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Anybody else heard this story about the Argentinean football federation changing the whole league setup to put more teams in the top division just so they don't have to play out of the top division as they were relegated?!? This is corrupt to the core imagine if the scum got relegated and the FA changed the leagues so they weren't! Would cause uproar!!!

Suppose its only as corrupt as the FFP rules which prevents a lesser team joining the Champions League party. The league likes who qualifies each year, and would like to keep it that way for TV revenue purposes thank you very much.

I'd imagine a team of the stature of River would have a big impact on advertising revenues for the broadcasters of the Argentinian top flight

Corrupt, yes, bent, yes. Surprising, these days sadly no

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP)

The Argentine Football Association wants to reorganize its first division, which will almost certainly guarantee a swift return to the first tier for relegated River Plate.

The AFA announced a plan late Monday to unify the country's first- and second-tiers into one league, divided into two regional divisions.

The proposal must be approved by AFA's executive committee, according to AFA spokesman Ernesto Cherquis Bialo. A decision is expected on Oct. 18, he said.

The plan is expected to be enacted in time for the 2012-13 season, meaning that River Plate, which was relegated last month for the first time in its history, is likely to return to the top flight after just one season in the second division.

The new league would be made up of 38 teams and would do away with the Apertura and Clausura tournaments. As in much of Latin America, the season in Argentina is currently divided into two parts with a champion crowned for each.

The plan has been devised by AFA president Julio Grondona, who is also a senior vice president at FIFA.

The new set-up also has major political and financial implications, with presidential elections coming in October and President Cristina Fernandez the favorite to be re-elected.

"This change will imply, in effect, a new contract between the state and the AFA for televising games,'' Cherquis Bialo told reporters late Monday. "A new championship supposes a new system of economic repayment.''

In 2009 the AFA tore up its contracts with TV rights holders and transferred the package to state-run TV, in a deal that offered all first division matches free to air.

The arrangement gave clubs a much-needed income boost and is a likely to be a vote winner for Fernandez if it is expanded.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/s ... z1TEokNDkG

Won't this just lower the standard of play in Argentina? The league itself is in a bad position and to merge the top 2 divisions just to have one Club back seems like a horrible idea to me.

Hopefully celtic and rangers will be transferred to this league also.

It would be suitable for their passion and reality.

Kladze wrote:BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP)

The Argentine Football Association wants to reorganize its first division, which will almost certainly guarantee a swift return to the first tier for relegated River Plate.

The plan is expected to be enacted in time for the 2012-13 season, meaning that River Plate, which was relegated last month for the first time in its history, is likely to return to the top flight after just one season in the second division.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/s ... z1TEokNDkG

Well it's not as bad as I first thought (I thought the only reason they do this is to immediately get River Plate back to first div).
I'd imagine such a huge club would in SA anyway [strike]buy[/strike] play it's way back after just one season.