The Premier League has become the most popular football league in the world that attracts the best players from around the world which ensures the quality on show rivals any other League including La Liga and Serie A. Fans race to buy the Premier League kits are their favourite team.
The Premier League was created on the 20th February 1992 from all the teams in the old English first division. During the 1970's and 1980's although English football were very successful in Europe most notably Liverpool FC during the 1980's English football stadiums were in very bad conditions. Many stadiums were crumbling and football hooligans were causing a terrible impression for English football. The Heysel stadium disaster during Liverpool's European Cup final meant English teams were banned from European competitions for 5 years.
However by the end of the 1980's football in England was going through a renaissance. After the horrific Hillsborough Stadium accident when 96 innocent Liverpool fans were crushed to death the Taylor report recommended all seater stadiums. Grounds throughout the top league went through dramatic transformations and started to attract families and a much more peaceful atmosphere.
As English football become more popular again so the Football League was attracting larger TV revenues. The top clubs wanted a bigger slice of the money in football and independence from the FA. So at the end of the 1991 Football League season the clubs in the English First Division resigned and formed the FA Premier League on the 20th February 1992. In 2007 the league was renamed to the Premier League and is currently known as the Barclays Premier League as part of the league's sponsorship deal with Barclays Bank.
As the Premier League is independent from the FA and Football League they are able to negotiate huge television rights deals and next seasons 2013/14 deal with satellite BskyB and BT is worth around £3 Billion. Television companies spend such large sums as they know Premier League is such a popular league all around the world. The top teams in the Premier League have got very rich with the TV revenue and as the league has become so popular fans are eager to purchase replica Premier League kits.
Under Sir Alex Fergusson Manchester United have dominated the Premier League; becoming champions 13 times and only Arsenal, Chelsea, Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City have been able to beat Manchester United to the title.
Premier League clubs originally had two places in Europe's most prestigious competition the Champions League. Due to the success of English teams in Europe from the 2009/10 season four teams now feature in the Champions League with the 4th place having to enter the Champions League play off competition. The team that ends 5th enter the Europa League competition and 6th and 7th teams enter a qualifying round. At the bottom end of the league three teams are relegated to the English Championship. Teams at the bottom end of the league battle hard to make sure they are in the Premier League for the next season as relegation can mean financial disaster.
Do you think the Premier League is the best league in the world?
What Premier League kits have you purchased?
David writes for Soccer Box where you can purchase replica football kits for most teams in the Premier League.
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