Why the PFA have taken aim at Chelsea owner Boehly

Karan Tejwani

15 Sept 2022 15:00 BST
3 min read

The Professional Footballers' Association have hit back at Todd Boehly’s plans for an All-Star game, similar to those held in the United States.

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Boehly suggested earlier in the week that players from across England could come together in an All-Star game, with money going to clubs lower down the English divisions.

The new Chelsea owner suggested a game between players in the north versus those in the south, but the PFA have suggested it’s not going to be that easy.

The association believes that adding more fixtures to the calendar in an already-packed schedule is going to do no good and Boehly’s plans may have to be blocked.

PFA respond to Boehly

Speaking at a conference earlier this week, Boehly said: "People are talking about more money for the pyramid, in the MLB All-Star game this year we made $200 million from a Monday and a Tuesday,"

"So we're thinking we could do a north versus south All-Star game for the Premier League, for whatever the pyramid needed, quite easily," the American added.

Speaking to The Times, a PFA spokesman responded to Boehly’s wishes: “Football can’t just keep forcing more and more into an already crowded schedule.

Chelsea owner Todd Boehly floats the idea of a PREMIER LEAGUE ALL-STAR GAME.

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— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) September 13, 2022

“We work closely with union colleagues in the major US sports and so we understand the value and the popularity of the All-Star events.

“Ideas shouldn’t be dismissed just because they might be concepts we’re not familiar with, especially if they have the potential to raise funds that can be used for benefit right across football.

“Ultimately, though, we can’t just keep adding fixtures and events without a proper and wide-reaching review of the calendar,” the spokesperson concluded, shutting down any talk of such a game for the near future.

This isn’t the first time the topic of an All-Star game has come up, and like before, the conversation has never gone further than just talk.