Football's Magic Money Tree

[Chester Perry]

It is a feature of the modern game that fans are not consulted or given much concern when owners decisions and actions are taken, at times like these fans have to ake drasctic action

from The Guardian

Standard Liège game off after fans block team bus in protest against 777 Partners
Belgian club are owned by US firm linked with Everton takeover
Friday’s home match with Westerlo postponed after protests
https://www.theguardian.com/football/ar ... 7-partners
https://archive.ph/qnay2

[Chester Perry]

This makes a lot of sense though you do wonder how 777 Partners are going to to pay for this - they will have had to offer some form of security on the the fees

from The Financial Times

Everton bidder 777 calls in restructuring experts
Investment firm accused of fraud by lender in lawsuit filed last week
https://www.ft.com/content/62af0c4a-d2f ... 496ebbda04
https://archive.ph/wkZHg

Now things are really starting to get interesting - we knew that B. Riley Advisory Services had an employee as CFO but this detail is much more far reaching

from Josimar Football

Out of the Blues
Josh Wander and Steve Pasko have been removed from the board of the football division of 777 Partners after bankruptcy specialists were called in.
https://josimarfootball.com/2024/05/10/ ... the-blues/
https://archive.ph/8rbNT

[bfc8]

Think one thing being overlooked re Everton takeover.
The new stadium, maybe wrong location.
Access looks poor.
Next to a sewage works I believe.

[Chester Perry]

Think one thing being overlooked re Everton takeover.
The new stadium, maybe wrong location.
Access looks poor.
Next to a sewage works I believe.

It is quite industrial, though it is changing - Hotels opening up close by, certainly no sewage works I can see on google maps

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/The ... ?entry=ttu

[Chester Perry]

It had to happen at some time

this is Paul Brown who co-wrote all those Josimar Football articles

https://twitter.com/pbsportswriter/stat ... ruggles%2F

777’s sale and purchase agreement with Moshiri re Everton expired earlier this week.

[bfc8]

It is quite industrial, though it is changing - Hotels opening up close by, certainly no sewage works I can see on google maps

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/The ... ?entry=ttu

Immediately to the north I think, have seen a few references to the smell...
Not labelled on google maps...

[zippybid]

Chester Perry, it seems from a few posters on here that we're not going to have much of a squad left when the Championship kicks off?

[Chester Perry]

the Guardian release the fourth part of the Oligarch Files relating to Roman Abramovitch

Offshore cash and huge loans: how Roman Abramovich turned Chelsea into world-beaters
Exclusive: Leak reveals network of companies used to route fortune made from the oil fields of Siberia into Stamford Bridge
https://archive.is/kBbZS

part 1 is here

Leak reveals Roman Abramovich’s billion-dollar trusts transferred before Russia sanctions
Exclusive: Files raise questions about whether oligarch’s children were made beneficiaries to protect fortune from possible asset freezes
https://archive.is/rC9Hd

Part 2

Barclays and UBS face questions over Roman Abramovich’s billion-dollar trusts
Exclusive: Leak shows oligarch was a major client of Barclays in Monaco and UBS in Zurich, with at least $940m in assets held at the banks
https://archive.is/XwHIs

Part 3

Roman Abramovich secretly bankrolled Dutch football club, leaked documents suggest
Exclusive: Files reveal €117m in loans for Vitesse Arnhem originated with then owner of Chelsea, despite repeated denials
https://archive.is/gToLA

a follow up to yesterdays piece in the Guardian on the Oligarch files from the Guardian - part 5

The Cyprus connection: the family firm that helped pour Abramovich’s millions into Chelsea
Exclusive: Limassol accountant helped Russian oligarchs hide their wealth offshore – now the firm is under UK sanctions
- Leak reveals how Abramovich funded Chelsea’s success
- How Cypriot firm helped ‘Orthodox oligarch’ after sanctions
https://archive.is/Mw9sp

A new chapter for the Oligarch files focuses on Vitesse Arbhem - we already know what has happened to Vitesse Arnhem this season these two articles outline the just what happened to lead to the charges and ultimate 18 point penalty

from The Guardian

part 1

Oligarch files - Vitesse
Abramovich loans fund owner of Dutch football club, leaked documents suggest
Files indicate oligarch enabled Valery Oyf to take over Vitesse Arnhem, raising fresh questions about his influence on football
https://www.theguardian.com/football/ar ... valery-oyf
https://archive.ph/EWyim

part 2

Oligarch files - Vitesse
Analysis
Geopolitics comes to Vitesse: how ‘Chelsea B’ were swallowed by Abramovich associates
Fans of the Eredivisie club hoped takeovers would transform their fortunes, but instead they face an existential threat to their future
https://www.theguardian.com/football/ar ... associates
https://archive.ph/vAOun

[Chester Perry]

Having finally won their land dispute with the council and an overseas property developer - it went on for a long time and was looking very grim at one stage - Millwall announce plans for a significant redevelopment of the New Den

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... pment.html

The gladiator inspiration seems appropriate

It is incredible how long it takes to help secure a community asset, I had long thought this issue had been put to bed, but it is only this week that Millwall have secured a new lease from Lewisham council on the New Den and its environs - thankfully it is one with serious longevity in mind

from The Guardian

Biscuit Town to mega-towers: Millwall win modern land battle in Bermondsey
The club has been awarded a 999-year lease on the Den and its surrounds, bringing down the curtain on a fraught few years
https://www.theguardian.com/football/ar ... uth-london
https://archive.ph/s0KEO

[Chester Perry]

Now things are really starting to get interesting - we knew that B. Riley Advisory Services had an employee as CFO but this detail is much more far reaching

from Josimar Football

Out of the Blues
Josh Wander and Steve Pasko have been removed from the board of the football division of 777 Partners after bankruptcy specialists were called in.
https://josimarfootball.com/2024/05/10/ ... the-blues/
https://archive.ph/8rbNT

More or less at the same time this was going on the story is that 777 Partners put another £8m into Everton, such was their desperation to keep the deal/relationship alive, It prompted this tweet from The Esk

https://twitter.com/theesk/status/1789236687513498000

In order to have any prospect of recovery of their loans 777 find themselves in the ludicrous position of finding funding for Everton. The game is over for 777, this is a desperate measure to try & keep the patient (Everton) alive in the hope of recovering their funding in the future

Will Everton be able to rely on such funding ever again, if it keeps alive the possibility of debt recovery (it is close to £210m now) then possibly. If it dies then administration looks an increasingly likely option, though as Sam Wallace points out, that too brings a host of complications, before we even consider the horrible impacts on employees and small businesses that serve Everton

from The Telegraph

Administration at Everton is not the get out of jail free card you may think
Crumbling of 777 takeover has released a new wave of pessimism over the club, but administration can only be a last resort
https://archive.ph/9WBCW

[bfc8]

More or less at the same time this was going on the story is that 777 Partners put another £8m into Everton, such was their desperation to keep the deal/relationship alive, It prompted this tweet from The Esk

https://twitter.com/theesk/status/1789236687513498000

In order to have any prospect of recovery of their loans 777 find themselves in the ludicrous position of finding funding for Everton. The game is over for 777, this is a desperate measure to try & keep the patient (Everton) alive in the hope of recovering their funding in the future

Will Everton be able to rely on such funding ever again, if it keeps alive the possibility of debt recovery (it is close to £210m now) then possibly. If it dies then administration looks an increasingly likely option, though as Sam Wallace points out, that too brings a host of complications, before we even consider the horrible impacts on employees and small businesses that serve Everton

from The Telegraph

Administration at Everton is not the get out of jail free card you may think
Crumbling of 777 takeover has released a new wave of pessimism over the club, but administration can only be a last resort
https://archive.ph/9WBCW

Everton in an awful state !
However, a forward thinking buyer could yet come on board, possibly.
The debt doesn't look quite so bad when compared with Spurs, who also financed a new stadium with long term loans from US banks. Pretty good rates of interest too.
The Everton problem seems to be they didn't arrange similar long term loans like Spurs, thought they could self finance, use short term loans.
But the end product of an attractive new stadium plus a large fan base and a decent team history could still persuade someone, or a group of people.

They will need to satisfy themselves about the environs though. A google search of Everton new stadium/sewage works isn't attractive. Maybe it's Liverpool fans having a laugh...

[Chester Perry]

Anyone who holds hopes for a strong and influential regulator may be in for a surprise, after all if the approach is similar to that of the Gambling Commission then there are likely to disappointments, that body has not been greatly effective in a number of areas, with the huge presence in football of 'white label ' betting sponsors being at the forefront of my thinking

from The Guardian

Football Governance Bill reveals extent of English regulator’s proposed powers
IFR could access real-time financial information from clubs
Detail still to be decided and potentially amended by MPs
https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... sed-powers
https://archive.ph/JADvo

This is one of the most hotly questioned element of the Football Governance Bill no government is going to let this proposal be changed without a fight

from The Guardian

Parliament urged to look at sportswashing clause in football bill
Human rights group fears increase in state ownership
Bill introduced in March is at committee stage
https://www.theguardian.com/football/ar ... ll%20clubs.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/ar ... ll%20clubs.

[Chester Perry]

we are aware of Sportsradar, the integrity partner of FIFA and UEFA and some questionable activities that have been highlighted by Josimar Football. This organisation still remains as market leader in the data space and it is is far from just being about performance data as this podcast from Unofficial Partner clearly outlines, with much of the discussion around fan data and just how wide it it is traced, matched, aggregated and valued - it is quite an eye-opener even to someone like me who has been quasi mindful of these approaches for decades

UP391 What are Sportradar's big sport business bets?
https://www.unofficialpartner.com/podca ... iness-bets

the blurb

Unofficial Partner|5/10/2024

Sportradar is one of the big beasts of the sports business, providing software, data and content through subscription and revenue share arrangements to sports leagues, betting operators and media firms. It serves more than 1,600 customers across 120 countries, including DraftKings, Twitter and ESPN, and is an official partner of the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League and the NASCAR. In 2001, it went public with an IPO on the New York Stock Exchange, which valued the company at $8billion. The company's valuation today is less than half that number, but it remains directional in terms of second guessing sport's relationship with betting, media and customer data.

Our guest is Mike Falconer, VP of Strategy, who was one of the stars of the Unofficial Partner Convergence event at Olympic Park in London last year.

[Chester Perry]

Somehow I managed to miss this last Friday

The section on Wenger reminds me much of our club when Dyche and Garlick seemingly worked in unison, the suggestion that a combination of Squad Cost Ratios, PSR and Anchoring will lead to a more competitive balance is something I feel is rather fanciful

from The Guardian

Business of soccer - Arsène Wenger
Has Wenger finally won the culture war over big money in football?
The Frenchman raged over the game’s super-rich when in charge of Arsenal. His hopes of a more level playing field may come to fruition
https://www.theguardian.com/football/ar ... lson_email
https://archive.ph/UR7RB

[Chester Perry]

anyone else find it funny that the ECA actually elected Josh Wander to its executive board - this is the organisation that thinks itself best suited to determine the future of the game and which was previously in the thrall of Andrea Agnelli. It is always interesting to see how much it takes for them to change their mind about someone

from The Times

Europe’s elite clubs want prospective Everton owner removed from board
Josh Wander, a co-founder of 777 Partners, was elected to board of European Club Association in September but is now under pressure to resign from his position
https://archive.ph/ucabn

[Chester Perry]

It will come as no surprise to learn that 777 Partners are talking to a new Private Equity group who specialise in distressed debt about raising finance for their Everton bid or that the finance is linked to the Stadium which has a measurable asset value

from Bloomberg

Everton Financing Considered by Cirque du Soleil Co-Chair’s Firm
GDA Luma Capital said to be in talks to lend to 777 Partners
Funding would go toward stadium, meeting capital requirements
https://web.archive.org/web/20240502184 ... air-s-firm

I have to say this looks a little strange - just what assets could be used as security? unless it is being made to an prospective new owner like MSP Capital, whose own loan would have first been converted ot share capital

from Bloomberg

Everton Offered Lifeline Loan as Ownership Crisis Rumbles On
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... pId=google
https://archive.ph/gtTd4

[Chester Perry]

It had to happen at some time

this is Paul Brown who co-wrote all those Josimar Football articles

https://twitter.com/pbsportswriter/stat ... ruggles%2F

777’s sale and purchase agreement with Moshiri re Everton expired earlier this week.

Now things are really starting to get interesting - we knew that B. Riley Advisory Services had an employee as CFO but this detail is much more far reaching

from Josimar Football

Out of the Blues
Josh Wander and Steve Pasko have been removed from the board of the football division of 777 Partners after bankruptcy specialists were called in.
https://josimarfootball.com/2024/05/10/ ... the-blues/
https://archive.ph/8rbNT

and yet we have this, though it makes sense for B, Riley to talk with Everton given the size of the loan from 777 Partners

from The Associated Press

https://apnews.com/article/everton-777- ... 2cace13488
https://archive.ph/HS9ez

[Chester Perry]

This is one of the most hotly questioned element of the Football Governance Bill no government is going to let this proposal be changed without a fight

from The Guardian

Parliament urged to look at sportswashing clause in football bill
Human rights group fears increase in state ownership
Bill introduced in March is at committee stage
https://www.theguardian.com/football/ar ... ll%20clubs.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/ar ... ll%20clubs.

This should come as no surprise

from The BBC

Concerns over council ties with Saudi-backed club
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn033ylen4ro

[Chester Perry]

In Parliament today there have been extensive Oral evidence given in to the Football Governance Bill - it is still ongoing

you can track it and watch it back here

https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/5 ... eb28c93727

[Chester Perry]

In Parliament today there have been extensive Oral evidence given in to the Football Governance Bill - it is still ongoing

you can track it and watch it back here

https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/5 ... eb28c93727

the oral evidence submissions from this afternoon on the Football Governance Bill can be found here

https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/b ... cd1b7a6417

[Chester Perry]

Of course there are still other interests trying to shape the Football Governance Bill

from the Guardian

UK government urged to harness football clubs for ‘social connection’
Football clubs well placed to spread messages of inclusion
British Future’s report calls for government to channel funding
https://www.theguardian.com/football/ar ... ort-claims
https://archive.ph/SOwTv

The report in full can be found here

Shared Goals
The power of football clubs to connect diverse communities
https://www.britishfuture.org/wp-conten ... -Goals.pdf

While this was covered directly in this mornings evidence supplied by FSA Chief Executive Kevin Miles, it is clear that the FSA want more specific direction in the bill with regards to quality of fan engagement

[Chester Perry]

the oral evidence submissions from this afternoon on the Football Governance Bill can be found here

https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/b ... cd1b7a6417

One of the most interesting submissions is from Sharon Britton, Chair of Bolton Wanderer's (and a self - declared lifelong Burnley fan),it is interesting how different her perspective is to Phil Gartside formerly of the Bolton Wanderers parish.

[Chester Perry]

and yet we have this, though it makes sense for B, Riley to talk with Everton given the size of the loan from 777 Partners

from The Associated Press

https://apnews.com/article/everton-777- ... 2cace13488
https://archive.ph/HS9ez

The earlier reports are starting to make a little more sense now

from The Telegraph

Farhad Moshiri agrees surprise extension with 777 over Everton takeover until end of month
Exclusive: Moshiri has given Miami-based investors last chance to rescue a deal that remains in major doubt
https://archive.ph/yeBOK

[Chester Perry]

Any reasonable discussion should consider the views and needs of all interested parties, and as we well know the reason there is such commercial interest in the Premier League overseas is because there are passionate fan interests there too, though often (not always, look at Wrexham) that only really applies to the biggest and most successful teams.

this article only really begins to tap into the debate, it needs to go deeper and wider, but the final point perhaps illustrates an inevitable route of travel, because to the vast majority it is this more than anything that counts. It could be said that the battle is lost before it is fought, because the majority of modern supporters hearts and minds have already been won by this notion.

from The Athletic

Does taking a Premier League game to the U.S. make sense?
https://archive.ph/U16Cu

The thing about professional podcasting is it often means that individual subject matters can be taken out from their direct emotional hits and allow for a wider reflection on a subject - this is one such occasion

Unnofficial Partner

UP392 Has NBC earned the right to host Premier League games in the US?
https://www.unofficialpartner.com/podca ... -in-the-us

the blurb

NBC has built an audience for the Premier League in North America, creating a broadcast home for English club football for more than a decade. The television giant's latest six year deal is worth $450million-per-season to the league, more than five times the size of their original US rights deal, in 2013.

Does that money buy them the right to host Premier League games in the USA?

Adam Crafton of The Athletic/New York Times has just moved over to the US to cover the run-in to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and he recently wrote a deep dive in to NBC’s relationship with the Premier League, which is the starting point for our conversation today.

NBC continues to push for Premier League games in the US.
Now we ask, what happens next?

Crafton is one of the best journalists covering sport today. He recently won the top prize of Sportswriter of the Year at the 2023 SJA British Sports Journalism Awards.

Joining Adam is Mike Darcey, formerly CEO of News UK who spent 15 years at Sky, initially as Director of Strategy, then as Chief Operating Officer from 2006. He’s currently Chair of broadcast services company Arqiva, aswell as Chair of British Gymnastics and Director of Sky New Zealand.

[Chester Perry]

It has been quite a while since I have posted anything about this, but the legal cases keep on going. However we have finally seen a change - it appears from an out of court agreement that FIFA have been persuaded to consider the rule about in season league games being played in alternative countries that have their own leagues. We can only assume that FIFA now see some $$ signs in this for themselves.

from The Athletic

FIFA reaches agreement in lawsuit seeking to allow domestic club games in foreign countries
https://archive.ph/WU7QN

FIFA appear to be moving on this rather quickly - they must believe that the judgement in the US is going to demand a quick change in the rules. I do find it intriguing that the one place that appears to truly hold FIFA to task in the US, the country that the whole of global football apparently sees as its golden cash cow in the future

from The Athletic

FIFA moves step closer to allowing domestic club matches to take place abroad
https://archive.ph/eAt23

[Chester Perry]

Philippe Auclair with another expose on BK8 the white label betting operation that sponsors Aston Villa and Burnley FC

- previous ones can be found here
search.php?keywords=BK8&t=20891&sf=msgonly

from Josimar Football

Another day in paradise
Evidence suggests that Aston Villa and Burnley FC’s official Asian betting partner operates from one of the most notorious cyber slavery compounds in Cambodia.
https://josimarfootball.com/2024/05/15/ ... -paradise/
https://archive.ph/Lt0Ih

[Chester Perry]

Has the crumbling of the 777 Football Empire begun?

Josimar Football's Philippe Auclair has put out this tweet

https://twitter.com/PhilippeAuclair/sta ... 5199352252

Brazilian judge Paulo Assed Estefan has "suspended the corporate rights" of 777 Partners at Vasco da Gama and removed the directors appointed by the US group (incl. Josh Wander and Steven Pasko) from the club's board with immediate effect.

At the same time there are rumours on the red side of Liverpool that FSG are positioning themselves to buy Vasco Da Gama as the 1st addition to a planned multi-club operation

[Chester Perry]

Welcome to the multiverse of transfer contracts = same publication, similar starting point - the contract and very different outcomes, almost all is possible with Football's Magic Money Tree

from the Telegraph

Chelsea to land £5m Eden Hazard bonus despite player’s retirement
Hazard announced his retirement in October, although the terms of his transfer from Chelsea to Real Madrid remain valid
https://archive.ph/gNduG

Michael Olise’s agent handed six-month ban over illegal transfer clause in Reading contract
Glen Tweneboah free to work for Olise and his other clients during the summer transfer window despite being handed Football Association ban
https://archive.ph/YvVs6

[Chester Perry]

Nothing that Gianni Infantino does comes as a surprise to this thread, if it is designed to strengthen his own position. Afterall the governance of sport at global and regional level has mostly been a moral vacuum for decades now and only seems to be accelerating deeper into it

from The Times

Why is Gianni Infantino reversing Fifa’s post-Blatter reforms?
President of governing body was part of bid to clean up after World Cup vote-rigging scandal but is now overseeing changes that benefit his allies
https://archive.ph/PReXj

[Chester Perry]

Has the crumbling of the 777 Football Empire begun?

Josimar Football's Philippe Auclair has put out this tweet

https://twitter.com/PhilippeAuclair/sta ... 5199352252

Brazilian judge Paulo Assed Estefan has "suspended the corporate rights" of 777 Partners at Vasco da Gama and removed the directors appointed by the US group (incl. Josh Wander and Steven Pasko) from the club's board with immediate effect.

At the same time there are rumours on the red side of Liverpool that FSG are positioning themselves to buy Vasco Da Gama as the 1st addition to a planned multi-club operation

the following article essentially examines the question above

from The Athletic

How the crisis gripping 777 Partners is affecting the clubs in their portfolio
https://archive.ph/6nW9m

[Chester Perry]

the following article essentially examines the question above

from The Athletic

How the crisis gripping 777 Partners is affecting the clubs in their portfolio
https://archive.ph/6nW9m

An update on the situation at Standard Liege and it is not good for 777 Partners

from RTBF Actus courtesy of Google translate

777 Partners sinks: Standard's assets seized by the courts, Bruno Venanzi reacts
https://www-rtbf-be.translate.goog/arti ... _hist=true

[Chester Perry]

In Parliament today there have been extensive Oral evidence given in to the Football Governance Bill - it is still ongoing

you can track it and watch it back here

https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/5 ... eb28c93727

In the above session on Tuesday EFL Chief Executive spoke earnestly and pleadingly about the need for EFL clubs to remove their financial dependency on owners, his solution is for them to be become dependent on the Premier League instead, which he wants the regulator to back at the exclusion of The National League, grassroots football via the FA, The Football Foundation and the women's game (he only wants the backstop to consider the EFL and for now that is all the legislation covers). It was significant that all those other bodies (and the FSA) also gave evidence throughout Tuesday and all used Richard Masters, much mocked moniker - 'unforeseen consequences' in utmost seriousness when talking about problems with the bill including the one just mentioned. The implied solidarity of it was fascinating to watch as the committee members began to realise what was unfolding in front of them and their tone transformed during the day.

So it is interesting that just a few days later the EFL come out with this interview.

from The Guardian/Observer

The Observer - Football League
‘Bigger, better, stronger’: why the EFL’s appeal has never been greater
The Football League chief, Trevor Birch, on the record numbers below the Premier League, even if financial losses are a concern
https://www.theguardian.com/football/ar ... evor-birch
https://archive.ph/JBVy3

[Chester Perry]

I have been saying for a while now that finishing an extra place up the table would be worth a little over £3.1m to the club - this article comes to a similar conclusion

from The Athletic

How much is each Premier League finishing position worth?
https://web.archive.org/web/20240517141 ... ney-table/

[Chester Perry]

While this appears to be much more transparent than the ownership of Burnley FC - it comes as little surprise that Tom Brady has little influence at Birmingham City, though I personally find his actual shareholding a surprise. It is no surprise that the discussion here moves to the rise of the influencer shareholder and indeed what was paid for the holding

from The Athletic

Tom Brady owns just 3.3% of Birmingham and has no voting rights – so what does that mean?
https://archive.ph/36BIa

[Chester Perry]

Normally in multi-club operations there is the odd club's fans who are disgruntled enough with the operation to protest - 777 Partners have achieved something unique fans at their all clubs want them out

https://x.com/georgeboxall22/status/1791516661930959254

[Chester Perry]

Normally in multi-club operations there is the odd club's fans who are disgruntled enough with the operation to protest - 777 Partners have achieved something unique fans at their all clubs want them out

https://x.com/georgeboxall22/status/1791516661930959254

At a similar time that the above game out Philippe Auclair posted this

https://x.com/PhilippeAuclair/status/17 ... 8949051646

OFFICIAL. 777 Partners: Josh Wander, his sister Mollie and Steven Pasko have resigned from their positions as managers of 777 Partners LLC and 600 Partners LLC, which controls, through Nutmeg Acquisitions LLC, all of their football operations.

[Nonayforever]

At a similar time that the above game out Philippe Auclair posted this

https://x.com/PhilippeAuclair/status/17 ... 8949051646

OFFICIAL. 777 Partners: Josh Wander, his sister Mollie and Steven Pasko have resigned from their positions as managers of 777 Partners LLC and 600 Partners LLC, which controls, through Nutmeg Acquisitions LLC, all of their football operations.

It looks like Moshiri & 777 can wave goodbye to to a mountain load of cash.

[bfcjg]

Just why did the Premier league fit and proper owners test not kick 777 into touch straight away, in fact have they actually kicked them into touch yet ? It really does stink this delay ,they've bent over backwards to protect Everton and their glossy new stadium to ensure Premier league survival, from last seasons farce with the Richarlison flare incident to this seasons takeover fiasco and lenient points deduction, the" panel "are not independent.

[RammyClaret61]

Just why did the Premier league fit and proper owners test not kick 777 into touch straight away, in fact have they actually kicked them into touch yet ? It really does stink this delay ,they've bent over backwards to protect Everton and their glossy new stadium to ensure Premier league survival, from last seasons farce with the Richarlison flare incident to this seasons takeover fiasco and lenient points deduction, the" panel "are not independent.

But Everton fans will tell you the FA are corrupt against them.

[Chester Perry]

Just why did the Premier league fit and proper owners test not kick 777 into touch straight away, in fact have they actually kicked them into touch yet ? It really does stink this delay ,they've bent over backwards to protect Everton and their glossy new stadium to ensure Premier league survival, from last seasons farce with the Richarlison flare incident to this seasons takeover fiasco and lenient points deduction, the" panel "are not independent.

I have been over this before but I will try it a different way

So much of the public's ire with the Premier League is because they do not understand what the Premier League is, how it operates and who it operates for.

First and foremost the Premier League is a members/owners club with a set of administrators to do the menial/operative work for and on behalf of the members, nothing they do happens without the consent of the members (via the now quasi legendary 14 votes).

The takeover of any club is an ownership issue, no owner is going to vote for rules that makes it difficult to sell their club - though recently introduced rules on leverage have actually played there part in 777 Partners attempts to takeover Everton. Consequently the Premier League cannot directly reject a potential new owner, it con only use it's own rulebook and existing company law to say a threshold of criteria has or has not been met.

As Richard Masters clearly stated to the DCMS this week, there is nothing in Law or Premier League rules that stops an owner from having a preferred bidder for their asset, and 777 Partners are Farhad Moshri's preferred bidder. All the Premier League can do is apply the thresholds of Law and their rulebook, for all their now widely known issues, under UK Law, 777 Partners have not yet been assigned a status that would disqualify them from ownership/directorship of Everton Football Club, that is why the Premier League have said they are 'minded to approve them, if other issues are resolved in a way the Premier League rules direct.

What appears to be the difficulty for 777 Partners is getting under the leverage threshold (one that is set at a level that would not have prevented the takeover of Manchester United by the Glazers of Burnley by ALK/VSL) based on the valuation of the club and fulfilling the requirements pertaining to any takeover in the credit/loan agreements Everton/Farhad Moshri have previously entered into. Again, as Richard Masters explained to DCMS on Tuesday, the only people who can resolve this in the end are Farhad Moshiri and/or 777 Partners, it is really that simple.

Also as I have also previously noted, It is intriguing to wonder how the Independent Football Regulator would deal with this case, my guess is it would have been approved some time ago.

[Chester Perry]

It has been a mad few days in the world of football - and not just at our club, the old curse of "may you live in interesting times" is widespread and looks like it is about to be extended at Sheffield United whose loyal fans have had more than their fill from their current owner, who took over (following a lengthy legal battle) as the alternative to Alan Pace and ALK/VSL. Not to worry though another American Capital Investment fund with a penchant for tech is after them - again.

from The Telegraph

US consortium in advanced talks over Sheffield United takeover despite relegation
If successful, new consortium would add to the number of clubs under American owners in English football
https://archive.ph/IJXl7

[Chester Perry]

A by product of the general election being called early is that it has effectively shut down parliament - meaning that the Football Governance Bill (along with others) can no longer progress into law under this Parliament.

You may remember that there were a number of Premier League owners banking on this when they refused to come to agreement on future solidarity funding for the EFL - many including the founding matriarch of the bill believe this does not signal the end of the Independent Regulator for Football given it had all party support

from the Guardian

Football’s independent regulator plans paused because of general election
Bill will not proceed further through parliament
Tracey Crouch ‘100% convinced’ regulator will happen
https://www.theguardian.com/football/ar ... l-election
https://archive.ph/ciguX

[Chester Perry]

It has been a mad few days in the world of football - and not just at our club, the old curse of "may you live in interesting times" is widespread and looks like it is about to be extended at Sheffield United whose loyal fans have had more than their fill from their current owner, who took over (following a lengthy legal battle) as the alternative to Alan Pace and ALK/VSL. Not to worry though another American Capital Investment fund with a penchant for tech is after them - again.

from The Telegraph

US consortium in advanced talks over Sheffield United takeover despite relegation
If successful, new consortium would add to the number of clubs under American owners in English football
https://archive.ph/IJXl7

By happy coincidence here is an overview with ratings of American owners of European football clubs - lets just say ours fall into the bottom half, with a rather uncritical must do better - there are few who appear to shine

from The Guardian

An A for Villa to an F for Man Utd: how US owners have fared in European football
American billionaires and investment firms now control teams across Europe. Their stewardship varies wildly in quality
https://www.theguardian.com/football/ar ... n-football
https://archive.ph/ar8BJ

[Chester Perry]

Mathew Syed, with tongue firmly in cheek, urges us to forget the naysayers and admire the absolute magic that is Manchester City at work on and off the pitch - it serves as a useful reminder of what they are accused of and how it has helped improve their fortunes

from The Times

Silky on the pitch, super silks off it – all part of Man City’s magic
In the spirit of celebrating all things City we should look at the magic that infuses the club – not just on the pitch but in so many other parts of its operation
https://archive.ph/Vai0W

[Chester Perry]

This ECJ decision is potentially seismic - it is not in line with last Decembers advisory (which was actually an attempt to dodge a decision) but is absolutely in line with previous ECJ judgements for other sports - unsurprisingly precedent has been upheld

Now comes the the awkward bit and a lot of behind the scenes deal making which will likely see the rich clubs get even richer and further out of reach

European Super League: Uefa and Fifa rules banning breakaway league unlawful, says court
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67783970

I am far from certain that this changes anything

from The BBC

Spanish court rules in favour of Super League creators
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/ar ... 55dqlv5nno

Whatever The Times says - after all it was the clubs via the ECA that somehow persuaded UEFA to go through with the changes for next seasons European club competitions and the joint commercial venture even as ESL was collapsing due to fan and government pressure in England.

Court ruling on European Super League gives more power to clubs
Decision could mean European clubs flexing muscles more on Uefa’s Champions League or Fifa’s new Club World Cup in terms of organisation or financial distribution
https://archive.ph/GPyI3

[Chester Perry]

Crystal Palace come up with a clever FFP/PSR twist for clubs competing in Europe that do not have the advantage of those huge coefficient payments

from The Times

Vote on proposal to give English clubs more financial muscle in Europe
Premier League to vote on Crystal Palace motion, which aims to give clubs flexibility over financial losses, making them more competitive in Champions League
https://archive.ph/MQ04M

[Chester Perry]

Deloitte release their annual review of football finance - while they express caution about the lack of operational profits, I am still not convinced that they can distinguish revenues from riches/wealth though

you can interact with it a web version here

https://www.deloitte.com/uk/en/services ... urope.html

or you can read a pdf of the report in full here

https://www.deloitte.com/content/dam/as ... inance.pdf

[Chester Perry]

Now that Everton have escaped the clutches of 777 Partners, the latest takeover bid appears to be moving much more smoothly, we are able to start picking some of the pieces out of 777 Partners impact on global football. Essentially, that football operation is dead in the water, effectively under the control of primary funder A-Cap. 777 Partners is now an essentially a failed operation, the fallout of which is likely to have a horrendous on tens of thousands of people (clients and staff) and possibly even take down A-Cap themselves.

Here Philippe Auclair and Paul Brown of Josimar look at the current state of the football operation

End of season sales
777 Partners has lost control of its football operations, whose CEO Don Dransfield has quit. And attempts to sell its portfolio of clubs by Kenneth King of A-CAP are under threat from an injunction granted this week by a US Court.
https://josimarfootball.com/2024/07/10/ ... son-sales/
https://archive.ph/yB43l

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Part Two of 'The men who want to buy English football clubs' features a name familiar to this thread

from The Athletic

‘Under every rock, we found a lie’: How the bid to be English football’s first black owner unravelled
In the second of our series about the men who want to buy English football clubs, we tell the story of Dozy Mmobuosi, whose Tingo group of companies promised to bring European football to Sheffield United. It was some tale. But none of it was ever going to happen.
https://archive.ph/U7b0x

Part Three

How an F1 deal ‘unleashed the beast’: William Storey’s three failed bids to buy a football club
https://archive.ph/Kwgtf

Kirchner has been sentenced to 20yrs in prison it turns out

[Chester Perry]

It is a classic example of a Football authority not understanding the need to maintain a strong partnership with its premier domestic pay-tv operator, exacerbated in France by the fact that Canal+ is the only viable gateway to pay tv customers, the Mediapro farce of 2020 has also demonstrated to Canal+ that it doesn't even have to buy the rights, as any rights holder is compelled to enter a license agreement with them to access pay-tv subscribers.

Of course after that last debacle the French clubs too moneys from CVC partners to hel cover their losses - that requires them to pay CVC around 13% of future TV revenues for decades. Now the challenge is how are the clubs going to make up their losses, which are likely to be similar to those of last time.

Struggle to find TV deal leaves French football clubs fearing bankruptcy
League president Vincent Labrune predicted broadcast revenues of €1bn a season but reality has proved different
https://www.theguardian.com/football/ar ... al-ligue-1
https://archive.ph/UhEKe

I have long noted that the Premier League does everything it possibly can to work with its primary broadcast partners Sky/Comcast, Viaplay (formerly Nent) and beIN Sport to maintain its income streams, as the latest edition of Unofficial Partner's 'the bundle' podcast notes.

This podcast also notes that the Premier League is much more calculated in when it sells it rights internationally - currently Ligue 1, Serie A and the Bundesliga are tendering for North American deals 18 months after megadeals for NFL and the Premier League, 12 months after mega deals for Baseball and NHL and weeks after the NBA managed to treble its deal - you wonder what money those broadcasters have left.

UP403 The Bundle: The Sports Media and Streaming Market
https://www.unofficialpartner.com/podca ... ing-market

the blurb

Welcome to The Bundle, our deep dive in to the sports media rights economy with regular co-hosts Murray Barnett and Yannick Ramcke.

Today’s list of topics include trying to decipher FIFA’s media strategy around FIFA+ and the Club World Cup, we dip in to the French market and the challenges being faced by the country’s leading football league, Ligue1, there’s a bit on YouTube and whether the sports industry’s view of it is shifting, and finally we compare the rhetoric around the value of women’s club football with the reality of the media rights market for properties such as the WSL and FIFA and UEFA properties.