Overview of the English Premier League
The top flight in English football -- the FA Premier League -- was established in 1992, restructuring to take advantage of a financially lucrative television broadcast arrangement. The league originally contained 22 member clubs, but is currently made up of the top 20 sides in England.
Since the creation of the Premier League, only four football clubs -- Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Blackburn Rovers -- have won the Barclays Premiership. Man U have claimed eight titles, Arsenal four, Chelsea two, and just a single Premiership crown for Blackburn Rovers. With back-to-back wins in 2005-06, Chelsea became only the second club to win consecutive championships; Man U captured three straight titles from 1999-2001.
Through the English system of promotion and relegation, 39 different football clubs have played at the top Premier League level. Each year, the three teams at the bottom of the final standings are sent down to the second division, while the top two teams plus a third playoff winner receive promotion for the following year. Seven clubs have avoided demotion in the league’s history -- the four Premiership winning clubs, Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, and Everton. Wigan Athletic made their first-ever Premier League appearance during the 2005-06 season, and in 2006-07, Reading will make their very first appearance.
Among the world’s football leagues, the Premier League ranks as one of the most popular and financially secure. The league’s annual revenue ranks fourth among domestic sports leagues worldwide, trailing only the three biggest North American sports leagues. And in average per-game attendance, the Premier League is fourth worldwide.
