Other than not ticking off their TV partners, I'm not sure what the staggered breaks do for them. I'd rather just see a 2 week break and then back to work like everybody else has. The market would get used to it in a couple of years, although I'm certain there would be short term complaints.
I don't think it does anything for them. They'd either have to extend the season or schedule more mid-week matches if they did a traditional break like the other European leagues. France is the only other country with 2 domestic cup competitions and Ligue 1 runs 1 week longer than the Premier League with a 16 day break. I also don't think the other leagues try to cram 10 matches into 42 days as the Premier league did between 11/24 and 1/4.
Premier League - start 8/11, end 5/13. Total 39 weeks. There are 2 domestic cups.
Bundesliga - start 8/18, winter break 12/20 - 1/12 (22 days), end 5/12. Total 38 weeks. The Bundesliga only has 18 teams so there are only 34 match weeks. They also only compete for 1 domestic cup.
La Liga - start 8/18, winter break 12/23 - 1/3 (11 days), end 5/20. Total 39 weeks. Spain has 1 domestic cup.
Serie A - start 8/19, winter break 1/6 - 1/21 (14 days), end 5/20. Total 39 weeks. Italy has 1 domestic cup.
Ligue 1 - start 8/4, winter break 12/20 - 1/6 (16 days), end 5/19. Total 41 weeks. France has 2 domestic cups.
