Football's Magic Money Tree

[Chester Perry]

Every few months this board has a thread or a discussion about replacing stands at Turf Moor - there are still a few that argue for a completely new ground outside of town (this years traffic chaos will no doubt bring a few more to that view). All of these discussions always feature a few posts about the the prohibitive costs (usually from someone like myself) and then countered by others saying that they would be quite cheap, So which is it?

Here The Athletic ask

Why are football stadiums so expensive to build?
https://archive.ph/eUwb1

[Chester Perry]

This will be lengthy and interesting when it finally begins

EXCLUSIVE: Man City and the Premier League agree date for trial over 115 financial rule-break charges - with expected timing for the verdict FINALLY set, when they could face a huge points deduction
Manchester City will face off with Premier League over 115 alleged breaches
The trial is expected to begin in the late autumn of next year
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... arges.html

[Chester Perry]

Not a surprise - given December submissions of accounts to the Premier League, but could end up being an intriguing end to the season

From The Times

Everton at risk of further points deduction this season
If club are found to have breached spending rules in next set of accounts, action will be taken by end of May under changes brought in to speed up process
https://archive.ph/y0iER

[Chester Perry]

It has taken a while but the first steps at countering FIFA's new rulebook for agents, particularly around restrictions on commission have fallen in the face of British competition law - so says an FA tribunal

FIFA regulations to cap agent fees in England blocked after agency challenge
https://archive.ph/O9tCe

[Chester Perry]

As the crypto collapse continues - particularly those NFT's - looking for someone to blame has become a serious pursuit

I am far from convinced blaming Christiano Ronaldo will stand up in court - but as I have repeatedly said, football has played fast and loose with due diligence when there is a cheque waiting to be cashed

from The Athletic

Why Cristiano Ronaldo is being sued in $1bn lawsuit by people who bought his NFTs
https://archive.ph/KHMKJ

[GodIsADeeJay81]

I see Steve Gibson at boro has converted £105 million of debt into shares again

[Chester Perry]

This will be lengthy and interesting when it finally begins

EXCLUSIVE: Man City and the Premier League agree date for trial over 115 financial rule-break charges - with expected timing for the verdict FINALLY set, when they could face a huge points deduction
Manchester City will face off with Premier League over 115 alleged breaches
The trial is expected to begin in the late autumn of next year
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... arges.html

A column from Barney Ronay in the Guardian that provides a warning that the Premier League jurisdiction over Manchester City could be considered fragile, for all the wring reasons, many tha thave been highlighted by this thread down the years

Premier League’s greed may consume it as Manchester City’s date with destiny looms
Ominous news that those epic financial charges will be judged, eventually, feels like an existential threat for league and club
https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... tiny-looms
https://archive.ph/WITbq

[Chester Perry]

It appears that the Premier League have got the domestic TC deal increase that they have been looking for after 12 years - I wonder what else they are selling in terms of access besides all those extra games - the uplift is more than the extra they have agrees to give the rest of football in solidarity payments etc

Premier League agrees new £6.7bn TV rights deal with Sky and TNT Sports
Number of live games set to grow substantially as part of deal
Match of the Day to continue after BBC buys highlights rights
https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... tnt-sports
https://archive.ph/wktCJ

[Chester Perry]

It appears that the Premier League have got the domestic TC deal increase that they have been looking for after 12 years - I wonder what else they are selling in terms of access besides all those extra games - the uplift is more than the extra they have agrees to give the rest of football in solidarity payments etc

Premier League agrees new £6.7bn TV rights deal with Sky and TNT Sports
Number of live games set to grow substantially as part of deal
Match of the Day to continue after BBC buys highlights rights
https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... tnt-sports
https://archive.ph/wktCJ

Perhaps the most interesting aspect is no more amazon - the packages were re-jigged to stop amazon getting two rounds of games in the Christmas period - the truly big change is that Sky have more games than are available to broadcast in the current deal

[Chester Perry]

It appears that the Premier League have got the domestic TC deal increase that they have been looking for after 12 years - I wonder what else they are selling in terms of access besides all those extra games - the uplift is more than the extra they have agrees to give the rest of football in solidarity payments etc

Premier League agrees new £6.7bn TV rights deal with Sky and TNT Sports
Number of live games set to grow substantially as part of deal
Match of the Day to continue after BBC buys highlights rights
https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... tnt-sports
https://archive.ph/wktCJ

I take that back - the money is virtually the same as the current deal just for an extra year - and that for an extra 70 games

[Chester Perry]

Other reports on the Premier Leagues new 4 year deal

The Times

Sky and TNT spend £6.7bn on Premier League TV rights
Up to 270 matches a season – the most ever – can be broadcast in the UK in the four-year deal while the BBC will continue to show highlights on Match of the Day
https://archive.ph/xowOQ

The Telegraph - with a lower number that would constitute a lower annual deal

Every game outside 3pm blackout to be televised in new Premier League TV deal
Sky Sports and TNT Sport have paid a record £6.4 billion to show around 270 matches per season from 2025
https://archive.ph/T8IMq

[Chester Perry]

The Athletic with some extra detail

Explained: The record £6.7bn TV rights deal and what it means for Premier League football
https://archive.ph/Nt18U

[Chester Perry]

It has been a while since I have posted about Morecambe, not much has changed on the takeover front though it is believed that Sarb Johal covered the wages in a couple of the last months - the club have had relegation confirmed but the summer is a full of uncertainty as the New Year was - the thread from @UglyGame gets to the detail of it

https://twitter.com/uglygame/status/1656405242437595136

anyone who has listened to todays Price of Football Podcast will know that it is a thankless time in the offices of the EFL - and the feeling is that there are more club edging to wards the brink

It has been some time since I lasted posted about Morecambe - but this is something you don't very often in football - Morecambe's board has stated they have no confidence in the club's owners, From the BBC

Morecambe board 'have no confidence' in owners overseeing sale of club
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67616703

[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

It is now over 10 weeks since it was announced that Everton had been sold (subject to Premier League approval) to 777 Partners - as we know there are a number of issues surrounding the proposed deal - one being are 777 Partners 'fit and proper' last week is came to light that the US Department of Justice was probing 777 Partners activities

DOJ launches probe into shadowy Miami-based sports investing giant 777 Partners amid accusations of money laundering and how it plans to afford $635million bid for UK soccer team Everton
777 previously agreed a deal to purchase Everton from Farhad Moshiri
But there have been concerns about how the company operates
DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... erton.html

Of course 777 Partners are currently loaning Everton around £20m a month, without security, This is money that 777 Partners are themselves are borrowing, I am hearing that the current figure loaned by 777 Partners to Everton is £90m. This could all get really messy.

[Chester Perry]

An interesting column from Jonathan Liew in The Guardian about the new structure for women's football in this country - it is almost a lament - the same clubs that have destroyed men's football for everyone else are the ones that are on an active footing to do the same to women's football - incidentally if the £1billion pound women's league is correct it will be the third biggest football league in England after the Premier League and the Championship and probably put it in the top 20 in world football

Women’s football must be wary of following men’s game into financial cesspit
https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... al-cesspit
https://archive.ph/3AlvY

[Chester Perry]

We have heard so much about ex-footballers and brain injuries, but events in the High Court next month could be a real game changer

Former Premier League stars are among the 25 players who are suing the FA for negligence on the grounds that they've failed to protect players from brain injuries... with the first High Court hearing set for the new year
Three ex-players from the top flight are part of a High Court claim against the FA
Two former EFL players with early-onset dementia in their 40s also involved
Their anonymity could be waived during an initial case management hearing
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... entia.html
https://archive.ph/4gubJ

[Chester Perry]

Another fascinating podcast from Unofficial Partner - this is exactly what the American Investors in European football are factoring in to their perceived realised value upon exit

UP358 Project 2030: Gen AI and the future of sport according to Amazon
https://www.unofficialpartner.com/podca ... -to-amazon

The blurb:

Unofficial Partner|12/1/2023
Tia White is Amazon's General Manager of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at Amazon Web Services (AWS), responsible for owning go-to-market, product, and engineering for a portfolio of services on track to exceed profits of more than $25M including one of the fastest-growing services at AWS.

Joining her is Wyndham Richardson, Group Executive Director at Two Circles, previously founder of Pulselive, digital partner to some of the biggest names in sport which was acquired by Sony Corporation in 2011.

The podcast explores the current state of the sports marketplace, specifically focusing on how user personalization and artificial intelligence (AI) are paving the way for the industry's development.
They discuss how Amazon is offering advanced tools to create customized experiences and insights resulting in higher user retention and engagement. We unpack the future of AI, speculating on its impact by 2030, and how generative AI might revolutionize the way audiences are segmented.

00:00 Introductions and Location Check
00:22 Discussion on the Future of Sports Marketplace
01:09 Introduction to Tia and Her Role at Amazon
02:30 Tia's Personal Connection to Sports
03:39 Understanding Tech in the Sports Industry
05:17 The Concept of Personalization in Amazon
08:17 The Importance of Personalization in Customer Retention
09:04 The Risk of Getting Personalization Wrong
10:31 The Role of Technology in Solving Problems
14:03 The Impact of Personalization on User Engagement
23:29 The Future of Personalization and User Authentication
28:20 The Importance of Data in Personalization
31:09 The Power of Data in Sports
31:28 Leveraging AWS and Amazon Personalized for Sports
32:23 The Importance of Data Security in Sports
33:41 Investing in Tech: A Risk or Necessity?
34:31 The Evolution of the Sports Industry
36:08 The Role of Technology in Sports Strategy
36:28 Loyalty in Sports: A Unique Phenomenon
39:44 The Intersection of Sports and Other Industries
45:51 The Impact of Generative AI on Personalization
49:03 The Future of Generative AI
50:13 Generative AI: A Tool for Progress
55:15 The Role of Generative AI in Content Creation
56:58 Generative AI: A Threat or Opportunity?
01:01:28 The Unexpected Necessity of Cash
01:02:20 Closing Remarks

[Chester Perry]

It is now over 10 weeks since it was announced that Everton had been sold (subject to Premier League approval) to 777 Partners - as we know there are a number of issues surrounding the proposed deal - one being are 777 Partners 'fit and proper' last week is came to light that the US Department of Justice was probing 777 Partners activities

DOJ launches probe into shadowy Miami-based sports investing giant 777 Partners amid accusations of money laundering and how it plans to afford $635million bid for UK soccer team Everton
777 previously agreed a deal to purchase Everton from Farhad Moshiri
But there have been concerns about how the company operates
DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... erton.html

Of course 777 Partners are currently loaning Everton around £20m a month, without security, This is money that 777 Partners are themselves are borrowing, I am hearing that the current figure loaned by 777 Partners to Everton is £90m. This could all get really messy.

As highlighted above, the unsecured lending from 777 Partners to Everton could not go on for ever while they were awaiting approval for their proposed takeover

From The Times

777 Partners could cut off Everton support if takeover drags on
Prospective buyers have indicated they are not prepared to continue supporting club with £100m-plus loans unless deal to buy is completed within next seven weeks
https://archive.ph/LobQB

[Chester Perry]

Meanwhile the chaps at Josimar Football have been investigating why 777 Partner's Josh Wander has left his Privat Jet at Pittsburgh Airport for month's - even as he has been very visible at Everton games. It appears to be another case of delayed/late payments for 777 Partners affiliates and the latest in a line of disputes including the British Basketball League where things are far from rosy in the relationship with 777 Partners

Grounded?
Does the strange case of Josh Wander’s private jet, stuck in a US airport for months, act as a metaphor for the lack of progress 777 are making to buy Everton? And why has the company yet to agree terms for the future funding of the British Basketball League, which faces administration?
https://josimarfootball.com/2023/12/07/grounded/
https://archive.ph/A5nvq

[Chester Perry]

It has been one of the great title pursuit collapses in history, but Botafogo majority owner John Textor is not accepting his team's fate at face value

Botafogo want Brazilian league games annulled for ‘possible manipulation’ after missing out on title
https://archive.ph/JupnU

[Chester Perry]

The are famous on The Price of Football Podcast; dot say 'It depends' whenever they are asked for advice or an opinion and one has had his name chanted and gloried at The Etihad. The Athletic looks into the world of the high priced Football Lawyer

Inside the world of football’s high-power, high-price lawyers: ‘I’ve got a KC, who have you got?’
https://archive.ph/BT0EN

[Chester Perry]

The proposal for the Premier League to change it's amortisation rules in line with the newly defined UEFA standard (five years) makes a certain amount of sense, particularly in regard to the fact that almost half the league could soon qualify for European competition. Though that does not necessarily mean that The Premier League will move in line with UEFA (just look at the differences allowed in losses. That example helps teams who do not qualify for European Club Competitions, though in the case of amortisation, clubs threatened with relegation are unlikely to take on contracts of more than five years.

I am not certain that the proposal even affects Chelsea given it will not be applied retrospectively

Chelsea face pivotal Premier League meeting which threatens club's transfer policy
Exclusive: Clubs to vote on capping amortisation at five years, which could mean trouble for Chelsea who spent over £400 million last summer
https://archive.ph/E9m5a

[Chester Perry]

So how do we think the UK Government and the Premier League will treat a potential co-owner who had a transaction with an (UK) embargoed Russian organisation with another of his clubs (whose country did not have an embargo at that juncture)? Sounds complex doesn't it, but not to worry we are talking about Britain's richest billionaire and tax exile h

Provisional Man Utd co-owner Ratcliffe’s club Nice did deal with Russian team owned by UK-sanctioned entity – explained
https://archive.ph/qgL2w

[Chester Perry]

It is now over 10 weeks since it was announced that Everton had been sold (subject to Premier League approval) to 777 Partners - as we know there are a number of issues surrounding the proposed deal - one being are 777 Partners 'fit and proper' last week is came to light that the US Department of Justice was probing 777 Partners activities

DOJ launches probe into shadowy Miami-based sports investing giant 777 Partners amid accusations of money laundering and how it plans to afford $635million bid for UK soccer team Everton
777 previously agreed a deal to purchase Everton from Farhad Moshiri
But there have been concerns about how the company operates
DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... erton.html

Of course 777 Partners are currently loaning Everton around £20m a month, without security, This is money that 777 Partners are themselves are borrowing, I am hearing that the current figure loaned by 777 Partners to Everton is £90m. This could all get really messy.

As highlighted above, the unsecured lending from 777 Partners to Everton could not go on for ever while they were awaiting approval for their proposed takeover

From The Times

777 Partners could cut off Everton support if takeover drags on
Prospective buyers have indicated they are not prepared to continue supporting club with £100m-plus loans unless deal to buy is completed within next seven weeks
https://archive.ph/LobQB

It is no surprise that the media are chasing the potential downside of this story

From The Mail

EXCLUSIVE Everton at risk of administration as buyers 777Partners are told there is no chance of takeover being approved soon - and are set to stop funding them - raising fears of new points deduction
Everton's prospective buyers 777Partners have loaned Everton over £100m
The group have made it clear they will not fund the club after the New Year
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... roval.html

[Chester Perry]

FIFA say that $888 was spent on agent fees for International (cross border) transfers in 2023 no surprise that English clubs were responsible for almost a third of the total

Clubs spent record $888m on agent fees last year – as FIFA’s attempts to cap spending defeated in UK
https://theathletic.com/5136855/2023/12 ... gulations/

[Chester Perry]

Bournemouth owner Bill Foley is an interesting character absolutely bursting with ambition and confidence, he also puts his money where his mouth is

from The Guardian

‘In Europe within five years’: Bournemouth owner Foley sets target
American says faith in Iraola was not shaken by poor start
Plan is to start building new 18,500-capacity stadium in 2025
https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... ew-stadium
https://archive.ph/fCg9e

[Chester Perry]

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

Josimar Football with yet another report about 1XBet, one of the biggest sponsors in world football, a game that really shows it does not care about due diligence and the laws of others

Above the law
One of football’s biggest sponsors, 1XBet, has produced a guide to show sports fans how to bet in countries where betting is illegal or where they don’t have a licence.
https://josimarfootball.com/2023/12/14/above-the-law/
https://archive.ph/Jf0kD

[Chester Perry]

They have still to be allowed to take over the club by the Premier League, but 777 Partners are still working that PR campaign - as you would expect

from The Telegraph

We will prove Everton doubters wrong, says 777 sporting director
Exclusive interview with Johannes Spors, who outlines how Everton can be 'missing link' in 777s plans, if takeover given green light
https://archive.ph/8kNFe

[GodIsADeeJay81]

https://x.com/avfcofficial/status/17356 ... 77846?s=46

This is interesting and could be a game changer for villa

[Chester Perry]

One of the questions that many asked following the announcement of the new domestic Premier League tv deal is why have they not taken the option to develop a streaming option

Rory Smith gives a view in his New York Times column

The Missing Piece of the Premier League’s TV Rights Deal
Why did soccer’s richest league step back from streaming? Maybe because the status quo still pays.
https://archive.ph/WdmtO

[Chester Perry]

It appears that the Bundesliga is going to try for a third time in as many years to get Private Equity funding to help develop the league - In some ways it feels like those that run the league will keep trying until they get the vote they want - and yes The cultures are at the door

BUNDESLIGA RENEWS PURSUIT OF PE MONEY TO BOLSTER GLOBAL STANDING
https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Fw ... 4741729%2F

It appears that this latest and much revised bid has squeezed through approval from member clubs to find a media investor for a new German Football media start-up

Private Equity Gets New Shot at German Football’s TV Rights
https://archive.ph/2kzJY

last Thursdays edition of the Price Football podcast had an interview with German Football journalist Matt Ford (https://twitter.com/matt_4d?ref_src=tws ... r%5Eauthor)

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/p ... 0638506054

[Chester Perry]

PSG find a new investor un US Private Equity sports specialist Arctos - it is a sensible move I think, not unlike CFG's partnership with Silverlake though the specialisms are different The value it gives PSG feels high though

from The Financial Times

Paris Saint-Germain seeks to build global brand after US investor Arctos takes stake
Deal valuing football club at more than €4bn signals commercial push by Qatari owners
https://archive.ph/HWrck

[Chester Perry]

As Dozy Mmobuosi attempts to diffuse 'misunderstandings about his attempted takeover of Sheffield United

POTENTIAL SHEFFIELD UNITED OWNER DOZY MMOBUOSI ADDRESSES MISCONCEPTIONS AMID TAKEOVER
https://onefootball.com/es/noticias/pot ... r-36759319

the EFL says - you need to do better than that lad - are we to believe that lessons have finally be learned at the EFL?

https://www.efl.com/news/2023/february/ ... ld-united/

It appears Sheffield United may have escaped some trouble - though the issues with Dozy Mmobuosi were plentiful, even before this latest news from the US

Businessman who tried to buy Sheffield United accused of ‘elaborate’ fraud
US watchdog sues Dozy Mmobuosi for allegedly faking documents and making up companies out of ‘thin air’
https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... y-mmobuosi
https://archive.ph/b4Xnq

[Chester Perry]

Martin Samuel uses column in The Times to highlight the potential flaws in the expanded club world cup that is set to begin next year - The column title also points to a broader take that fits perfectly with this thread

Businessman who tried to buy Sheffield United accused of ‘elaborate’ fraud
https://archive.ph/G6xcG

[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

The final judgement on the Super League case is due to be made on Thursday morning - expect to see a lot of news articles both in and ad after the build-up. I will be otherwise engaged so have fun and feel free to post the best articles n the matter in this thread

[Chester Perry]

The final judgement on the Super League case is due to be made on Thursday morning - expect to see a lot of news articles both in and ad after the build-up. I will be otherwise engaged so have fun and feel free to post the best articles n the matter in this thread

And so it begins - The Athletic with an opening salvo

European Super League verdict: What to expect and what it means for football
https://archive.ph/295zy

[Chester Perry]

Miguel Delaney takes his turn to look forward to the importance of tomorrow's judgement from the ECJ

European Court of Justice decision ‘bigger than Bosman’ and could change the face of football
The European Court of Justice stands to rule on whether Uefa and Fifa are monopolies to be broken up in a landmark case which will have repercussions across the game
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/foo ... 67220.html
https://archive.ph/sEl2R

[Chester Perry]

The focus in advance of the judgement declaration is heavily focused on the potential impacts of the decision

this from the Guardian

European Super League
Analysis
Uefa v European Super League: what could verdict mean for football?
As legal battle between governing body and attempted breakaway competition reaches a climax, there could be far-reaching implications
https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... r-football
https://archive.ph/TRU7z

[Chester Perry]

Though there is acknowledgement that the decision is likely to lead to some changes

Uefa braced for long-awaited verdict in European Super League legal battle
European Super League Company challenging governing body
Decision to be made imminently at European court of justice
https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... gal-battle
https://archive.ph/iJx7u

[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

[Chester Perry]

They have still to be allowed to take over the club by the Premier League, but 777 Partners are still working that PR campaign - as you would expect

from The Telegraph

We will prove Everton doubters wrong, says 777 sporting director
Exclusive interview with Johannes Spors, who outlines how Everton can be 'missing link' in 777s plans, if takeover given green light
https://archive.ph/8kNFe

So while 777 Partners have been pumping around £20m or more a month into Everton (current estimates suggest the total to be around £100m), much of it borrowed, it seems that 777 Partners have seen financial issues at a number of their other clubs deteriorate

From the indefatigable Josimar Football

Show me the money
777 Partners-owned club Standard de Liège was hit with a transfer ban for the second time in 2023 by the Belgian FA this week after failing to pay transfer fees, bonuses, VAT and social insurance contributions.
https://archive.ph/354Lf

Earlier this month The Esk had this to say on Everton's current financial situation - not that Farhad Moshiri has had to make his own contributions to the cause this year alongside all the new debt and the monies from 777 partners

In the bleak mid-winter….
https://theesk.org/2023/12/14/in-the-bleak-mid-winter/

[Chester Perry]

Perhaps the only surprising element of this story of an American (tick) Investment group (double tick) seeking to purchase an initial minor investment in Watford is the suggested valuation for a team that is in its final year of parachute payments and looking some distance from being able to achieve promotion this season

From The Athletic

Watford in talks with U.S. group about buying initial minority stake
https://archive.ph/5vVQC

[Chester Perry]

As the New Year rapidly approaches Miguel Delaney provides an overview of the factors this will have a bearing on the future of the game, there is plenty that is unappetising

The fear behind Champions League’s ‘turning point’ and football’s trepidation in 2024
Uefa’s switch to the Swiss format in the Champions League could spark widespread change in the game, explains Miguel Delaney, with the prospect of more innovation on the pitch and a moment of truth for Gareth Southgate’s England at Euro 2024
https://archive.ph/GUFDy

[Chester Perry]

It has taken a while but the first steps at countering FIFA's new rulebook for agents, particularly around restrictions on commission have fallen in the face of British competition law - so says an FA tribunal

FIFA regulations to cap agent fees in England blocked after agency challenge
https://archive.ph/O9tCe

With FIFA's new regulations regarding agents fees/commissions failing in every court they are taken to it is little surprise that they have been forced into suspending them. There is some surprise in the ensuing confusion that his has created

from The Independent

January transfer window thrown into chaos by confusion over Fifa agent rules
The situation has been described as ‘a total mess’ by some, with big January transfers potentially affected
https://archive.ph/TCgXQ

[Chester Perry]

It has been a while since I last posted about Barcelona's self inflicted financial trauma's - no matter how many 'financial levers' they pull, their finances continue to haunt them, afterall they are still just kicking the can down the road. It is notable that the first act of the 'winter break was to fly to Dallas for a lucrative friendly. What I find particularly interesting is the universally held deep conviction, within the club, that if something has been done before it can be repeated - not unlike the vast majority of our fans and the belief that a summer relegation will automatically lead to a Championship title parade

Sid Lowe provides an unappetising view of the current state of an institution that believes itself to be 'more than a club'

Debt-ridden and off the pace, Barça seek Davids Effect to revive season
Twenty years after Dutch midfielder made a transformational arrival on loan, the club are searching for similar January spark
https://archive.ph/Yt9NA

[Chester Perry]

It all feels a bit Mrs Merton to Debbie McGee ('"What first, Debbie, attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?" for those who have not seen it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj-9lSEBBm0), The Times looks at the lifestyle experiences of footballers (and managers) that have taken the Saudi (sports washing?) Petrodollar - turns out some do not even live in the country and therefore avoid some of the more restrictive elements of living in Saudi

Life of the football superstars paid to be in Saudi (and the WAGs)
The nation where money is no object has attracted some of the game’s biggest names. So how do they and their families cope in a deeply conservative kingdom?
https://archive.ph/8YYcB

[Chester Perry]

Hardly a surprise

From The Times

Nottingham Forest could face FFP charge as Everton risk second penalty
Two clubs considered most at threat of being charged with breaching financial rules for 2022-23 under new fast-track system introduced by Premier League
https://archive.ph/LZtxq

For those who believe that all clubs have deposited their 2022/23 accounts with the Premier League by December 31 2023 I suggest you read rules E.47 and E.48 in the latest edition of the Premier League Handbook (https://resources.premierleague.com/pre ... .12.23.pdf). The early (December) submissions only apply to those clubs whose T-1 and T-2 accounts result in an aggregate loss. Given the large profit in 2021/22 I suspect that we will be in aggregate profit over that year and last season. Consequently we will not pass accounts to the Premier League until March 31.

[Chester Perry]

that didn't take long

Nottingham Forest appoint top lawyer to fight Premier League spending breach risk
Exclusive: Sale of Brennan Johnson to Tottenham may prove crucial in Forest avoiding charge similar to Everton
https://archive.ph/XHBfm

[Chester Perry]

While I get the feeling that this is in line with the ambitions of ALK/VSL, current reports suggest that we are quite some way off this at Turf Moor or indeed at Leeds whether it be Elland Rd or a new ground

from The Mail

How a slice of Silicon Valley is taking Leeds United back to the future... Mail Sport visits the San Francisco 49ers to marvel at hi-tech gadgets that could transform the Yorkshire club
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... -club.html
https://archive.ph/t769H

[Chester Perry]

This weekend should be FA Cup 3rd round day, a time of huge hope and excitement in years past, of course in the current state of the game it is not even FA Cup 3rd round weekend given the games will be spread over 5 days, never mind the impacts tv will have on the following weeks league fixtures if replays are required

from The Times

FA Cup third round: five days, 32 games, 11 different time slots
Bill Edgar takes an in-depth look at one of the traditional highlights of the football calendar, with London hosting more third-round ties than ever before
https://archive.ph/BXkJi