If I may offer my measured assessment, this idea is quite simply shite. The German league should be played in Germany, the Spanish league in Spain, and the English league in England. This is going to alienate domestic supporters, and understandably so.
England's top flight teams could be playing league matches overseas starting in the 2010-11 season after the Premier League on Thursday announced plans to consider such a proposal.
As for the details, the plan is to have each team play 39 matches instead of 38 each season. At first I thought, "Er? Do they mean to add half a team to the Premier League?" But no, all the regular fixtures will be played and then there will be a draw deciding on extra matches.
Obviously, this is unfair. Some teams are stronger than others, and if you have to play one of the stronger teams three times, you are at a disadvantage. What's more, there seem to be plans to make sure that the top five teams don't meet each other.
I'm certain I'm with the majority here. Expect to see the website www.dontplayabroad.co.uk to be up pretty soon.
But do I think that the government should intervene? Hell, no!
Addendum: Skip Sauer's take is here; here is Sean Ingle; EPL Talk's "The Scout" comments here.
Second Addendum: On the fairness issue, the Premier League's chief executive Richard Scudamore gives us this gem: "Every club knows they will have an equal chance of being treated unfairly." Oh. That's o.k., then.
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