From: SEMIBRA@YaleVM.YCC.Yale.Edu
Subject: An European Superleague Scheme
Organization: Yale University
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 92 14:08:23 EDT

 
     --  A SCHEME FOR A EUROPEAN FOOTBALL (soccer) SUPERLEAGUE --
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                                                      Ibrahim Semiz
                                                      (preferred e-mail adress:
                                                       semiz@yalehep)
1. The steady-state configuration
 
   1.1. Make-up
 
        1.1.1.  A first division with 16 teams (Group 1).
 
        1.1.2.  A second division with three groups of 16 teams each
                (Groups 2A, 2D, 2G). The groups correspond to a division of
                the European Map into three geographical regions (to be
                explained in 3)
 
        1.1.3.  A third division with nine groups of 16 teams each
                (Groups 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 3E, 3F, 3G, 3H, 3I). The groups
                correspond to a division of the European Map into nine
                geographical regions, which come together in threes
                to make up regions in 1.1.2. (to be explained in 3)
 
        1.1.4.  All groups are played in two-round robin format.
 
   1.2. Promotions and relegations
 
        1.2.1.  The top finisher in the first division (Group 1) is the
                European Champion.
 
        1.2.2.  The last three finishers in the first division (Group 1) get
                relegated to the second division group their country (national
                league) belongs to.
 
        1.2.3.  The top finishers in the second division groups
                (Groups 2A, 2D, 2G) get promoted to the first division.
 
        1.2.4.  The number of last finishers to be relegated from a second
                division group is equal to two (2) plus the number of teams that
                were relegated from the first division into that particular
                group. These teams go into the third division group their
                country (national league) belongs to.
 
        1.2.5.  The top finishers in the third division groups 3A, 3B, 3C,
                get promoted to the second division group 2A, similarly top
                finishers in groups 3D, 3E, 3F get promoted to group 2D, and
                top finishers in groups 3G, 3H, 3I get promoted to group 2G.
 
        1.2.6.a.As long as the number of participating leagues is less than 46,
                The champions of national leagues get promoted to the third
                division group their country belongs to.
              b.If the number of participating leagues exceeds 45, the country,
                preferably the city of each 3rd division group champion hosts
                a single round robin tournament to determine three teams among
                the champions of national leauges belonging to that 3rd division
                group to join the group next year.
 
        1.2.7.  The number of last finishers to be relegated from a third
                division group is equal to the number of teams that were
                relegated from the second division into that particular group
                plus the number of teams advancing from national leagues minus
                one. These teams go into their national leagues.
 
2. The Transitory Stage
 
   2.1  European cups are abolished.
 
   2.2. The first year
 
        2.2.1. No first division.
 
        2.2.2. No second division.
 
        2.2.3.a.Third division groups with four participating leagues are
                formed out of four teams from each country (league). The
                countries may choose in advance from the following options
                for allocation of the berths:
                i)  the top four finishers
                ii) the cup-winner plus top three of the rest.
              b.Third division groups with five participating leagues are
                formed out of four teams from the country (league) with the
                highest European Coefficient in the group, and three teams each
                from others. The countries may choose in advance from the
                following options for allocation of the berths:
                i)  the top four (three) finishers
                ii) the cup-winner plus top three (two) of the rest.
              c.If there should be six teams in any of the groups when the
                scheme starts, these groups are formed out of
                three teams each from the four countries (leagues) with the
                higher European Coefficients and two teams each from others.
                The countries may choose in advance from the following options
                for allocation of the berths:
                i)  the top three (two) finishers
                ii) the cup-winner plus top two (one) of the rest.
 
        2.2.3.1. It is determined which of the groups 3A, 3B, 3C has the highest
                 average of European Coefficients of its member countries.
                 From this group, the top six teams to be promoted to the
                 second division group 2A at the end of the year and the
                 last two teams to be relegated into their national leagues.
 
        2.3.3.2. From each of the other two groups mentioned in 2.2.3.1, the
                 top five teams to be promoted to group 2A and the last three
                 teams to be relegated into their national leagues.
 
        2.3.3.3. The procedure of 2.2.3.1 and 2.2.3.2 to apply to groups
                 3D, 3E, 3F and 3G, 3H, 3I.
 
   2.3. The second year
 
        2.3.1. No first division.
 
        2.3.2. Second division group 2A formed from the first year's
               top five (six) finishers of groups 3A, 3B, 3C. Similarly,
               top five (six) finishers of groups 3D, 3E, 3F form form 2D and
               top five (six) finishers of groups 3G, 3H, 3I form 2G.
 
        2.3.2.1. It is determined which of the second division groups has the
                 highest average of European Coefficients of its member
                 countries. From this group, the top six teams to be promoted
                 to the first division at the end of the year and the last
                 three finishers to be relegated into the third division group
                 their country belongs to.
 
        2.3.2.2. From each of the remaining two groups, the top five teams to
                 be promoted to the first division, and the last four finishers
                 to be relegated into the third division group their country
                 belongs to.
 
        2.3.3.a.Third division groups with four participating leagues are
                played with the eight teams remaining from the first year plus
                two new teams each from the countries belonging to that
                particular group. The countries may choose in advance from the
                following options for allocation of the berths:
                i)  the two top finishers
                ii) the cup-winner plus the top finisher of the rest; unless
                    the cup-winner is already slated to play in a European
                    third or second division group.
              b.Third division groups with five participating leagues are
                played with the eight teams remaining from the first year plus
                the top finishers of the national leagues plus one extra team
                each from the three countries with higher European
                Coefficients. The countries may choose in advance from the
                following options for the allocation of the extra berths:
                i)  the second-place finisher
                ii) the cup-winner; unless the cup-winner is already slated to
                    play in a European third or second division group.
              c.Third division groups with six participating leagues are
                played with the eight teams remaining from the first year plus
                the top finishers of the national leagues plus one extra team
                each from the two countries with higher European Coefficients.
                The countries may choose in advance from the following options
                for the allocation of the extra berths:
                i)  the second-place finisher
                ii) the cup-winner; unless the cup-winner is already slated to
                    play in a European third or second division group.
 
        2.3.3.1. At the end of the year, the top three teams from each third
                 division group get promoted to the second division.
 
        2.3.3.2. The number of teams to be relegated at year's end from third
                 division groups to national leagues is equal to the number of
                 countries in the group minus three plus the number of teams
                 that were relegated into that particular group from the second
                 division.
 
   2.4. The third year
 
        2.4.1. First division formed from the top five (six) finishers of each
               second division group.
 
        2.4.2. Second division groups played with the seven teams remaining from
               the second year plus top three finishers of the second year in
               each of the corresponding third division groups.
 
        2.4.3. Third division groups played with the teams remaining from the
               second year plus top finishers of the countries belonging to
               that particular group.
 
        2.4.4. The promotions and relegations at the end of this year are
               determined by the steady-state rules.
 
3. Determination of groups
 
  3.1. If the number of participating countries is 9n+k, where k<9, there are k
       third division groups with n+1 leagues and 9-k third division groups
       with n leagues.
 
  3.2. Every five years (in summers of years divisible by five), a new drawing
       is held for determination of groups.
 
  3.3. k countries with the lowest European Coefficients (to be explained in 4)
       are to be placed in third division groups with n+1 leagues. These
       countries are put into the `list' before the drawing begins.
 
  3.4. For the purposes of the drawing, `neighbours' of each country are
       identified.
 
       3.4.1. Countries with common land borders are neighbours.
 
       3.4.2. Two countries are also considered neighbours if a straight line
              shorter than 200 km can be drawn over the sea between any two
              points belonging to those two countries.
 
       3.4.3. Island countries will are assigned the nearest two countries as
              neighbours regardless of the distance.
 
       3.4.4  Island countries are also considered neighbours to other
              countries if the shortest distance between them is shorter than
              (the shortest distance to their second-closest neighbour
              + 200 km.)
 
       3.4.5. Each country will be assigned at least two neighbours. If the
              above rules give only one (no) neighbour to a country, that
              country gets assigned the one (two) country (ies) with smallest
              shortest distance to her as other neighbours.
 
  3.5. The drawing is done according to the following algorithm:
 
        Step 1. Draw a map of Europe. Replace each country is by a dot. Join
                dots representing countries with straight lines if they are
                neighbours according to the first three rules above. Since
                there is no disconnected country in Europe (except Azerbaijan,
                if they participate), there should be no intersecting lines at
                this point. Then draw straight lines for neighbours according to
                rules 3.4.4 and 3.4.5. This completes a grid representing
                countries and `neighbourhood' relations.
 
        Step 2. Delete countries and their `neighbourhood' lines from the grid
                if they have already been assigned to a 3rd division
                group (`committed'). If no countries remain, go to Step 6.
                Otherwise, highlight the perimeter of the remaining
                grid. Draw lots among countries in this perimeter. This
                gives the first member of a new 3rd division group.
 
          Step 3. Draw lots among the `uncommitted' neighbours of the first
                  country. This gives the second member of the group.
 
          Step 4. Draw lots among the `uncommitted' neighbours with the
                  largest number of `neighbourhood' lines to the already
                  assigned members of the group (Many times no drawing will be
                  necessary)
                  *
                  Repeat this step until the group has been completed. If one or
                  more member countries are in the `list', then the group will
                  have n+1 members. Otherwise stop at n.
 
          Step 5. If two (three, four) countries from the `list' of 3.3 were
                  placed into this group, add one (two, three) more countries
                  to the `list', according to their European Coefficients.
                  Go to Step 2.
 
        Step 6. If this is the first ever drawing, go to Step 7. Otherwise, go
                to Step 8.
 
        Step 7. Draw lots among the perimeter groups, defined as before.
                Call that group 3A. Draw lots among its neighboring groups.
                Call that group 3B. Draw lots among the groups neighboring
                both of them. Call that group 3C.
                Draw lots among the perimeter of the remaining groups.
                Call that group 3D. Draw lots among its `uncommitted'
                neighboring groups. Call that group 3E. Draw lots among
                the `uncommitted' groups neighboring both of them. Call that
                group 3F.
                Draw lots among the remaining groups. Call that group 3G.
                Draw lots among the remaining two groups. Call that group
                3H. Call the last group 3I.
                Go to step 10.
 
        Step 8. If all letters A through I have been assigned to new third
                division groups, go to Step 10. Otherwise Draw lots among the
                letters that have not yet been assigned. Consider the countries
                that were in the third division group corresponding to that
                letter before the drawing. Identify the new group that shows
                largest percentage overlap with the old group. If there is more
                than one, draw lots. Give that group the same name.
 
        Step 9. Consider the old third division group belonging to the same
                second division region and cyclically follows the one drawn in
                Step 8 (i.e. A->B->C->A, D->E->F->D, G->H->I->G). Among the new
                neighbouring groups of the new group determined in Step 8,
                identify the one that shows largest percentage overlap with
                the old group considered in this step. If there is more
                than one, draw lots. Give that group the same name.
                *
                Repeat this step for the remaining old third division group
                belonging to the same second division region.
                Then go to step 8.
 
        Step 10. Regions for groups 3A, 3B, 3C comprise the region for group 2A.
                 Regions for groups 3D, 3E, 3F comprise the region for group 2D.
                 Regions for groups 3G, 3H, 3I comprise the region for group 2G.
 
4. European Coefficients.
 
   European Coefficients are still kept track of for the purpose of placement
   into third division groups or anything else that UEFA sees fit in the future.
   One year's `raw points' earned by a country are calculated by adding all the
   points earned by that country's teams in various groups of the European
   Superleague, weighting points earned in the third division by 1, the second
   division by 1.5 and the third division by 2. Then they are normalized such
   that the average agrees with a standard number, e.g. the average of 1990-91
   season, or 5, or...