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Crystal Palace chairman floats idea of Premier League 2nd division
Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish thinks that there might need to be a Premier League second division before long. With the top flight so flush with cash and the drop to the Championship being such a financial shock, a Premier League 2 might be the only solution.
"The scary part for clubs paying big fees and wages is relegation. The parachute money only takes you so far," Parish told the Sun.
The thinking is that with a Premier League 2, the money that the top flight makes could be combined with the revenues of the new second division and then spread more evenly among the clubs throughout the top two levels. That way if a team gets relegated from the first division, they won't be in financial peril because of the drop off in money.
"If you finish mid-table and you're Crystal Palace, you're going to have roughly a £130m turnover. But after four years in the Championship, it'll be about £15m-£16m. What business can really adjust to that?
"If that gulf widens, possibly you must have a Premier League 2."
"But a double-tier Premier League is difficult as there is a lot to consider. Are you connected to the rest of the Football League, for example? Because you need to keep that dream alive to sustain the scale of the game."
To say this is complicated would be an understatement. Especially since, even if you could figure out how to establish a Premier League 2 with a connection to the Football League and reasonable financial distribution, you would still have to get everyone on board. Convincing the big clubs in England, like Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and the rest who don't really fear relegation at all to spread the money to even more clubs would be really difficult.
Whether there is a Premier League 2 or not down the road -- and right now it's just one chairman's suggestion -- it's clear that the gap in money between the Premier League and the Football League is becoming an even bigger issue and one that will require some sort of solution.
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