Football's Magic Money Tree

[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

the Kings Speech earlier today confirmed that the new government would press on with legislation to introduce a new Independent Football Regulator

Martin Cloak this morning used his 'The Football Fan' blog to highlight how he thinks this rerun of the bill could be improved

The Business
The more you look at the way football is run, the more the case for change becomes clear. It's important fans understand the opportunity.
https://martincloake.substack.com/p/the-business
https://archive.ph/pVr3g

[Chester Perry]

More from Philip Auclair and Josimar Football on Asian betting operations and their white label offshoots - thankfully not relating to a current or former commercial partner of our club but there are plenty of English clubs (as well as European clubs and International Football Federations)

The Hydra
A whirlwind of short-lived Asian gambling brands have taken over European football in recent seasons. Now, a US cybersecurity firm has proof that they are nearly all one-and-the-same entity.
https://josimarfootball.com/2024/07/22/the-hydra/
https://archive.ph/ULsFJ

[Chester Perry]

The Esk with his view on the latest events surrounding 777 Partners and their proposed takeover of Everton - He is certainly correct that the implications and fall-out from this case are much wider than the takeover - the ripples (and turmoil) of it will extend very wide, I cannot help wondering how a new Independent Football Regulator would have handled the proposed takeover in it's own owners and directors test given that the Financial Conduct Authority approved 777 Partners last December.

The latest re Everton, 777 Partners and Moshiri. What needs to be done immediately following Leadenhall accusations
https://theesk.org/2024/05/05/the-lates ... cusations/
https://archive.ph/3E80k

It appears that the above case brought by Leadenhall, is having an ever increasing impact on Everton - It is certainly the reason that The Friedkin Group have pulled out. In essence Everton may be liable for portion of damages in this and potential future legal casses against 777 Partners and their founders and or A-CAP and Kenneth King, making it impossible for anyone to understand the true cost of purchasing Everton.

Meanwhile Everton have a new creditor and the total value of loans has increased by around £40m to keep the stadium build going - MSP and their associates have been paid off by new creditor the Friedkin Group

These are the best repots i have seen on the situation

first up The Esk

Major, unresolved uncertainties make Everton’s sale to new owners a real problem
https://theesk.org/2024/07/19/major-unr ... l-problem/
https://archive.ph/8WVSH

The Independent

After Friedkin’s decision, are Everton now the unbuyable football club?
The news that the Friedkin Group has ditched plans to buy Everton leaves major uncertainty over whether any investor can be persuaded to take the plunge on the debt-laden Merseyside club
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/foo ... 83064.html
https://archive.ph/fcTWR

The Athletic

Everton takeover: Why the Friedkin Group deal is off and what happens now?
https://archive.ph/5IInc

[Chester Perry]

In the light of all the reports about white label betting companies engaged in football sponsorship this is an interesting and united approach from English club football - no dout there will be a need to look under the covers of the plan

from The Athletic

Premier League, EFL, FA, and WSL introduce code of conduct for gambling sponsorships
https://archive.ph/Y6kDg

I note that it follows on from this story in The Guardian this morning

Premier League clubs accused of greed as total with gambling sponsors hits 11
Bournemouth the latest with front-of-shirt gambling logo
The Big Step says: ‘Desperate deals for a few extra quid’
https://www.theguardian.com/football/ar ... ng-company
https://archive.ph/RdTVv

[bfcjg]

Everton look like they'll need a fire sale just to keep going unless a genuinely wealthy owner comes along who's prepared to take a massive hit.

[Chester Perry]

Everton look like they'll need a fire sale just to keep going unless a genuinely wealthy owner comes along who's prepared to take a massive hit.

Everton are not getting sold anytime soon

If Leadenhall are successful in their case against 777 Partners then it is likely that the US Authorities will want to prosecute and investigate and that would probably take years

[bfcjg]

Everton are not getting sold anytime soon

If Leadenhall are successful in their case against 777 Partners then it is likely that the US Authorities will want to prosecute and investigate and that would probably take years

But how will this help the day to day cash flow in the short term ?

[Chester Perry]

But how will this help the day to day cash flow in the short term ?

just more trimming of the spend - is what it needs and player sales with Onana already gone it is why they are holding out for a big return on Jarrad Branthwaite.

The scary thing I have yet to confirm is that it sounds that certain loans appear to be rolling up the interest if not then they are likely paying around close to £1m a week in interest

[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.

The outcome of the French Lique's hubris back in 2018 is this deal with DAZN - which they can back out of and Qatar's beIN Sport wanting to get clever with another package - the problem is that there is no one else wanting to come to the party to get the prices up, which suggests that most believe DAZN have overpaid

from The Guardian

French clubs and beIN Sports in conflict over Visit Qatar badge claim
Several Ligue 1 clubs say broadcaster requested badge for every player
Claim is denied by source at PSG and beIn Sports
https://www.theguardian.com/football/ar ... adge-claim
https://archive.ph/FGZif

[Chester Perry]

A reminder that The Premier League does the bidding of its members no matter how much it tries to change their thinking

from The Times

Premier League’s fresh bid to close ‘Chelsea hotel’ loophole
Despite being defeated at annual meeting in June, Premier League wants another vote to prevent clubs selling assets to sister companies to comply with financial rules
https://archive.ph/BguCR

[Chester Perry]

In the light of all the reports about white label betting companies engaged in football sponsorship this is an interesting and united approach from English club football - no dout there will be a need to look under the covers of the plan

from The Athletic

Premier League, EFL, FA, and WSL introduce code of conduct for gambling sponsorships
https://archive.ph/Y6kDg

I note that it follows on from this story in The Guardian this morning

Premier League clubs accused of greed as total with gambling sponsors hits 11
Bournemouth the latest with front-of-shirt gambling logo
The Big Step says: ‘Desperate deals for a few extra quid’
https://www.theguardian.com/football/ar ... ng-company
https://archive.ph/RdTVv

Josimar Football with a story about new white label betting sponsor bj88, with links to illegal betting markets and possibly Cyber slavery - yet they still pass the Gambling Commissions and therefore FA and Premier League requirements

Bloodsport, cyber slavery and “a record-breaking deal”
Bournemouth’s new shirt sponsor, betting brand bj88, offers the option to bet on live cockfighting in Vietnam, where gambling is illegal. The brand also has links to Bavet, a Cambodian border city notorious for cyber slavery compounds.
https://josimarfootball.com/2024/08/06/ ... king-deal/
https://archive.ph/HbpKY

[Chester Perry]

A new piece from Martin Cloake's blog The Football Fan on the issue of Fan Advisory Boards - the Premier Leagues vehicle of choice for Fan engagement with clubs - as always it is filled with the experience and knowledge of being involved in supporter groups

We need a conflab over FABs
Why clarity over the purpose of Fan Advisory Boards is needed, and why the way we talk about football fans is important.
https://martincloake.substack.com/p/we- ... -over-fabs
https://archive.ph/cMvwM

[Chester Perry]

I have been trying to get hold of this for some weeks now - looks interesting

Bigger, better, but also riskier
https://www.lcp.com/en/insights/in-brie ... so-riskier

the full report
https://theesk.org/wp-content/uploads/2 ... inal-1.pdf

The Esk has managed to get the report writer Bart Huby of LCP onto a podcast to discuss this along with The Athletics Matt Slater
https://shows.acast.com/the-esk-podcast ... so-riskier

[Chester Perry]

I have been trying to get hold of this for some weeks now - looks interesting

Bigger, better, but also riskier
https://www.lcp.com/en/insights/in-brie ... so-riskier

the full report
https://theesk.org/wp-content/uploads/2 ... inal-1.pdf

The Esk has managed to get the report writer Bart Huby of LCP onto a podcast to discuss this along with The Athletics Matt Slater
https://shows.acast.com/the-esk-podcast ... so-riskier

If the above is something you find interesting the first report from LCP on football finance from July 2023 can be found here

Creating a sustainable future for football
The financial sustainability of men's football clubs in the English League pyramid
https://www.lcp.com/media/1150389/creat ... l-2023.pdf

[Chester Perry]

For us the football season has already started, though for the media it begins in earnest this coming weekend - after all we know football was invented by the Premier League

Of course the Premier League is not without its trails, as Martin Ziegler pointed out in yesterday's Times along with the fact that I have oft repeated - it is actually more than 115 charges for MAnchester City

Legal battles could make this Premier League’s most seismic season
Greatest focus will be on Manchester City and their possible relegation if alleged breaches are proved, but league also has cases against Everton and Leicester, and investigations into Chelsea
https://archive.ph/FXYUv

even those in charge of the the Premier League are aware that these long running saga's are not good for the game hence Richard Masters words also yesterday, which were first shared by the Telegraph

‘Time to resolve Man City charges’, declares Premier League chief Richard Masters
Executive says ‘it is time’ 115-charge case is ‘heard and answered’ but refuses to be drawn on timeline
https://archive.ph/XR8IU

but as we know when clubs get uppity about being caught out like serial rule benders/breakers Leicester City - who have now been promoted 3 times in a row while employing highly dubious financial and legal practice, with each instance leading to a change in the rule book to prevent it from happening again. we expect some form of punishment for them this time but it will be contested hard by the legal professionals and probably take some time yet to reach a conclusion, according to the Telegraph

Leicester feud with Premier League over spending rules could spill into next year
Verdict on possible points deduction for alleged PSR breaches likely to be months away
https://archive.ph/SLwf9

Some will tell you that this financial rule breaking is in part down the cost of keeping up with the trend of London centric dominance in the Premier League

The Independent

London has shifted the balance of power in the Premier League – but not how you might think
The number of top-flight teams from in or around the capital has soared - and so has the cost of keeping up for others
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/foo ... 93218.html

and here in The Athletic, though it is well worth seeing what Dave Baldwin has to say about it - remember he was Chief Executive of Burnley in Dyche's glory years and a short lasting advisor to Alan Pace and ALK/VSL

Is Premier League football disappearing from the North?
https://archive.ph/3jqP2
https://archive.ph/6e635

[Chester Perry]

Farhad Moshiri's desperate efforts to sell Everton sees him enter yet another exclusivity agreement, this time with the occasionally strange operator John Textor, who has been trying to sell his shares in Crystal Palace for over 2 years, a process made more difficult because he keeps talking publicly about the difficulty of getting his way at Palace even though he is the senior shareholder - he is also trying to make a significant profit on those shares which means fellow co-owners David Harris and Josh Harris won't bite

Textor does not seem to concerned about the issues that have seen the Friedkin Group walk away

from The Athletic

Crystal Palace shareholder John Textor granted exclusivity in Everton takeover talks
https://archive.ph/ckD4C

[Chester Perry]

In the last decade two clubs have broken the historical hegemony of title winners - one has seemingly created a new hegemony, both got there by creative/illegal approaches to the financial rules and both will be in the dock again during this season. The resulting outcomes could change the nature of the game for ever and leave clubs like ours flailing in it's wake.

from the Guardian

Leicester are a warning of what can go wrong for clubs on limit of budget
If financial regulations have been breached, it is only right that punishment follows but once a sport stops being decided on the pitch it is in trouble
https://www.theguardian.com/football/ar ... mit-budget
https://archive.ph/Xjd4l

from The Athletic

Manchester City, the Premier League and the season everything might change
https://archive.ph/0C35i

from the Independent

A new Premier League season awaits - but Man City’s legal case casts a long and inevitable shadow
City have been charged with 115 breaches of league rules and the outcome of their case could change the very fabric of the English top-flight.
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/foo ... 97364.html
https://archive.ph/4VTRu

And we are still some time away from knowing the whole truth and the consequential fallout of the other team of hegemony smashers - Chelsea. The scheming of the Abramovich era is only just beginning to unravel(though the current owners have done much to deflect such attention away from the club with both FIFA and UEFA) while the the financial games of Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly are under intense scrutiny.

[Chester Perry]

Quite a lot was posted on this thread last year when Fair Game posted their index of Football club sustainability - you can refresh your memory here

search.php?keywords=Fair+Game+Index&t=20891&sf=msgonly

anyhow - this years has just been posted, though you have to sign up to access the results - which I disapprove of

https://www.fairgameuk.org/fair-game-index-2024

[DAVETHEVICAR]

Just had a look and our results are concerning but not surprising

[Chester Perry]

Just had a look and our results are concerning but not surprising

we were positively ranked last time, but hardly a surprise following the losses in the last accounts

[DAVETHEVICAR]

Bump

[Vegas Claret]

we were positively ranked last time, but hardly a surprise following the losses in the last accounts

are all these sales imperative this summer ?

[Chester Perry]

are all these sales imperative this summer ?

Depends who is calling the shots -

if it is Kevin Griffin (https://mgginv.com/team/) - then yes

if it is Pace and Co - maybe not

[Vegas Claret]

Depends who is calling the shots -

if it is Kevin Griffin (https://mgginv.com/team/) - then yes

if it is Pace and Co - maybe not

gut feeling ?

[Chester Perry]

gut feeling ?

probably a combination of things (not helpful I know) -

- there is cost management - big earners leaving/being got off the books, which may in part be down to not having relegation clauses on some of our bigger signings (I think Wout is a example that ALK/VSL have not learned from - Ajax want him but cannot afford his wages and a fee - he will end up walking and we have never earned any of the fee back - his loans just covered some or all his wages from what I can tell without any additional fee.

-we need cash to cover existing commitments/obligations, even for settling accounts on players we have sold, particularly those bough from English clubs. A situation that will be exacerbated if MGG block factoring of incoming transfer fees, which I think they will. Those signed from abroad are not subject to the same constraints, making profitable deals like Odobert better for cashflow, we likely won't finish paying the initial fee for him for another two years.

- It is fair to say some players signed up for a different project

- if I am right about the scale of the loans it means £10m or so in interest (maybe more), we do not know if relegation means an enforced repayment or when that has to be made, with MSD it was July with MGG it could be the same or September or not at all

- buying new players requires upfront monies as down payments and if selling clubs believe our finances are challenged they may demand more up from


I do not expect ALK/VSL to be overly forthcoming on the situation, given how they have so far made it very difficult for us to have a clearer understanding, as always we have to wait for events to unfold and judge on the fragments we are given with what I refer to as deliberately obscured hindsight

[aggi]

Quite a lot was posted on this thread last year when Fair Game posted their index of Football club sustainability - you can refresh your memory here

search.php?keywords=Fair+Game+Index&t=20891&sf=msgonly

anyhow - this years has just been posted, though you have to sign up to access the results - which I disapprove of

https://www.fairgameuk.org/fair-game-index-2024

Andy Holt has had some (understandable) choice words about this.

They've also highly rated Swindon who are a real basket case at the moment.

Paired with rating West Brom the best for financial stability in the championship last year they aren't something I'd say great store by.

[Chester Perry]

probably a combination of things (not helpful I know) -

- there is cost management - big earners leaving/being got off the books, which may in part be down to not having relegation clauses on some of our bigger signings (I think Wout is a example that ALK/VSL have not learned from - Ajax want him but cannot afford his wages and a fee - he will end up walking and we have never earned any of the fee back - his loans just covered some or all his wages from what I can tell without any additional fee.

-we need cash to cover existing commitments/obligations, even for settling accounts on players we have sold, particularly those bough from English clubs. A situation that will be exacerbated if MGG block factoring of incoming transfer fees, which I think they will. Those signed from abroad are not subject to the same constraints, making profitable deals like Odobert better for cashflow, we likely won't finish paying the initial fee for him for another two years.

- It is fair to say some players signed up for a different project

- if I am right about the scale of the loans it means £10m or so in interest (maybe more), we do not know if relegation means an enforced repayment or when that has to be made, with MSD it was July with MGG it could be the same or September or not at all

- buying new players requires upfront monies as down payments and if selling clubs believe our finances are challenged they may demand more up from


I do not expect ALK/VSL to be overly forthcoming on the situation, given how they have so far made it very difficult for us to have a clearer understanding, as always we have to wait for events to unfold and judge on the fragments we are given with what I refer to as deliberately obscured hindsight

I should add that if we made a significant loss last season then PSR will be a big concern when we report on this season to the EFL/PL in December 2025 - it may be that we have to watch that number closely all season - promotion costs the club very significant sums in bonuses and conditional transfer fees.

[Chester Perry]

Andy Holt has had some (understandable) choice words about this.

They've also highly rated Swindon who are a real basket case at the moment.

Paired with rating West Brom the best for financial stability in the championship last year they aren't something I'd say great store by.

As did the both of us, it is really a quite flawed undertaking

[bfcjg]

Andy Holt is a Claret at heart, I'd sooner him and some other genuine Clarets buy the club because ALK are not really that bothered unless there's something In it for them.

[Vegas Claret]

I should add that if we made a significant loss last season then PSR will be a big concern when we report on this season to the EFL/PL in December 2025 - it may be that we have to watch that number closely all season - promotion costs the club very significant sums in bonuses and conditional transfer fees.

so the likely of us bringing any quality in next week other than loans is pretty minimal then. What a mess. Cheers for the reply and explanation as always mate

[GodIsADeeJay81]

The sports washing is in full swing over here in New York by the City Group

https://www.newyorkcityfc.com/stadiumga ... %20stadium!

I went to watch New York City play Chicago fire at the Mets baseball stadium, which was a weird experience with the seating and view

[GetIntoEm]

Andy Holt is a Claret at heart, I'd sooner him and some other genuine Clarets buy the club because ALK are not really that bothered unless there's something In it for them.

Andy Holt has nowhere near the resources to either buy our club or the skills to run it. Stupid suggestion

[bfcjg]

Andy Holt has nowhere near the resources to either buy our club or the skills to run it. Stupid suggestion

If you say so.

[ksrclaret]

Andy Holt has nowhere near the resources to either buy our club or the skills to run it. Stupid suggestion

That didn’t stop Squeaky Alan

[GetIntoEm]

If you say so.

I do say so. We might as well see if Haffners wants to buy us out

[bfcjg]

I do say so. We might as well see if Haffners wants to buy us out

So building a business that exports all around the world employing numerous people,funding a small Lancashire football team for years counts for nothing ? OK.
Barry Kilby had no experience of running a club and that turned out well.

[GetIntoEm]

So building a business that exports all around the world employing numerous people,funding a small Lancashire football team for years counts for nothing ? OK.
Barry Kilby had no experience of running a club and that turned out well.

He's done well with his business, I'm not saying he hasn't. He's just small fry in football terms. Certainly for a club trying to sustain being a premier league club

[aggi]

As did the both of us, it is really a quite flawed undertaking

When you look at the clubs involved you can see why Andy Holt was somewhat snippy when they contacted him suggesting they could give him some guidance

https://www.fairgameuk.org/fair-game-clubs

[brexit]

I am not a money guy, so please forgive the naive question - how does going into administration affect a leveraged buyout?

[Chester Perry]

Farhad Moshiri's desperate efforts to sell Everton sees him enter yet another exclusivity agreement, this time with the occasionally strange operator John Textor, who has been trying to sell his shares in Crystal Palace for over 2 years, a process made more difficult because he keeps talking publicly about the difficulty of getting his way at Palace even though he is the senior shareholder - he is also trying to make a significant profit on those shares which means fellow co-owners David Harris and Josh Harris won't bite

Textor does not seem to concerned about the issues that have seen the Friedkin Group walk away

from The Athletic

Crystal Palace shareholder John Textor granted exclusivity in Everton takeover talks
https://archive.ph/ckD4C

with this news there should now be nobody who believes that Everton are going to be sold anytime soon - it is almost like this is the only way that Alisher Usmanov could return monies invested in Everton (with the help of the Russian government via its legal system) , that is if you believe that Alisher Usmanov was the owner of Everton in all but name

from The Athletic

Alisher Usmanov and Farhad Moshiri court case adds to Everton takeover complications
https://archive.ph/BYVAZ

[Big Vinny K]

The very definition of ‘fit and proper” - NOT

Would love to be a fly on the wall to see what the people assessing these prospective owners are actually reviewing to make their judgement.
Look at our own case - it feels like if they hit a brick wall in trying to establish source of funds or source of wealth etc they just move on to the next question….”is Mr X an axe murderer ?’

[Chester Perry]

the Kings Speech earlier today confirmed that the new government would press on with legislation to introduce a new Independent Football Regulator

Martin Cloak this morning used his 'The Football Fan' blog to highlight how he thinks this rerun of the bill could be improved

The Business
The more you look at the way football is run, the more the case for change becomes clear. It's important fans understand the opportunity.
https://martincloake.substack.com/p/the-business
https://archive.ph/pVr3g

I have not posted about this for a while but this is an interesting read - there are reasons why the last government Kept its focus on specific areas, though even then there were some areas that would be considered problematic by UEFA and FIFA

England risk ban from their own Euros, Uefa warns
Officials have told ministers that Labour plans for a state-run football watchdog put the independence of the sport in jeopardy
from The Times

https://archive.ph/fKfsD

[Chester Perry]

It has been a while since I have mentioned Alex Fynn - the true architect of The Premier League, The Champions League and even the Super League - though all became more of what he advocated against than for

today the Price of Football Podcast has a special interview pod with him - it is well worth a listen in a week when the Premier League appears to be heading ever closer to implosion as a result of decisions and actions made out of self-interest rather than the good of the game and the interests of the supporters, particularly for those who are unaware of what Fynn was advocating all those years ago and the general indolence and incompetence (though even that was cloaked in self interest) that was employed by the FA

Interview: Alex Fynn, author and "spiritual godfather of the Premier League"
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6UMG0q8kK6p0vYGteoT5ir

[Chester Perry]

I have been posting about this for so long that I thought I should interrupt my sabbatical and post this update

It has been a while but it looks like Barcelona's/Joan Laporta's financial levers could finally be coming home to roost - here Sam Wallace of the Telegraph (who has been writing about this likelihood for years brings us the latest

Barcelona are addicted to spending – their day of reckoning is finally coming
The Spanish giants’ response to their dizzying debt has been very ‘big club’ – refusing culpability and throwing more money at the problem
https://archive.ph/LhcSD

[bfcjg]

The normal rules of business doesn't seem to apply to football, it's almost like a we'll worry about that later attitude.

[Chester Perry]

The normal rules of business doesn't seem to apply to football, it's almost like a we'll worry about that later attitude.

There is no almost about it - take this - a combination of other long running sagas- on this thread - Qatar/PSG/Nasser al Khelaifi in a their bid for absolute control of French Football and the general incompetence of the LFP (French Ligue)

from the Guardian

Rebellion over Visit Qatar shirt deal exposes balance of power in Ligue 1
The current existential threat to some of the biggest clubs in the country shows who holds the cards in French football
https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... ponsorship
https://archive.ph/LEy0o

[Chester Perry]

Another long running saga from this thread - 777 Partners whose demise while pleasing is going to cause a lot of pain for many thousands in lost jobs and investments not to mention the concerns for supporters of the clubs linked to them

from Josimar Football - I suspect there will be more to follow

777 Partners in crime
777 Partners has collapsed, leaving behind seven football clubs in a desperate financial position. With insurmountable debts, will anyone acquire any of these clubs?
https://web.archive.org/web/20241007103 ... -in-crime/

[Chester Perry]

The normal rules of business doesn't seem to apply to football, it's almost like a we'll worry about that later attitude.

and just to show that it is not about football but about the whims of owners who cannot accept the spirit of rules voted in by a majority - this is the story I expected to go ballistic, instead the world shrugged and many are not even aware of it - it concerns Manchester City's legal bills for its long running actions against the Premier League - apparently

"CFG is owed a little more than £29million by its owners for something it did on behalf of its owners between the summers of 2021 and 2023"

If clubs can set off such legal costs it will leave the door wide open to such chicanery that we have witnessed from Manchester City against the Premier League over the last 6 years.

from The Athletic last month

Business of Football: FIFA, Google and the Streisand effect – and searching for Man City legal fees
https://archive.ph/01mKL

[Chester Perry]

Following on from the general theme of yesterday's posts - mega wealthy/powerful owners doing what they want, how they want, when they want without a care for the traditions, rules and spirit of the game. People who will say whatever people wan/need to hear at any given moment with total conviction all the while knowing the statementthey are giving is essentially false - this should come as no surprise given how much of a role our own government played in trying to get the takeover of Newcastle United pushed through. It should be remembered that the current draft for the Football Regulator, explicitly states that such intervention should be possible in the future on grounds of National Interest (that is not related to the game).

from The Telegraph

Newcastle Utd takeover was controlled by Mohammed bin Salman, leaked WhatsApps suggest
Messages from businesswoman Amanda Staveley claim Saudi Crown Prince pulled strings behind the scenes of controversial deal
https://archive.ph/TGv9l

[Chester Perry]

This is a perhaps surprising story (in terms of partner - surely Viaplay or Comcast would be more open to such monies, though there is the fact that it would likely prevent a beOutQ type revival within Saudi - even though we know that where possible the Premier League will partner with establish broadcast partners - even when they enter new markets 9a lesson the LFP in France have learned perhaps too late and to it's considerable cost.

In monetary terms beINsport are the Premier Leagues 3rd biggest media partner (after Comcast and Viaplay), and it is fair to say that they dominate the Middle East and North Africa marketplace

It also brings to mind the heady days of Granada and Sky owning shares in some of the Premier Leagues biggest clubs, or even newspaper magnate Robert Maxwell before the Premier League came into being) - which led to intervention from Government regulatory bodies on competition grounds (most notably when Sky tried to purchase Manchester United).

Given that any such investment would almost certainly be made by PiF on behalf of the state, I would imagine that Premier League members will be wanting more regulation around football club owners in the league also owning significant stakes in major broadcast partners, if the recent Associated Party Transactions upheaval is anything to go by.

from The Telegraph

Saudi Arabia in talks to buy Qatar broadcaster BeIN Sport after Newcastle takeover deal
Kingdom wants stake in Premier League rights-holder which had opposed 2021 deal to buy St James’ Park club
https://archive.ph/8mjs0