Football Owners Strike averted!

The owners of the clubs of La Liga, the Major League of Spain, had postponed this weeks games, in a strike against the new Government demand that at least 1 game each week be shown on free TV.

And you thought the NFL was poorly run.

Those clubs had been eager to maximise revenue from pay TV channels, and had hoped that a strike would pressurise the Spanish government into changing the law.

However, six clubs filed aa appeal protest in court to prevent the strike. (See their owners don't agree either). Madrid Judge Judge Purificacion Pujol ruled in favor of the appeal against the strike and stated:

The court decides the official calendar for the first and second divisions should remain unaltered for the next round of matches.

He also indicated that the league calendar cannot be changed.

Villarreal general manager Jose Manuel Llaneza felt that the decision was in the best interests of the game stating to Radio Marca:

"The strike would have been a stab in the heart of football, Football only sells hope and, if we kill people's illusions, we will kill football."

This last quote could apply to the NFL as well, although it is hard for me to imagine the NFL owners going on strike. Can you imagine the players union, when reconstituted, saying the owners can't strike and cancel games.

Oh, by the way, this is Bristolduke your new, temporary, soccer pundit. It is international friendly week, so a little slow on matches right now.

Cheers