The Americanization of Europe's beloved game reaches a tipping point

To understand the seismic importance of the proposed European Super League, let’s first think about the United States.

In a country that prides itself as the cradle of modern capitalism, there’s been at least one realm where a form of socialism holds sway: Professional sports. The top American leagues all operate with what could be described as ”socialism for the rich”: The owners of franchises work in a closed shop, where no matter a team’s sporting success, a steady stream of profit is effectively guaranteed by shared television deals and other mechanisms, including salary caps and penalties on over-spending...