Spectators have not been allowed to attend soccer games throughout England for more than a year, but that did not stop an angry mob from creating a super-spreader event outside Emirates Stadium before Arsenal's fixture against Everton Friday night.
Spoiler alert: Arsenal lost as the team attempts to fend off bottom feeders Leeds United and Aston Villa for 10th place in the Premier League.
It has not been a good week for Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke or any of the ownership groups of 'Big Six' Premier League entries who walked back intentions to join the European Super League - although clubs elsewhere such as Juventus and Real Madrid are still signed on, perhaps to extort more cash and in a continued effort by the Italian and Spanish League entries to crush the Premier League product.
Kroenke vows not to sell controlling interest of the club despite the clear message sent by the minions in North London. Stan was hung in effigy and protesters marched and chanted from him to 'get out'. That is the cleaned up version of the chants and signs of thousands.
Residents of St. Louis and Denver can relate to Kroenke's continued obsession for greed. He moved his NFL franchise to Los Angeles in 2016 while still attempting to do business as a Missouri-based corporation. Kroenke continues to hold the Altitude regional sports network hostage to cable and satellite providers, with Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche games blacked out locally.
Other American ownership groups in the Big Six felt the rapt this week, including the Glazer family in Manchester and the Fenway group of Tom, Werner, John Henry and Lebron James with Liverpool. Manchester United fans briefly staged an insurrection of the club's training grounds and blocked entrances to the training facility. Earlier in the week Liverpool fans gathered outside the Anfield facility and declared the club dead.
Along with overwhelming anger from millions, pressure from FIFA and the Premier League forced the Big Six clubs to change its minds. Everything was on the table in forms of punishment, including banning players who play in the Super League from participation in future World Cups and other international competitions.
As it is, UEFA may still bounce Super League wannabes Chelsea and Manchester City (along with Real Madrid) from the upcoming Champions League semifinals. Other measures considered include deduction of standings points to ensure none of the PL's Big Six dare consider a breakaway plan anytime soon.
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