Part of pretending to be a cultured American is embracing the culture of the world. This sport where they kick the ball around and—on rare occasion—get it into a net seems rather popular. They call it football, though soccer apparently makes much more sense. One of the world’s most successful sports leagues is a soccer league, namely the English Premier League (EPL). What is the EPL? In keeping with my style, I’ll give you 10 numbers that will help put the pieces together.
56 million
The approximate population of England, home to the EPL. A few teams, or clubs, from Wales also participate (see below), so you can add another 3 million to that number if so desired. (The population of the entire United Kingdom is about 68 million.)
1992
The year the EPL formed. At that time, 22 clubs that had been participating in the top level of the English Football League (EFL)—in existence since 1888—broke away from the EFL to form the EPL and take advantage of a generous television rights deal. The EFL thereafter consisted of the second, third, and fourth levels of English league soccer.
20
The number of clubs that currently participate in the EPL. Each club plays the other 19 clubs twice, amounting to a season of 38 games that is played from August to May.
3
The number of points awarded for a win. One point is awarded for a tie, and zero for a loss. After each club has played 38 games, the club with the most points is the winner of that season. The bottom three teams are demoted (relegated) to the second level of English league soccer (part of the EFL), and three teams from the second level are promoted to the EPL. Several of the top finishers participate in European-wide tournaments, with the most prestigious being Champions League.
13
The number of times Manchester United has won the EPL, making the club the winningest in league history. Only seven clubs have won at least once—Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal, Blackburn Rovers, Leicester City, and Liverpool.
2
The number of Welsh teams that have played in the EPL. The honor went to Swansea City and Cardiff City, both of whom have since been relegated.
62.7
The percent of players in the EPL who are not from England.
14.5 million
The approximate total attendance at all EPL games in the 2018-2019 season, the highest among soccer leagues.
6.8 billion
The approximate revenue of the EPL in US dollars during the 2018-2019 season, good for fourth after the National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), and the National Basketball Association (NBA).
4.7 billion
One estimate of the potential TV audience of the EPL thanks to numerous broadcast deals across the globe. That’s over half the world’s population and more than enough to earn the EPL the label of the most-watched sports league in the world.
If you live in the US, go ahead and give this league a try. Why? Because thanks to the time difference, the question posed by the title of this piece has another answer: An excuse to drink beer on Saturday morning.
