Football's Magic Money Tree

[Chester Perry]

Back to where this thread started - Manchester United announce record revenues for the the 2022-23 (even though they were in the Europa League) and still make a loss

Manchester United post loss despite record annual revenues
https://archive.ph/dlpiV#selection-42235.0-42235.58

this article from Businesswire gives a great summary overview

Manchester United PLC Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year Fiscal 2023 Results
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/ ... 23-Results

That record revenue total didn't last long (it is over 5 times our club's largest ever revenue) - it has been obliterated by the noisy neighbours - as has the wages record (which now stands around 4 times are largest ever wage bill (which covered 13 rather than 12 months)

Manchester City post Premier League record revenue of £712.8m
Income increases by almost £100m in treble-winning season
Profit almost doubles from £41.7m to £80.4m
https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... rd-revenue
https://archive.ph/pRUM0

Man City smash Man Utd’s finance record despite £400m salary bill
In their treble-winning season City posted the largest income ever recorded by a British club
https://archive.li/XpFXM#selection-2359.4-2363.97

[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

It has been a while, but as we saw yesterday from the BBC, the investigations into Cyprus, the Oligarchs and for the Guardian in particular - Abramovich and Chelsea - have not stopped

Chelsea FC face new questions over how Roman Abramovich funded success
Leaked files reveal secret payments that may have breached football’s strict ‘financial fair play’ rules
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/ ... ed-success
https://archive.li/NEmJM

[Chester Perry]

That record revenue total didn't last long (it is over 5 times our club's largest ever revenue) - it has been obliterated by the noisy neighbours - as has the wages record (which now stands around 4 times are largest ever wage bill (which covered 13 rather than 12 months)

Manchester City post Premier League record revenue of £712.8m
Income increases by almost £100m in treble-winning season
Profit almost doubles from £41.7m to £80.4m
https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... rd-revenue
https://archive.ph/pRUM0

Man City smash Man Utd’s finance record despite £400m salary bill
In their treble-winning season City posted the largest income ever recorded by a British club
https://archive.li/XpFXM#selection-2359.4-2363.97

It has to be said that Manchester City's Financial and Annual reports are always very slickly produced under this ownership

Financial report 2022/23
https://www.mancity.com/annualreport202 ... 022-23.pdf

Annual report 2022/23
https://www.mancity.com/annualreport202 ... 022-23.pdf

[Chester Perry]

Long standing readers of this thread will be aware of the technology that exists to overlay the brands advertised on electronic hoardings in different TV markets. This technology means that supporters groups can be unaware of what is being advertised in different international markets - as usual it appears that football is doing little due diligence on just what is being advertised in some instances - as this piece in Josimar Football illustrates all to clearly - this is not the first time we have come across Sepp Blatter's nephew and questionable associations

International cover-up
Without the fans’ knowledge, Bundesliga clubs are advertising unlicensed Chinese gambling companies on international broadcasts of their matches. A Swiss company run by Sepp Blatter’s nephew is a key dealmaker.
http://web.archive.org/web/202311140936 ... -cover-up/

[Chester Perry]

Josimar Football look at the new FIFA (Which appears to be Gianni Infantino on his own) and produce a very strongly worded verdict

Infantino’s solo run
By awarding the 2034 men’s World Cup to Saudi Arabia, Gianni Infantino’s Fifa has seemingly legalised corruption.
https://archive.ph/4I2Qh

Tariq Panja in the New York Times takes his turn to look at how Gianni Infantino manipulated the situation to ensure that Saudi Arabia would host the World Cup in 2034

Inside Man: How FIFA Guided the World Cup to Saudi Arabia
FIFA’s president, Gianni Infantino, cheered a plan to take soccer’s richest event to the kingdom. He has said little about his years of work to make that happen.
https://archive.li/2U2JI#selection-353.0-357.161

[Chester Perry]

That record revenue total didn't last long (it is over 5 times our club's largest ever revenue) - it has been obliterated by the noisy neighbours - as has the wages record (which now stands around 4 times are largest ever wage bill (which covered 13 rather than 12 months)

Manchester City post Premier League record revenue of £712.8m
Income increases by almost £100m in treble-winning season
Profit almost doubles from £41.7m to £80.4m
https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... rd-revenue
https://archive.ph/pRUM0

Man City smash Man Utd’s finance record despite £400m salary bill
In their treble-winning season City posted the largest income ever recorded by a British club
https://archive.li/XpFXM#selection-2359.4-2363.97

Sam Wallace in The Telegraph picks up on a point about Manchester City's financial results that few have commented on (other than the Financial Times in a non critical report)

Man City’s boasts about profit ring hollow when 115 charges loom over them
City's commercial income of £341 million far exceeds that of Real Madrid, Manchester United and Liverpool – which will raise eyebrows
https://archive.li/5N9rF#selection-3045.4-3049.137

that Financial Times report

Manchester City: club’s finances look better in black than red
Europe’s top football clubs can turn a profit if they put their minds to it
https://archive.li/nvInP#selection-1579.0-1585.75

[Chester Perry]

The Athletic with some detail on the additional charges that Chelsea could face re the Cyprus Investigations and the complexity that such a case may represent given all the self-reporting that the new ownership at Chelsea have been doing

Why Chelsea could face further FFP questions over alleged Abramovich payments — explained
https://archive.li/7qPZQ

[Chester Perry]

Here is a tale that is of no surprise after what we witnessed at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups (and indeed around Football for most of the last 2 decades - Simon Chadwick has been telling us about the likes of Gazprom and Qatar Airways were used by their respective States for years

from the Times

Saudi Arabian oil giant Aramco to become major Fifa sponsor
Deal could be worth up to £84 million a year, making it Fifa’s biggest-paying sponsor, and comes after nation was given free run to host 2034 World Cup
https://archive.li/chRiW

[Chester Perry]

No surprise that politicians are building pressure on the Premier League re the latest Chelsea revelations or that the Guardian is using them to pursue their own ends - The Independent regulator is unlikely to be fully operative before the 2025/26 season so the Premier League are likely to be challenged from any angles on this

Pressure grows on Premier League to crack down on club spending breaches
Labour MP and top-flight club executive call for tougher stance
Chelsea latest club to face investigation over funding
https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... g-breaches
https://archive.ph/sUCtD

[Cubanforever]

Tender docs are out for the next TV Deal and no doubt the PL are praying the likes of Facebook, Amazon, Netflix even Apple want to get a slice of the pie - don't see it this round myself and given the BT/Sky agreement can see rights actually stagnating, even dropping as either channel can sell their content across both platforms - still it is something to keep our interest focussed

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42164708" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'd love to know where and how these deals get done....who physically sits in the seats and what language they use...would be better viewing than half the games...maybe in time eh ?

[Chester Perry]

I'd love to know where and how these deals get done....who physically sits in the seats and what language they use...would be better viewing than half the games...maybe in time eh ?

The Premier League are in the process of tendering the rights for the next cycle starting in 2025/26 and domestically at least that looks like being a 4 year cycle in an effort to increase the value and number of bids - stories are abounding of Amazon finally bidding more (they have been paying around £30m a season for their 20 games including production costs) and DAZN also entering the bidding process.

the packages on offer are quite different though and it appears designed to give a single broadcaster an even greater share of games - the problem here could be that no other broadcaster challenges SKY, so lack of competition keeps the price down - though it is equally feasibly that different broadcasters will challenge determinedly for specific packages thus pushing prices up.

For the viewer, and almost certainly the users of pirate streams the interest is having fewer broadcasters or even a single one - there is increasing evidence, in this country at least, that those who use pirate streams the most are ones that are already paying for some games with broadcasters.

[Chester Perry]

The Guardian continues to report its findings in the 'Cyprus Files' with a particular focus on Roman Ambramovich
This tale has been discussed before, what is presented is fresh and compelling evidence

Revealed: Abramovich, the super-agent and the footballers owned as ‘commodities’
Investigation shows how two of the most powerful men in football controlled the careers of 21 young players
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/ ... ommodities
https://archive.li/4szzI

[Chester Perry]

More strange goings on in the world of gambling and it's relationship with football - this comes courtesy of Josimar. As ever it is a lengthy and extensively researched piece looking at the rather murky world of 1XBet whose sponsorships of Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs were dropped following the illegal invasion of the Ukraine by Russia.

It appears that due diligence on these deals is still absent from the game

Bankrupt and expanding
https://archive.is/y70x5

Josimar Football with another report into the dealings and practices of Cyprus based 1XBet

The outlaw
Cyprus-based sports betting operator 1XBet, official betting partner of the African Football Confederation (Caf), PSG and FC Barcelona, is the subject of a criminal complaint from the Moroccan national gambling authority MDJS for operating illegally in the African country.
https://archive.ph/hqrpy

[Chester Perry]

The Premier League are in the process of tendering the rights for the next cycle starting in 2025/26 and domestically at least that looks like being a 4 year cycle in an effort to increase the value and number of bids - stories are abounding of Amazon finally bidding more (they have been paying around £30m a season for their 20 games including production costs) and DAZN also entering the bidding process.

the packages on offer are quite different though and it appears designed to give a single broadcaster an even greater share of games - the problem here could be that no other broadcaster challenges SKY, so lack of competition keeps the price down - though it is equally feasibly that different broadcasters will challenge determinedly for specific packages thus pushing prices up.

For the viewer, and almost certainly the users of pirate streams the interest is having fewer broadcasters or even a single one - there is increasing evidence, in this country at least, that those who use pirate streams the most are ones that are already paying for some games with broadcasters.

As if by magic we get this update from Martin Ziegler in his weekly Saturday column for The Times

Premier League UK TV viewers rise in boost for rights auction
The positive viewing numbers have prompted at least one club figure to believe that there could be a slight rise in the value of the rights
https://archive.li/J1xj5#selection-879.0-883.139

[Chester Perry]

So this is an interesting one - who bears the additional cost of your hordes of travelling fans to the club who don't usually have to bear that cost - in the Premier League the TV money helps enormously, but in League Two it is a different situation - Accrington are renowned for looking after their visiting support - it is one of the reasons many travel their in such numbers, but some of those travelling supporters groups come with reputations and Safety advisory groups will have the final say on policing and stewarding- yes Accrington will make additional monies from their renowned hospitality, but those monies are built into their meagre budgets - enforced additional costs are no and probably should not be.

Ryan Reynolds' Wrexham are blasted by Accrington chief over 'stupid' statement saying they would cut ticket prices by £5 for return fixture in March - after Stanley raised costs by same amount for this weekend's clash
Accrington Stanley put prices up by £5 for their home clash against Wrexham
Their owner hit out at Wrexham for saying they would cut prices for return game
https://archive.ph/aOcER

[Chester Perry]

There have been many thousands of column inches written about the Independent Commissions findings and decreed penalty for Everton's breach of PSR (Profit and Sustainability Rules) in 2021/22 and of course the inevitable threads on here

in the build up to the hearing
http://www.uptheclarets.com/messageboar ... =2&t=71798

and once the findings and judgement had be published
http://www.uptheclarets.com/messageboar ... =2&t=72927

and another about whether or not our club should sue them
http://www.uptheclarets.com/messageboar ... =2&t=72930

but what are the implications of this unprecedented situation - This from Miguel Delaney in the Independent is the best I have come across to date - as always there is so much else to consider, a lesson many repeatedly fail to learn

What Everton’s points deduction means for the Premier League, Man City and Chelsea
The seismic judgement to dock Everton 10 points for a breach of the Premier League’s financial fair play rules has the rest of world football watching closely to see what comes next
https://archive.ph/r7Og0

[Chester Perry]

the coming week may finally see the Premier League's 'New Deal for Football' being ratified. If it does it won't just be teams in the EFL and WSL that are getting more financial contributions from the 'big league' (though that will mean bending even further to the Premier League's will elsewhere), the deeply impoverished (sic) clubs that regularly benefit from UEFA's ever growing pot of money in their club competitions (and the additional games they provide) will also be getting a greater share. Just what possibly could go wrong?

From The Telegraph

Top Premier League clubs to be handed greater portion of prize money after Everton punishment
Exclusive: Merit payments will be worth potentially tens of millions more for the biggest clubs under a new 1.8 to one ratio
https://archive.li/mBCL5

[Chester Perry]

There have been many thousands of column inches written about the Independent Commissions findings and decreed penalty for Everton's breach of PSR (Profit and Sustainability Rules) in 2021/22 and of course the inevitable threads on here

in the build up to the hearing
http://www.uptheclarets.com/messageboar ... =2&t=71798

and once the findings and judgement had be published
http://www.uptheclarets.com/messageboar ... =2&t=72927

and another about whether or not our club should sue them
http://www.uptheclarets.com/messageboar ... =2&t=72930

but what are the implications of this unprecedented situation - This from Miguel Delaney in the Independent is the best I have come across to date - as always there is so much else to consider, a lesson many repeatedly fail to learn

What Everton’s points deduction means for the Premier League, Man City and Chelsea
The seismic judgement to dock Everton 10 points for a breach of the Premier League’s financial fair play rules has the rest of world football watching closely to see what comes next
https://archive.ph/r7Og0

One of the things yet to be talked about re the Everton PSR charge and the Independent Commission's verdict is that in the prior summer the Premier League had let Everton off with an unofficial warning, a warning that wasn't even shared with the other members - in essence this whole case was brought about because Burnley and Leeds not only questioned the situation re Everton but also threatened to sue the Premier League themselves for not applying their own rules - it is clear that a case could be constructed against the Premier League from the information now in the public domain, but less clear that it could be one. However, we can be relatively certain that threat played it's part (along with a number of other issues like the prospective Independent Regulator, Everton's continuing overstretching together with a wider public pressure to clean up the game resulting from an endless line of sordid investigative reports) in The Premier League finally taking action.

In the end Everton only have themselves to blame for the situation they created

From the Times

‘Reckless’ Everton pay price of trying to live the dream
Club ignored multiple warnings and splurged money under Lampard in bid to gatecrash Premier League elite
https://archive.li/zhIXF

From The Telegraph

Premier League left with no option but to get tough with clubs accused of breaching rules
Never has it been clearer that the Premier League must act quickly with its power of governance
https://archive.li/jIsAu

[IanMcL]

The top prem clubs would be cutting their own throat, by devaluing the 'closest league'. There is already a ridiculous gulf. This will destroy any legacy of competition. What then would be the point of the Prem, to the rest of the world?

[Chester Perry]

The top prem clubs would be cutting their own throat, by devaluing the 'closest league'. There is already a ridiculous gulf. This will destroy any legacy of competition. What then would be the point of the Prem, to the rest of the world?

Imagine if clubs qualifying for the Champions League saw a significant portion of that 'prize money' pot go to those clubs (throughout the ladder) that don't benefit from it.

Crazy! you say, who would agree to that?

It has happened before, during Covid. Naturally it was Germany, though there is an argument that such a levy could allow the game to get stronger without impacting those at the bottom of the Premier League even further and thus maintaining a greater sense of competition.

Germany's Champions League sides club together £18m in financial aid to other Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 sides with coronavirus outbreak leaving them facing economic crisis
Germany's four Champions League sides agree to donate £18m in financial aid
Bayern Munich and Co will help support Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 clubs
The four German clubs will initially forego their share of national media revenue
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sport ... agues.html

[Chester Perry]

It seems that some share my thinking

Premier League’s ‘Big Six’ told to pay more to football pyramid as Everton row inflames tensions
Exclusive: Wealth gap war of words ignites over whether top clubs will be contributing enough to the 'New Deal' rescue package
https://archive.li/srvPi

[Chester Perry]

The Athletic begin a new series that seems tailor made for this thread - 'Crisis Clubs' looking at five clubs around Europe that are in financial crisis - Everton, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Lyon and Hertha Berlin. First up, given the current blaze of publicity surrounding the club is Everton

Everton, a club of unwelcome Premier League firsts: Record £355m losses, 10-point deduction
Welcome to ‘Crisis Clubs’, a series examining the financial states of five European football clubs. Our experts will dig into the numbers, analyse how and why things are so perilous, and plot potential ways out for Everton, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Lyon and Hertha Berlin. Look out for even more insight via The Athletic Football Podcast this week, too.
https://archive.li/BCwvr

[Chester Perry]

Our Evertonian friend Paul - 'The Esk' with some more revelations about 777 Partners

Everton, reinsurance and Bermuda, how are they connected?
https://theesk.org/2023/11/09/everton-r ... connected/

So there is more to the story of insurance, reinsurance and the source of 777 Partners funds with which they hope to complete the purchase of Everton

This story appeared last week from a publication that I am unfamiliar with * it is a fascinating finance journalism breakdown of the approach that is fast sweeping across the Investment world and in the case of 777 Partners led to that recent downgrade in their investment rating - and the kind of thing (to my eyes at least) that led to the financial crash of 2008 - I have previously mentioned that CDO's are once again on the rise

The money behind soccer’s mystery buyer
https://archive.li/f8f4O

Well the chaps at Josimar Football have picked up on the above and done some further digging into related parties

Trials and tribulations
777 remain confident their takeover of crisis club Everton will proceed, and Josimar can reveal the source of funding for the purchase. But the man behind that money is accused of fraud in an ongoing US lawsuit.
https://archive.ph/rY3s0

[Chester Perry]

We have heard much about Germany's 50 + 1 rule (re fan ownership) but I imagine very few (if any) are aware of the 51% rule operating in Sweden - it means things are rather different to what we are used to in the UK - as Rory Smith outlines for the New York Times

Swedish Soccer Prioritized Fans Over Finances. Now, Business Is Booming.
While most of Europe’s leagues engage in a Sisyphean quest to source as much money as possible, Sweden has chosen a different model. But its rewards come with risk.
https://archive.li/Bw1Vo

[Chester Perry]

It seems that some share my thinking

Premier League’s ‘Big Six’ told to pay more to football pyramid as Everton row inflames tensions
Exclusive: Wealth gap war of words ignites over whether top clubs will be contributing enough to the 'New Deal' rescue package
https://archive.li/srvPi

It seems (unsurprisingly) that this may rumble on for some time, so here's a thought - when it came to the Covid rebates to broadcast partners - the amount each club paid was based on a calculation that took into account the total Premier League payments to a club that season - those that received more paid proportionately more in rebate - that didn't work out well for us as we ended up finishing 10th and ended up paying more than 10% of our gross revenues in rebates - far more than any other club, but that is mostly because we earned so little from matchday and commercial revenues/

anyho this is from The Times

Delay fears to ‘New Deal’ amid rift between Premier League clubs
Debate over how much each team should contribute to the landmark £915 million EFL settlement could derail crunch talks on Tuesday
https://archive.li/Eo3zY

[Chester Perry]

The Athletic begin a new series that seems tailor made for this thread - 'Crisis Clubs' looking at five clubs around Europe that are in financial crisis - Everton, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Lyon and Hertha Berlin. First up, given the current blaze of publicity surrounding the club is Everton

Everton, a club of unwelcome Premier League firsts: Record £355m losses, 10-point deduction
Welcome to ‘Crisis Clubs’, a series examining the financial states of five European football clubs. Our experts will dig into the numbers, analyse how and why things are so perilous, and plot potential ways out for Everton, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Lyon and Hertha Berlin. Look out for even more insight via The Athletic Football Podcast this week, too.
https://archive.li/BCwvr

Crisis Clubs - Part 2 - Barcelona

Barcelona, from bust to back in two years – Neymar, Messi and ‘levers’
In the second part of our series ‘Crisis Clubs’, examining the financial states of five European football clubs, Matt Slater digs into the numbers, analyses how and why things are so perilous, and plots a potential way out for Barcelona.
https://archive.li/HNmBf

[Chester Perry]

I have to say I am finding it fascinating how this article from Adam Crafton in The Athletic published on April 6 2023 is finding its way now into political discussion by the broader media

Newcastle’s Saudi takeover: The UK government’s emails revealed
https://archive.is/yUbMM

of course anyone who has followed this thread will have been aware of just how involved the Johnson government got in football issues - it gave its blessing to Super League in the weeks before its announcement, before a swift about turn once the public reaction was apparent - that does not seem to have fed through to the thinking expressed here

https://twitter.com/TheNewsAgents/statu ... 7044804609

We already know that the government got involved on Saudi's behalf in the Premier Leauges eventual acceptance of the Newcastle takeover by PiF- today The Athletic gives a report providing further detail as to what actually happened

Newcastle’s Saudi takeover: New government emails about PIF, Premier League, Staveley and owners
The Premier League “agreed to settle their differences” with the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) so that the takeover of Newcastle United could “go ahead” in a conversation with a senior official from the United Kingdom’s Foreign Office, according to emails disclosed to The Athletic.
https://archive.li/K2rfx

[Chester Perry]

It there is one underlying theme arising from the furore surrounding Everton's point's penalty it is the demand that the rules and penalties be applied consistently. Something that we know has not happened in the past, and something that we have been reminded of again today thanks to this investigative piece from Matt Lawton in The Times

Revealed: Spurs and Defoe appeared to break agent rules – but FA did nothing
Times investigation finds that Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy, former Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp and striker dealt with unlicensed agent in 2008, but FA took no disciplinary action against alleged breaches
https://archive.li/ApP8B

[GodIsADeeJay81]

It there is one underlying theme arising from the furore surrounding Everton's point's penalty it is the demand that the rules and penalties be applied consistently. Something that we know has not happened in the past, and something that we have been reminded of again today thanks to this investigative piece from Matt Lawton in The Times

Revealed: Spurs and Defoe appeared to break agent rules – but FA did nothing
Times investigation finds that Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy, former Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp and striker dealt with unlicensed agent in 2008, but FA took no disciplinary action against alleged breaches
https://archive.li/ApP8B

This was discussed on the Jim White show today on talkSPORT

They had the journo who’s been working on the story and Defoe’s licensed agent at the time

The FA are missing paperwork for this and they can’t explain why

[Chester Perry]

There have been many thousands of column inches written about the Independent Commissions findings and decreed penalty for Everton's breach of PSR (Profit and Sustainability Rules) in 2021/22 and of course the inevitable threads on here

in the build up to the hearing
http://www.uptheclarets.com/messageboar ... =2&t=71798

and once the findings and judgement had be published
http://www.uptheclarets.com/messageboar ... =2&t=72927

and another about whether or not our club should sue them
http://www.uptheclarets.com/messageboar ... =2&t=72930

but what are the implications of this unprecedented situation - This from Miguel Delaney in the Independent is the best I have come across to date - as always there is so much else to consider, a lesson many repeatedly fail to learn

What Everton’s points deduction means for the Premier League, Man City and Chelsea
The seismic judgement to dock Everton 10 points for a breach of the Premier League’s financial fair play rules has the rest of world football watching closely to see what comes next
https://archive.ph/r7Og0

As ever the chaps at Vysyble see things and justify that view in a different way to most, their latest blog from last Friday commenting on the Everton points deduction is as always and interesting perspective - not least the fact that they equate the 10 point deduction to a fine of £45m - £52m

House Rules
https://vysyble.com/blog-030
https://archive.ph/heaJc

[Chester Perry]

This is hardly a surprise give that so many Premier League clubs are now (or are trying to become) part of multi-club models - from The Athletic

Premier League clubs vote against banning loan moves between related parties in January
https://archive.li/HYpUY

[Chester Perry]

Crisis Clubs - Part 2 - Barcelona

Barcelona, from bust to back in two years – Neymar, Messi and ‘levers’
In the second part of our series ‘Crisis Clubs’, examining the financial states of five European football clubs, Matt Slater digs into the numbers, analyses how and why things are so perilous, and plots a potential way out for Barcelona.
https://archive.li/HNmBf

Crisis Clubs - Part 3 - Inter Milan

Inter Milan, the ticking clock – a £287m loan, record loss and silverware
In the third part of our series ‘Crisis Clubs’, examining the financial states of five European football sides, James Horncastle digs into the numbers at Inter Milan, analyses how and why things have been so perilous, and plots a potential way out.
https://archive.li/dtt36

[Chester Perry]

It seems (unsurprisingly) that this may rumble on for some time, so here's a thought - when it came to the Covid rebates to broadcast partners - the amount each club paid was based on a calculation that took into account the total Premier League payments to a club that season - those that received more paid proportionately more in rebate - that didn't work out well for us as we ended up finishing 10th and ended up paying more than 10% of our gross revenues in rebates - far more than any other club, but that is mostly because we earned so little from matchday and commercial revenues/

anyho this is from The Times

Delay fears to ‘New Deal’ amid rift between Premier League clubs
Debate over how much each team should contribute to the landmark £915 million EFL settlement could derail crunch talks on Tuesday
https://archive.li/Eo3zY

So it turns out that there was no vote on the New Deal for football,, though there are reports of two hours of discussions about it in the meeting - what was voted on - the related parties stuff - con tinues to shape the headlines

from The Athletic

Why a plan to ban related-party January loans failed, how clubs voted, and what’s next
https://archive.li/pojBz

[Chester Perry]

The investigative nature of Josimar never ceases as these two recent articles about organisations that are linked as partners/sponsors of Manchester City show - when will football learn to undertake proper due diligence on these matters?

first up

City of dreams
Qnet, an official partner of Manchester City since 2014, has been implicated in human trafficking investigations, and faces ongoing allegations that it is a Ponzi scheme which contributes to suicide and financial ruin.
https://josimarfootball.com/2023/08/31/city-of-dreams/
https://archive.ph/NRnmm

second

“Everyone who hears the name is afraid”
While Manchester City was celebrating its latest Premier League triumph, a young man was running for his life from a Cambodian “cyber slavery” compound connected to the club’s mysterious betting partner 8XBet.
https://josimarfootball.com/2023/09/15/ ... is-afraid/
https://archive.ph/xAxp4

Josimar Football with a new report on further dodgy practices from Manchester City betting partner 8XBet, as we know CFG have a club in the A League

8XBet bites watchdog
Barely 12 months ago, it promised Australia’s online gambling regulator not to target customers in that country. Now, Manchester City’s controversial betting partner, 8XBet, is injecting broadcasts of the A-League with “virtual” ads for its own brand and a type of betting outlawed in Australia.
https://archive.ph/pR0Mb

[Chester Perry]

Josimar Football again, this time another report in their great unravelling of the web that has been constructed by 777 Partners. This report relates to one of their clubs - Genoa and it's huge debts to the Italian tax authorities, the question is do 777 Partners plans for repayment stack-up.

Note 777 Partners did not create the original financial mess, they saw the financial distress of the club as an opportunity to make money

On the brink
Genoa CFC owners 777 Partners are attempting to re-structure their club’s debt to the Italian tax authorities, which currently stands at over 106 million euro. The Italian club faces bankruptcy if the Court of Genoa does not agree to the operation, while other creditors of the club are still owed an extra 160 million.
https://josimarfootball.com/2023/11/22/on-the-brink/
https://archive.ph/JP8an

[Chester Perry]

An article from The Athletic that appears as though it was created specifically for this thread - it covers many of the expected stop-offs that have been features of the thread for years - Note it does not even try to answer the title question

Is the Premier League good for Britain’s economy?
https://archive.li/4GBOT

[Chester Perry]

Probably not the end of the Football Leaks story but for Rui Pinto this appears to be positive news

Rui Pinto: Football Leaks founder handed four-year suspended sentence by Portugal court
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66786085

Having completed his main trial in Portugal, Rui Pinto's tour of various European legal systems has gotten underway - it seems the French courts also think he has been through enough

Portuguese hacker in Football Leaks scandal handed 6-month suspended sentence by French court
https://apnews.com/article/soccer-footb ... d4c84f7804

[Chester Perry]

My suspicion is that this opinion piece from Mathew Syed in the Times will resonate deeply with many who read it, but I am not yet sharing his conviction about the final stop of this direction of travel

Premier League’s credibility is being eroded case by case
https://archive.li/L0asD

[Chester Perry]

So it turns out that there was no vote on the New Deal for football,, though there are reports of two hours of discussions about it in the meeting - what was voted on - the related parties stuff - con tinues to shape the headlines

from The Athletic

Why a plan to ban related-party January loans failed, how clubs voted, and what’s next
https://archive.li/pojBz

Unsurprisingly, there is frustration in some significant places where there is deepening frustration about the fact that a confirmation of the 'New Deal for Football' did not happen at Tuesday's Premier League meeting

from The Telegraph

Patience ‘wearing thin’ as Premier League’s New Deal stalls
The league is under pressure from the Government to get a deal done after talks stalled this week
https://archive.li/cHfZT

[Chester Perry]

Crisis Clubs - Part 3 - Inter Milan

Inter Milan, the ticking clock – a £287m loan, record loss and silverware
In the third part of our series ‘Crisis Clubs’, examining the financial states of five European football sides, James Horncastle digs into the numbers at Inter Milan, analyses how and why things have been so perilous, and plots a potential way out.
https://archive.li/dtt36

Crisis Clubs - Part 4 - Hertha Berlin (who just happen to be part of the 777 Partners multi-club operation)

Hertha Berlin – spiralling debt, gambles and ‘delusions of grandeur’
In the fourth of our series ‘Crisis Clubs’ examining the financial states of five European football teams, Raphael Honigstein digs into the numbers at Hertha Berlin, analyses how and why things have been so perilous for them, and what might be a potential way out.
https://theathletic.com/5080067/2023/11 ... s-fc-news/

[Chester Perry]

Our friend Paul Quinn -better known as The Esk provides a useful summary of the 777 Partners financial situation, aggregating the information from all the recent articles that I have been posting.

The significant issues facing 777 Partners and therefore Everton & regulators
https://theesk.org/2023/11/20/the-signi ... egulators/
https://archive.ph/Ws7u6

[Chester Perry]

In four weeks we are expecting the final ruling in the ECJ hearing brought A22 in regards to UEFA's monopoly on European wide competitions for club football - yes it is the Super League case. This piece in the Guardian suggests that the fractures we saw in the voting (and non voting) at Tuesday's Premier League were a result of various thoughts about that pending judgement

Premier League appears fractured as external pressures continue to mount
The failure of a vote on multi-club loans and the absence of an agreement to redistribute wealth to lower-league clubs points to a lack of consensus regarding the future of the top flight
https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... e-to-mount
https://archive.ph/Xu0cC

[Chester Perry]

Crisis Clubs - Part 4 - Hertha Berlin (who just happen to be part of the 777 Partners multi-club operation)

Hertha Berlin – spiralling debt, gambles and ‘delusions of grandeur’
In the fourth of our series ‘Crisis Clubs’ examining the financial states of five European football teams, Raphael Honigstein digs into the numbers at Hertha Berlin, analyses how and why things have been so perilous for them, and what might be a potential way out.
https://theathletic.com/5080067/2023/11 ... s-fc-news/

Crisis Clubs - Part 5 - Olympic Lyonnais

Lyon’s malaise – £400m debt, an ownership feud and plummeting form
In our series ‘Crisis Clubs’, which examines the financial states of five European football teams, Adam Crafton digs into the numbers at Lyon, analyses how and why things have been so perilous for them, and what might be a potential way out.
https://archive.ph/apWiw

[GodIsADeeJay81]

On the subject of West Brom this is a vey interesting tweet from Matt Slater in response to the club announcing the MSD loan deal

https://twitter.com/mjshrimper/status/1 ... 2117611520

“For the avoidance of doubt…”

Oh, there’s no doubt about it. WBA are in danger. But who’s to blame? The chancer with no links to club/city/country who bought the club to…

Or the local guy who controversially engineered the sale, making £150m, which he took to a tax haven?

now is anyone able to draw some parallels to what we have seek at our club including the different perspectives on who is to blame

https://x.com/kieranmaguire/status/1729 ... 95826?s=46

WBA take out another loan with MSD

[Chester Perry]

There are some interesting observations in this article, ostensibly about the protests of Everton fans against the Premier League at Goodison yesterday, but actually a bit more wide ranging

Conspiracies, suspicion and mutiny – this is the Premier League in 2023
https://archive.ph/bjqNJ

[bfcjg]

Very good read that cheers. Quite ironic Everton's fans holding corrupt posters up having taken hundreds of millions of allegedly corrupt money via Moshiri.

[Chester Perry]

Most fans kid themselves that they want their club to be the best it can possibly be, with the best players amazing results and having the 'fanbase grow exponentially - while success and better players is great in the short term the consequences are that your club is no longer the club (and experience you have loved) and at it's core it becomes a club that becomes driven by the need to take more and more money from the match attending supporter. In Burnley we are told that we should want football, just not as your dad knew (cherished and loved) it, which feels rather a slap in the face to many over 45 who have been putting money into an often struggling club for over 30 years.

So imagine how it feels for the hardcore support of Inter Miami a club that is really just a fledgling but is already distancing itself from those who were nurtured by it - a tale of being careful what you wish for

‘I’m happy. I have friends who are not’: What Inter Miami lost with Messi
The Argentinian has delivered a trophy and massive attention for his new team. But some fans say the franchise has become impersonal since his arrival
https://archive.ph/yilIl

[Chester Perry]

FIFA, UEFA, The FA, the Premier League, the EFL and many clubs have signed up to various environmental/Climate sustainability pledges, but are those pledges adhered to and do they go far enough

Football and climate change: How does the sport become more sustainable?
https://archive.ph/mVMVf

[Chester Perry]

Spurs fan, long time football supporter activist (and mate of CT) uses his blog 'The Football Fan' to provide probably the most lucid take you will see on the Everton commission hearing, the punishment how it relates to past (EFL) and future (Manchester City and Chelsea) rulings and the subsequent outraged protests from Everton fans. He is not not actually wrong but the political points scoring about the Premier Leagues ability and suitability to regulate is the only detraction in the piece.

We’re not really here
The ruling in the Everton case doesn’t mean the Premier League is corrupt, but by adding to the sense that what we see is not what we get it provides further proof that it is unfit to regulate.
https://martincloake.substack.com/p/wer ... eally-here
https://archive.ph/l5JQD

[Chester Perry]

This article from The Athletic is an interesting read in its own right, For supporters of our club it also provides an insight into how American investment groups (for that is what 49er Enterprises is) are going about their business in English football, particularly how they believe in the need to increase the executive and administration elements to bring in further commercial revenue

Leeds’ subtle boardroom changes will bring them up to Premier League speed
https://archive.ph/B6ePC