UEFA Cup could be re-branded

UEFA is interested in refreshing the image of the UEFA Cup competition. In order to create a new public image for the tournament, it may be called UEFA Europa League.

The football governing body has expressed that the UEFA Cup has been seen as a 'second class competition,' according to Sky Sports.

The European Clubs Association was presented with the idea of renaming the competition Monday, by Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, chairman of the new organization.

"I believe we have to change the branding in order to increase the prize money and make the competition more interesting for the participating clubs," said Rummenigge.

"Everyone has always had the impression that the UEFA Cup is a second-class competition and we have to do more to make it more like it was 15 or 20 years ago in terms of importance."

A senior UEFA source confirmed to Reuters that a vote will be held to decide on the matter by UEFA's executive committee this September, but UEFA officials expressed their irritation that news had been made public without their approval.

In December 2007 UEFA revamped the UEFA Cup's format, dropping the unpopular five-team groups in which teams play each opponent just once either home or away in favour of a simpler home and away system.

From 2009 UEFA will also be marketing the competition centrally in a bid to follow the lucrative Champions League format.

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.