What communicators can learn from the European Super League debacle

Soccer is religion for tens of millions of fans globally, many of whom are hyper-aware of even the most minute roster moves, rumors and transfer tidbits that churn on a daily basis.

So it should come as no surprise that when 12 of Europe’s biggest teams announced what amounted to a tectonic shift in the sport’s landscape, the fan blowback was swift and loud — resulting in an instant PR case study that, while specific to sports, resonates across industries.

On April 18, leaders from 12 of Europe’s most prestigious clubs announced the formation of The Super League, a brand new global soccer competition that would “provide higher-quality matches” and “significantly greater economic growth” for European soccer. The catch was that The Super League would upend one of the key pieces of the global soccer order by seeking to supersede the UEFA Champions League — a globally-beloved and venerated European soccer competition that brings together top teams from across the continent, and has been an annual fixture on the soccer calendar since 1955.