While football was played for decades before the Premier League was initially founded, it is this brand that has become renowned and celebrated all over the world. When did the league start, and what are the main reasons for its formation? These are just some of the questions that we are going to be looking at in further detail in the following blog post.
The Year was 1992
February 20th 1992 was the year that the Premier League first came into being. This was when the clubs in the First Division decided to break away from the English Football League, which has a history dating back to 1888. Of course, the plans were already in motion long before the Premier League started to take off.
Founding Clubs
The Premier League was founded by 22 clubs – several of which have remained in the league ever since, including Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur. Others have bounced around the leagues, such as Leeds, Nottingham Forest, and Sheffield United. One of the main motivations behind starting the league in the first place was the possibility of securing a highly lucrative television rights deal. The Football Association (FA) found themselves up against the Football League, but they had the backing of many major clubs and players. The founding clubs resigned from the First Division, ready for the first season of the Premier League in 1992-93.
Early Days
The Premier League got off to a stellar start by signing a lucrative contract with both Sky and the BBC worth hundreds of millions of pounds, which was an even more significant sum of money back in the late 90s. Starting off as the FA Premier League, it later became the FA Carling Premiership, the FA Barclaycard Premiership, and the Barclays Premier League, before dropping the headline sponsorship entirely over the past few years. In its fourth full season, the number of teams was cut back from 22 to 20, which was partly to accommodate for the expansion of the Champions League.
Upwards Trajectory
While the Premier League already got off to a bumper start when it was first formed, its popularity continued to expand. Global TV rights deals have meant that people can watch from the comfort of their own homes – all over the world. Plus, the biggest companies in the world have continued to queue up to get involved with it. Millions continue to check the Premier League odds on a regular basis and back their favourite teams. Ultimately, it is a marketing machine that has seen it rise to the point of being the most popular sports league in the world. It continues to attract many of the world’s best players and acclaim from millions of fans.
The Premier League continues to go from strength to strength, but it was founded on a firm foundation that has seen it take off and reach the heights that it enjoys today. It is unlikely this will change anytime soon!
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