[Thunderball]

I think most Europeans prefer this "unfair" way a lot more than an even playing field... and here's why.

1. Most elite teams became elite over DECADES of being managed well, and winning leagues and tournaments. To be Real Madrid, Manchester United, Juventus, Bayern Munich, you had to be a winner, take risks financially and hire the best and fire the chaff. Yes, there's the odd Chelsea, but you still can't buy a winner and expect to take it all. Toronto and the Rangers taught us that at the NHL level.

2. The UEFA Cup and Champions' League are huge sources of revenue. Small teams make these tournaments, and as a result, continue to grow. Case in point, Zenit St. Petersburg, this year's UEFA cup champions. Who even heard of them before this season, and who would think their unimpressive sounding roster could be at the top of the heap with teams like Bayern Munich, Glasgow Rangers, Fiorentina, PSV Eindhoven, and Atletico Madrid. Even small teams in England, Spain and Italy have been known to sneak into these tournaments, and as a result, become richer and better teams. That makes football special. The system doesn't cripple the best and coddle the worst, it encourages the top to rise. Little Chievo Verona rose from Serie C2 to Serie A and to play in the UEFA cup...and now they're back in Serie A again next season.

3. Relegation is as interesting a battle as championship. Every year, long term names get knocked out because they got complacent, cheap, or shocked. In Italy, Serie A regular, and 1995 UEFA Cup Champions Parma got knocked to Serie B (and even they got knocked to Serie B a few years ago). Every single major team in Italy has spent at least one season in Serie B, except Inter Milan (albeit a couple artificially... financial insolvency, suspicion of sporting misconduct, etc.)

4. Miracles happen. A lot. Especially in the Cups. Which is why a lot of big teams downplay their importance, because on any given day, if one team works hard enough and catches the other offguard, any Division 1 team can beat any Division 1 team. Even Division 2 teams can do it.

If the NHL had the same system as European Football, the Calgary Flames could not have "treated" us fans with just pathetic teams, coaches and managers in the 1990s and early 2000s... the team would simply no longer exist or would be a permanent resident of a second division (hell, the team almost got knocked into oblivion in the old NHL system too). Hungrier teams would have emerged and pushed the team down. Okay is definitely not okay in European football, or you lose... big time. Just ask Leeds Utd.

With that... there is some push in Italy, and other nations, to try and distribute the TV money a little more evenly. But they have come up to the big stumbling block... Domestic and International TV viewers don't want to see Catania v. Empoli... they want Juventus, AC Milan, Inter, Roma, Lazio, Fiorentina, Sampdoria and Napoli. Without those teams getting the most exposure, the big money offers simply won't materialize.