Watch: Premier League Ltd Chairman Warns Maltese Clubs Face Financial Burden Without New Format
Malta Premier League Ltd chairman Alan Abela has defended the controversial new league format by arguing that a jump-start is seriously needed.
In a recent discussion panel on TVMSport’s Il-Kampjonat, Abela warned that the average attendance of Maltese Premier League games is only around 400 people, which includes complimentary tickets.
He bluntly admitted that this lack of interest has placed the league and Premier League clubs in a precarious financial position.
“The Premier League is losing money, and if we stick to the same format and recipe next year, clubs won’t only have to pay their own costs but will have to subsidise the league too,” he said.
“This is why we are trying to stir the waters and create something new that generates interest and that we can commercialise better.”
Abela said that the new format, which will replace the regular season with a split season and a potential title playoff decider, is part of a wider commercialisation project. Other plans include the introduction of “family stands” that will allow parents to watch games at a reduced rate while their children play in a play area.
However, Ħamrun Spartans CEO Marcel Bonnici has warned that not a single person will be attracted to the stadium as a result of this new format and said the MPL should instead focus on shifting Maltese football from an amateur mindset towards a more professional one.
Malta Premier League Ltd is a joint venture between the Malta Premier League, whose chairman is former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, and the Malta Football Association.
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