Premier League pushing ahead with global expansion plans

The English Premier League’s global expansion plans have not been scrapped, chief executive Richard Scudamore insisted Sunday.

Proposals for an extra round of matches to be played across the world met with fierce opposition when revealed earlier in the season and the 39th game proposal was eventually rejected by the Football Association.

However, the Premier League are rethinking their plans having taken into account the various issues and objections raised.

Scudamore told BBC Radio Five Live’s Sportsweek programme: “The idea is not over forever because no idea is over forever. We do have to grapple with globalisation and how we take it forward.

“We are revising, looking at other plans and it is certainly not over.

“We said we would take until next January to look at some sort of strategic move and we are going to look to use that time to come up with something that ticks more boxes.”

Scudamore gave no indication as to whether the revised plans will still involve clubs playing in foreign cities.

“It is too early to say that,” he added. “Give us the time, we will come back and we will work on it. It is too early to be specific on what it will be.”

Scudamore said it was important to devise something which will satisfy both a hungry international market and the wishes of the clubs.

He said: “We have this issue where, look at the amount of countries – 207 countries will watch these games today in some form, probably 600 million or so home reach.

“The audience will be huge today. At some point we have to address how we reach and satisfy that market, as well as never losing sight of the fact our game is predicated on full attendances, on home fans, on the home base that creates that atmosphere.

“Making something of all that is the strategic challenge for the Premier League going forward.”