For American sports fans wondering why a proposed European super league drew super scorn this week. One need only look to the College Football Playoff for a reason why.

Much has been written around the world this week about the European Super League. A proposed soccer league that marked an ugly moment for “the beautiful game.” The league would’ve featured 15 of Europe and the world’s most famous and richest clubs. In an American-style franchise league system without promotion or relegation. The proposed league left fans around the world enraged.

There were protests, mangers, players and politicians expressed their discontent. Even fans of and stars from teams invited into the league weren’t thrilled. Partly because they claim they weren’t consulted about it. The outrage led to a Tuesday full of backtracking and apologies. From most of the teams invited to form the Super League. Due to the outrage and a majority of invited teams backing out. The European Super League effectively collapsed within 72 hours of it’s formation.

The European Super League debacle prompted several articles and discussions. Over what a potential college football super league would look like. The College Football Playoff as it’s currently constituted showcases one reason for the outrage over the European Super League. The CFP put the power in the term Power Five Conferences. Through providing a glide path to the playoff for Power Five Conference programs.

While a Group of Five conference program like Cincinnati Football is effectively shutout from national title contention. Even if they have an undefeated regular season and win their conference title. Which is exactly what the Cincinnati Bearcats did last season. Even with all of that, the Bearcats were snubbed from the CFP semifinal bowl games. On a positive note for the CFP, the playoff chase is adding a new level of excitement to the regular season. College Football has perhaps the most exciting regular season in American sports. The downside is a postseason that leaves most of the best teams out.

One of the big issues for the CFP is the lack of Cinderella stories. Those stories are practically synonymous with March Madness. Those stories are a big part of what makes March Madness fun. With the CFP in it’s current form, Cinderella is locked out of the ball. A European Super League would have a similar problem. Creating a country club for the best of the best on a continental scale. Which is a big reason why many soccer fans were outraged over the idea.

In sports and in life, we like the notion of “the little guy or gal” having a chance to succeed. It’s a key part of the American dream, America’s history and American sports. We love seeing teams fit the role of David going up against Goliath. That exists even with our closed franchise system in major league sports. Just think of the times Tom Brady lost in a Super Bowl or the Cincinnati Bengals beating the Pittsburgh Steelers.

We see those David and Goliath moments play out year after year in March Madness. We see it on occasion during college football’s regular season. We are not seeing it in the College Football Playoff currently. Because college football’s Goliath programs don’t want to lose the kingdom they’ve built for themselves. The owners of the teams in the abandoned European Super League sought to do the same thing. Fortunately for soccer fans, those owner’s plans rapidly failed. Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Bearcats endeavor to keep a foot in the castle’s front door.