The dueling Mexican TV giants directly control the most glamorous teams, and they shuttle players back and forth from year to year to ensure that one of them wins the title. So it should come as no surprise that good sources insist that Rupert Murdoch's company, on the verge of buying Manchester United, really has been negotiating to buy Japanese star Hidetoshi Nakata, without bothering to consult United's administrators and coaches. United does not need Nakata, who would likely wither in the reserves. But United is the most popular club team in Asia, and Nakata might mean an extra ratings point or two for the weekly satellite telecasts on Sky Sports Asia. The idea simply makes too much sense to the programmers.
Competitive concerns are secondary.
Soccer has survived its previous changes and generally emerged stronger. That's because those changes were always honorably intended. You can't say the same about the wrenching transformations promised by Rupert Murdoch and his crew. They sincerely feel their initiatives are needed to improve Rupert Murdoch's balance sheet. That ain't cricket.