Hatters CEO: Devil will be in the detail of Project Big Picture

Luton chief executive Gary Sweet insists the 'devil will be in the detail' of a controversial proposal to overhaul the Premier League and rescue EFL clubs who have seen their finances decimated due to Covid-19.

On Sunday, a proposal labelled ‘Project Big Picture’, drawn up by Liverpool’s American-based owners and backed by Manchester United was launched, with the aim of changing the voting structure of the top flight, as well as funding models for the English Football League and Football Association.

The proposal includes several other major changes to the structure of English football, including reducing the Premier League from 20 to 18 teams and cancelling the EFL Cup, which Town won in 1988, and the Community Shield.

Current one-club one-vote principle would be abolished, along with a rule that 14 clubs out of the current 20 need to agree on policy, with power in the nine clubs that have remained in the Premier League longest (Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Man United, Man City, Southampton, Tottenham, West Ham), six needed instead to vote for major change.

However, for EFL clubs like Luton, hit severely by the Covid-19 pandemic, then a £250m payment up front to the EFL, plus £100m payment to the Football Association, will be made.

Meanwhile, 25 per cent of Premier League annual revenue would go to EFL clubs, while substantial funding would be provided to the FA.

The Parachute Payment system will be ended in a bid to address the enormous gap between divisions, with a 66 per cent increase in annual contributions to good causes in England following and five per cent of Premier League gross revenues contributed annually to good causes and grassroots football.

A new independent league for the Women’s professional game will be developed, with infrastructure improvements funded with significant annual monies also designated for Wembley.

A meeting between Championship clubs was held yesterday morning, with a number supportive of the majority of the proposals, as speaking to the Luton News, Sweet said: “With anything of this magnitude the devil will be in the detail.

“National media headlines, populist commentators and social media activists are clearly grabbing the more room-dividing proposals for news and to be contentious, a couple of which are unacceptable as they are written, of course.

“However, let’s not forget that 80% of these proposals have been needed for many years and they have the potential to form a very positive, game-changing shift for the wider game.

“It’s naturally the 20% that needs work as some elements, to us, are absolutely unpalatable.

“But while those challenging items are negotiated and debated let’s not forget the positivity that can come with this particularly relating to additional the redistribution of funding and attention to our communities, women’s football, facilities and supporters.

“All energy and focus now needs to be invested into finessing the details and diluting the areas of compromise.

"It’s a big if but if the ills can be cured what remains simply must be good for the future of the wider game and everyone in it and supporters of it.”