Premier League considers overseas fixtures
8th February, 2008
All 20 Premier League clubs have agreed to explore a proposal to extend the season to 39 games and play the extra match overseas. The proposal suggested that the extra 10 games would be played in five different major cities, with each of them bidding for the right to stage them.
The extra matches could be decided using a draw, with the top-five teams being seeded to avoid playing each other, and putting a larger team on show in each country.
Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said: "I think it's an idea whose time has come. It's an exciting prospect.
"It's an extra game, it's is not taking anybody's game away, and it includes all 20 clubs which is very important. All 20 clubs will benefit and there is a huge element of solidarity about it.
"When the league does well, other people in the football family do well in terms of redistribution. We feel it is a very positive thing.
"You can't stand still and if we don't do this then somebody else is going to do it, whether it be football or another sport. Therefore it's trying to ride the crest of that wave at the same as protecting what is good and great about what we do.
"Every time there is an evolutionary step, the reaction of the fans is not always great but I would ask them to take a step back and look at the positives."
