A new design for football competition in the Netherlands, Belgium and Scotland.
Objective
To create a stronger competition for clubs from nations stated above. This occurs by having the strongest clubs of these countries compete against each other in a complete competition in springtime after a shorter national competition.
Design
In August competitions of 12 teams start in all three countries. A full competition is being played of 22 matches. The champion (in January) will be the national champion.
Normally the numbers one and two position themselves to play out the (preliminary round of the) Champions League (CL). But the rights to positioning for this competition are one more time divided in the Soccer Super League (SSL) .
The remaining clubs play one play-offs a country (with preservation of points ) out of which the winner is qualified to play the (preliminary round of the) Europa League. If the winner of the national cup is situated within the SSL the number two positions itself play European football as well.
As of February the topclubs of these competitions enter the SSL Atlantic together. The number of clubs in the SSL depends on the number of places each country has in the two European Cups (=X) utilising the UEFA Country coefficients. Each country is allowed to delegate X-2 clubs to the SSL In the SSL the clubs play a complete competition again. The highest rated teams position themselves to play the (preliminary round of the) CL. Remaining clubs place themselves to play the European League.
Example
Imagine the Netherlands hold five ( European Cup) positions, Belgium as well and Scotland four. And all countries are allowed to list two clubs for the Champions League. In such a case the SSL consists of eight clubs out of which the first six are allowed to enlist for the CL. It could turn out the two Scottish clubs end at spot 7 and 8. In such a case those two play the European League.
The national champion of January is not sure of qualification for (the preliminary round of) the CL.
The Uefa Country coefficients determines the number of participants in the SSL and normally the SSL therefore would consist of eight teams. But the outcome of the number of teams in the SSL can turn out to be smaller when a club from a country needs to join the European League sooner than the winner of the play-offs of the other countries based on the Uefa Country coefficients. In that case a country like that loses an SSL-spot.
Because of the available number of competition days on the calendar the SSL can consist of eight clubs maximum.
The amount of competition days per season is maximally 36 (22 in regular + 14 in SSL competition) and 40 for the other teams (22 in regulair + 18 in play-offs).
Benefits:
More games at higher level.
Greater income through entry fees, sponsoring and television funds.
A competition is created which, although a lot shorter, can compete with the Premier League : all over the world you still find Celtic, Rangers, Anderlecht, Ajax or Feyenoord fans.
No loss of EL/CL qualifying places.
Drawbacks:
In the Netherlands six clubs have loss of income because they no longer have Ajax, PSV and Feyenoord coming over.
More the same opponents for teams that do not reach SSL