Thread by @uglygame

Given that accepting B Teams into the EFL Trophy drastically reduced crowds and the competion now only survives financially because of a Premier League subsidy, the idea that accepting B Teams into the league would help sustainably should be seen for what it is: a convenient lie.

https://twitter.com/tomdaviesE17/status/1313845964629737472

It's a zombie idea: no matter how often it's rejected and the supposed justifications shown to be false, it just keeps coming back. Ultimately there is only one reason for B Teams, and it's a bad one. Top Premier League teams want to kill competition and entrench their advantage.

There is no future for the EFL in becoming practice matches for the Premier League youth teams. Imagine destroying over a century of history just because City and Chelsea would prefer not to have to send their hordes of youngster on loan.

It would be the most fundamental and regressive change to the structure of English football in my lifetime. The cure would be worst than the disease.

As with every time the idea of B Teams is mentioned, we need to absolutely bury it. No quarter.

Good point here. The only thing that stemmed Premier League losses, despite the billions of TV money, was FFP. They weren't sustainable businesses, they were just finally regulated. And that's the solution here, not dog-eat-dog rule by the rich.

https://twitter.com/tomdaviesE17/status/1313853082728570881

On the question of financial sustainability and B Teams, some numbers:
1. Average Rd1 attendances before and after B Teams in the EFL Trophy
2. Barca B attendances 19/20
3. Real B att. 19/20
4. Bayern II att. 19/20

Fans do not go to B Team games.
1/2
#BTeamBoycott

Any notion that introducing B Teams to the English pyramid would aid sustainability is fanciful. I have literally never seen any evidence to support the idea that B Teams would generate bigger gates than existing games. I doubt even Man City believe it.

2/3

Not only would B Teams be destructive to fair competition (including in the PL), they would undoubtedly undermine EFL finances. Which means the PL would have to pay to be included (as with the EFL Trophy) or blackmail clubs.

Two tier football would destroy the EFL.
3/3

Record low attendances and secret refunds: something I wrote a while back about the financial impact of having B Teams in the EFL Trophy. The idea that it would make sense in the league is nonsense.
#BTeamBoycott

theuglygame.wordpress.com/2018/12/18/why…

And here is a detailed breakdown of how B Teams affected attendances and whether they generated meaningful appearances for youth players.
theuglygame.wordpress.com/2018/03/16/you…