and the competition always begins after all the domestic leagues of the participating countries have started. It involves 32 teams drawn in 8 groups of four. Usually, those teams that finish as champions in their domestic leagues in the previous season gain automatic entry into the group stages. However, the top three teams in top four leagues in Europe (that is, England, Italy, Germany and Spain) get automatic qualification to the group stages and the team that occupies the fourth spot in domestic championships of the mentioned countries plays a two-legged match with a selected team from other European nations to get entry into the groups.
Once the eight groups have been constituted, the four teams in each group play matches against each other and these matches are played on home grounds and away from home grounds. The two teams garner the most points after playing each member of the group qualifies for the next stage of the competition known as the knock out stage. The knock out stage has 16 teams who are later selected to play in 8 groups of two teams. The drawn teams play a two-legged match and the winners in each encounter progresses to the next level of the competition. This elimination method continues until two top teams remain. The two top teams participate in the final match which takes place after domestic competitions in countries of the participating clubs have ended. The UEFA Champions League final takes in place May or June each year depending on how the season has played out. It is important to note that winning a Champions League final does not guarantee an automatic qualification for the next season of the competition. Although most clubs in Europe compete, victories in the finals in the last decade have been dominated by Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester United.
Even in other continents, elite clubs compete with each other on a similar model to that of Europe. What then makes the Champions League popular around the world? The answer to this question can be traced back to the 1980s when big European clubs began taking in the best players from other continents such as South America, North America, and Africa. The new players brought new and better talent in European clubs. In other words, the best from around the world came to Europe to compete against the best in Europe. As a result, football in Europe was raised to another level never witnessed in any part of the world. Obviously, a competition that features the best teams and players attracts more attention, right? Fans always want to be entertained by the best. However, the story does not end here.
The Champions Leagues popularity has a lot to do with money. As the best players from South America and North America and Africa moved to Europe in numbers in the 1990s, the European clubs began competing with each other for the best talents. Put simply, they had to pay selling clubs more money to secure talents from around the world. Again after arriving at the various European clubs, the players were paid good wages to promote loyalty to their clubs. Today, stars earn big. For instance, football stars such as Lionel Messi, Christiano Ronaldo, and Neymar earn at least 300, 000 pounds per week each in terms of gross income. Football has become a booming business. Money matters. The more money you have, the best talent you are likely to attract and the better entertainment you offer the audience. This trend has been sustained by recent trends where billionaires have started owning clubs. This means that money is available in plenty and one can buy the best players they want.
Since football became big business, companies took advantage of this to market their products. Like the American footwear maker Nike, these companies use talented players to advertise their products. From jerseys, cars to beauty products, football stars grace television screens around the world. For instance, Heineken is the official sponsor of Champions League, and you expect the company to reach a wider audience of liquor lovers when it advertises during matches. Besides, fans can access football matches through digital platforms such as phones in any part of the world. This has even made the popularity of the championship to increase further outside Europe. The result of this is that the Champions League has attracted more following around the world more than any other continental competition.
In conclusion, the UEFA Champions League is a popular football competition that takes place in Europe but popular all around the world. This is because Europe attracts football stars more than any other continent. Today, it is big business in terms of huge payments to players and profits. Aggressive marketing has made the competition popular; from big cities in Europe to tiny villages in Africa, it is a household name. Probably a new religion. And that is the UEFA Champions League for you.
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