Chelsea moving to Russia.... what if?

Is this a rediculous proposition? Well of course it is.... now.
Hmm.... Phoenix Coyotes a team in the American NHL have gone bankrupt so the club is up for sale (not unlike another team I know - Newcaste United!). RIM - Research in Motion the company behind the ubiquitous Blackberry are interested in buying the franchise but not only want to move it but move it not just somewhere else, but to Canada over 1800 miles away. Now I have no idea what their fan base is like but I'm sure they have one but this is being completely ignored on the basis presumably of corporate thinking and the marketing implications for their business. A US court judge is presiding over the matter, only because it involves moving the team across borders!

OK let's back to Chelsea. The top European football teams known as the G12 (it's made up of at least 14 clubs!) are known to favour closer ties possibly even forming a European league, disastrous though this might sound. This was headed off at the pass by UEFA who a few years ago reformed the Champions League. But let's say this goes ahead at some point, again just think of TV rights, sponsorship etc.; the money involved could well be huge dwarfing any value held by local fans - as an example of this, the BBC (Radio 5 Live) at the Champions League final in Rome could not find a Manchester Utd fan from Manchester. The two they interviewed were from Greece and Thailand! So corporate thinking being what it is (or could be) might well see an English Premier League club moving elsewhere in Europe within this scenario. OK Chelsea to Russia could be a thought too far but a failing club with a small fan base might just happen. It's not without precedent either as Wimbledon was moved to Milton Keynes a few years ago becoming the MK Dons!

It's just a thought but a few years from now.....? The Glazers owners of Manchester Utd already own US team franchises... I wonder? Anyway spare a thought for those poor Coyotes fans.