Dubai: The No 13 is often considered unlucky by many. But three times 13 is 39, a number which would herald good news for football fans around the world, especially since the Barclays English Premier League (EPL) is presently considering the idea of increasing its games in order to take its top-flight football international.
The EPL season normally comprises 38 games, but the League hopes to increase that number by one and the 20 clubs involved with the EPL have agreed to explore the proposal. It is thought that the 10 extra games will be played at five different venues, with cities around the world bidding for the right to stage them.
In the past, Dubai has hosted a number of top European clubs like AC Milan, Internazionale, Bayern Munich, Hamburg, Ajax and Benfica, who have used the city as their winter training base. The tight English season though, does not permit clubs to leave the country's shores, except during the off season, which runs between May and August.
But if the move is accepted by clubs, Dubai will surely be considered as one of the potential candidates to step up and bid in the race for venues. It is an idea that could thrill sponsors associated with the EPL, and Barclays being the title sponsors could benefit tremendously from the move.
Still in consideration
"The EPL finishes in May and then that's it until the league restarts in August," says Suzanne Fairey, senior sponsorship marketing manager for Barclays, who visited Gulf News with the Barclays English Premiership trophy yesterday.
"There is talk by the EPL about extending the competition to 39 games, but that is still only being considered and is in its development stage where it's important to work out whether or not it is going to be feasible.
"It is the decision of the EPL which basically represents the clubs and has to be made in consultation with the clubs. Ultimately, it's down to the individual clubs to decide where their ends of season tours are going to be based, obviously Asia is a good option, but at this point they haven't confirmed if this is really going to happen."
Barclays flew the trophy to the city in support of the Dubai Open, for which they are the title sponsors.
"We have brought the trophy here for the tennis championships and to highlight Barclays' international reach and its involvement in major sporting events like the EPL and the Dubai Tennis Championships," Fairey added.
"The response to the trophy regardless of where we take it in the world has been incredible because it has become the iconic symbol of the EPL and everybody wants to see and be photographed with it. It is what every footballer in England aspires to win at the end of the season. Hopefully, we'll be bringing it back again in three months' time."