The Rise of the English Premier League

The domination by English football in Europe and around the world in the form of TV viewing is immense. If Manchester United overcome AC Milan tonight, expect more and more newcomers to football around the world becoming fans of one of the two Premiership clubs.

But it always wasn’t like that, of course. To get a better understanding of how English football used to be, you have an assignment. Required reading, and required listening.

First, listen to this week’s episode of World Football from BBC World Service. Alan Green talks with his guests, including Simon Inglis, about the English Premier League and what advancements have occurred in the past two decades. It’s an excellent documentary. Listen now before part II of the episode becomes available later this week.

Second, Time Magazine (the staple of American mainstream) has a very well-written and interesting article this week about the English Premier League and its financial success. It’s a must-read from the excellent 101greatgoals.com

On the message boards in the EPL Talk Community, some readers said that they feel the Premiership has reached its peak in America. I wholeheartedly disagree. There is so much opportunity for the league to grow by leaps and bounds in the States. While you and I devour the league each week, there are millions of soccer fans that haven’t caught the fever yet. An English Champions League final, although a disagreeable thought to many, would expand the appeal of the English Premier League worldwide.