Football's Magic Money Tree

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Thu May 09, 2019 3:51 pm

Given the level of American ownership in the Premier League (3 owning NFL franchises) and the fact an American broadcaster now owns Sky I find it amazing that the Premier League have not looked into this - must be the distraction of finding Scudamore's replacement

Football bodies explore lucrative sponsorship for VAR breaks -

https://www.ft.com/content/700dfa86-70d ... 3e61754ec6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

the earning potential is not insignificant

https://twitter.com/Lu_Class_/status/11 ... 5909020674" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Thu May 09, 2019 4:36 pm

Following the European Leagues Organisation get together in Madrid earlier this week this short press release was made

https://europeanleagues.com/european-le ... -football/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The meeting with UEFA referred to in that does not appear to have gone the way the ELO were hoping. It seems UEFA have sided with Andrea Agnelli on the proposed changes to European Club Competition post 2024 - have they been seduced by all those extra games and the potential for extra income

https://www.the42.ie/champions-league-p ... 5-May2019/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

officially UEFA are non-commital (other than asserting their position of final decision maker)

https://www.uefa.com/insideuefa/about-u ... 03918.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Reports are that the ELO are not happy

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/ar ... cials.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Thu May 09, 2019 4:51 pm

Spurs have set the benchmark in many ways with their new ground, but cost appears to be a very significant one - projected at around £500m when started the final bill is likely to be £1.3bn - this has understandably got Chelsea (and more especially Roman Abramovich, who is now based in Israel following his visa problems here) nervous. So the new ground which was pencilled in to open in August 2020 (initial budget £500m now £1bn) has been shelved and Chelsea are searching again for a new home

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... pment.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Thu May 09, 2019 4:56 pm

remember post #1004 where MAn Utd's failure to qualify for the Champs league caused a 1% drop in share value and I compared it to Juve's 24% when losing to Ajax even though they were about to win the league. Look what has happened to the share price of Ajax today after last nights defeat to Spurs

https://twitter.com/KieranMaguire/statu ... 9140205568" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ed Woodward definitely knows his financial onions

Royboyclaret · Post by **Royboyclaret** » Thu May 09, 2019 5:06 pm

Chester Perry wrote:Spurs have set the benchmark in many ways with their new ground, but cost appears to be a very significant one - projected at around £500m when started the final bill is likely to be £1.3bn - this has understandably got Chelsea (and more especially Roman Abramovich, who is now based in Israel following his visa problems here) nervous. So the new ground which was pencilled in to open in August 2020 (initial budget £500m now £1bn) has been shelved and Chelsea are searching again for a new home

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... pment.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Heard today that the latest designs for Everton's new home are due to be finalised next month. They have a working budget of £650m. Hopefully no restricted views.

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Thu May 09, 2019 6:02 pm

The EFL reports that attendances continue to rise as they become the best it 60 years

https://www.efl.com/news/2019/may/efl-a ... -year-high" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Attendances in the PL also at record levels

https://twitter.com/sportingintel/statu ... 2324100097" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- given the clubs relegated and those in line for promotion the PL will set top flight figures not seen since the 1940's

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Thu May 09, 2019 6:49 pm

Royboyclaret wrote:Heard today that the latest designs for Everton's new home are due to be finalised next month. They have a working budget of £650m. Hopefully no restricted views.

wow, to think that is a brown field site that has been cleared already (there will be infrastructure costs) and people on here think we can replace the Cricketfield stand and add a tier on the Bob Lord for less than £40m -

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Fri May 10, 2019 12:57 am

More on UEFA's Champions League proposals

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/09/spor ... n%2Fsoccer" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

also worth remembering that within the proposal there is Champions League cap of 5 teams per country. If none get relegated that could close the door to new entrants permanently.

CombatClaret · Post by **CombatClaret** » Fri May 10, 2019 1:05 am

I commend you for keeping this thread up, it's always worth reminding ourselves the cost both financially and morally of modern football.

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Fri May 10, 2019 1:07 am

Sepp Blatter is perhaps the epitome of those who have benefitted from Football's Magic Money Tree - The Man with no shame - is launching a lawsuit to recover as many as 80 watches he kept at FIFA (you remember those from Brazil and such like). It would also appear that FIFA have not been paying his pension. He has been telling the NY Times all about it

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/08/spor ... ctionfront" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Fri May 10, 2019 1:19 am

The nitty gritty detail on those UEFA proposals continues to emerge

https://apnews.com/541b87ec4de94b8aa8cad950cb054845" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

couple of diagrams illustrating the plans in this twitter thread https://twitter.com/RobHarris/status/11 ... 5002939393" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Fri May 10, 2019 10:34 am

In what is being described (by some) as a glorious week for English football and/or European Football we have:

-the probability that, given it is the 4 "poorest" clubs of the big six that have reached European Finals, the Revenue gap for the 2018/19 between the big six and the rest will be £200m+ for the first time. And next season the new overseas TV rights distribution rules mean greater revenue disparity domestically

-UEFA apparently joining forces with ECA and Andrea Agnelli against the Leagues and Nations that both fund and nurture them.

- Ajax (this years star team in the CL) who went through 3 qualifying rounds before charging to the semi-finals, would not have been allowed to be in the tournament under the proposed rules because they finished 2nd in the Eredivise last season. While the finalists Spurs and Liverpool (who finished 3rd and 4th in the PL) would

Meanwhile:
- the President of UEFA who came into office promising not to forget the smaller nations and their right to take part in UEFA's biggest competitions (what happened there then) is full of platitudes about this weeks results
https://www.uefa.com/insideuefa/about-u ... 04736.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Andrea Agnelli is thinking let's get on with it https://twitter.com/tariqpanja/status/1 ... 4021304321" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Fri May 10, 2019 10:51 am

@AndyhHolt is on form again today (he actually started last night if you look at his feed)

https://twitter.com/AndyhHolt/status/11 ... 8481108992" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Fri May 10, 2019 11:27 am

An excellent repost to those glorifying English Football's achievements in Europe this week

https://twitter.com/james_e_bland/statu ... 1134060547" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

#schooledbyAndy

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Fri May 10, 2019 1:44 pm

In post #1018 we saw the news on Attendances in the English game at almost unprecedented levels, but just how do they stand-up against other countries. The Football Observatory have been thoughtful enough to do the research for us - No surprise that Germany is out in front for it's top 2 leagues, but the sheer depth of support through the English pyramid is astounding

http://www.football-observatory.com/IMG ... r/mr44/en/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Fri May 10, 2019 3:36 pm

Simon Chadwick on how the prices for the CL Final are indicative of UEFA now partnering with rich clubs as opposed to looking after the interests of all

https://twitter.com/Prof_Chadwick/statu ... 5697317890" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Fri May 10, 2019 3:44 pm

Matt Slater did this piece for the press association about the UEFA/ECA partnership but it didn't get picked up - which is a shame

European Leagues boss says Champions League plans are worse than breakaway risk

European Leagues boss Lars-Christer Olsson believes the threat of a closed Champions League is “more serious” than the breakaway Super League proposals of the late 1990s and early 2000s because UEFA is involved this time.

The Swede was speaking at a press conference on Tuesday after a Madrid summit on the future of Europe’s club competitions which attracted representatives from 244 clubs, 41 leagues and 38 countries.

European Leagues staged the ‘club advisory platform’ to gauge opinion from its members – which include the English Football League, Premier League and Scottish Professional Football League – ahead of a key meeting with UEFA on Wednesday, when the organisation that represents the domestic game will be shown plans for radical changes to European competitions from 2024/25 onward.

UEFA has already met the European Club Association, with whom it has recently re-signed a memorandum of understanding, and many in the game believe the governing body is getting ready to cave into the rich clubs’ wish for more European football and a bigger slice of the financial pie.
This view has provoked a war of words between the ECA, which represents the continent’s biggest clubs, and European Leagues, with UEFA caught in the middle.

Last month, ECA chairman Andrea Agnelli wrote to his members in an attempt to convince them he was not trying to create a Super League by stealth, there were no plans to play more European games on weekends and domestic champions would always have access to the Champions League.

This followed reports that he is pushing for the current Champions League structure of eight groups of four teams changing to four groups of eight, with more guaranteed games and promotion and relegation from season to season.

But as well as his protestations about the talks with UEFA being at an early stage, Agnelli also told his members not to attend the European Leagues meeting as it would suggest the clubs’ position was not united.

European Leagues general secretary Georg Pangl, the chief executive of the Austrian Bundesliga, was sat alongside Olsson and he took some delight in pointing out that around 80 ECA clubs attended the meeting and “the majority don’t agree with the ECA line”.

But it is Olsson who struck the most combative tone, saying the meeting had “strengthened” the idea that the European Leagues were representing the views of “almost 1,000 clubs” who want to be “properly included in the decision-making process”.

“Our view is very clear, you should qualify for international competitions via domestic competitions and if you don’t do that it’s impossible to keep the interest of fans – we are sure they agree domestic competitions are the backbone of the game,” he said.

“We are not against change but we have significant concerns if that change is based on the concept Andrea Agnelli released to the clubs.
“It’s not rocket science: if you are going to play more games, you need more dates but weekends are reserved for domestic competitions and should remain so.

“If you are going to have promotion and relegation it means a certain amount of clubs will be protected from qualification via domestic leagues, so that doesn’t work.”

He then said there were similarities between the current debate and the situation that existed 15 years ago when UEFA was at loggerheads with the ECA’s forerunner, the G-14 group of elite clubs.

That was when the clubs used the threat of a breakaway Super League to extract concessions from UEFA, including a bigger share of the riches generated by the Champions League and Europa League.

“It’s more complicated now because it would happen under UEFA’s umbrella…so it’s a more difficult and serious story,” he added.
LaLiga boss Javier Tebas was also at the press conference and he agreed that domestic football should come first and the leagues should have a much bigger say in the game’s future.

But he also said LaLiga has been exploring its legal options if the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona backed Agnelli’s plan. He did not give much away but he said the league was confident it would have a good case.

He also said the Spanish league had asked the global accountancy firm KPMG to explore what impact a closed European league would have on his clubs and the findings were stark: a reduction in LaLiga’s size from 20 clubs to 18, European games at weekends, a £750million fall in annual revenue and a 45 per cent decrease in the value of its clubs.

Tebas, however, said he did not believe Real or Barca were serious about leaving LaLiga, as it was worth so much money to them.
While Agnelli did not want his members to attend the meeting, he attended in his capacity as Juventus president, as did the ECA’s vice-chairman and Ajax chief executive Edwin Van Der Sar.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, the former Manchester United goalkeeper said: “European Leagues have a meeting with UEFA tomorrow, so I think it’s quite strange that there has been talk about things that might happen from 2024 onward.

“There have been rumours about closed systems, weekend games and non-participation for certain clubs – that is not true. The main thing we are fighting for is to get more access for more countries and clubs.

“And to develop football it’s important we play more meaningful games. Sometimes that doesn’t happen in a domestic league.
“For a club like Ajax to develop players, you have to play interesting games and those games are most often in Europe. We can see that this year with how our players have grown. Others can do that.

“We still have to discuss what elements we want to develop but the process is open. Of course, you can’t have 60 different voices talking about one competition. Stakeholders need a voice but you can’t please everyone.”

Asked if this meant the debate would be driven by rich clubs, Van Der Sar said: “I don’t know what you mean by rich.

“At Ajax we get 8.5million euros in TV money. Tottenham said it was unfair that the Dutch league cancelled the fixtures before our (Champions League semi-final) but they get 180million euros in TV money. So what is fair?
“We live in different countries with different possibilities. That’s why we need to find a European solution.”

Slater also tweeted this intriguing/demoralising titbit about some research La Liga commissioned about the impact of ECA's plans - One thing to highlight here is the study La Liga asked KPMG to do on the impact of these plans on Spanish league: a reduction to 18 teams, Euro games on weekends, £750m fall in league turnover & 45% average decrease in club values. A couple would do OK, though!

Royboyclaret · Post by **Royboyclaret** » Fri May 10, 2019 4:57 pm

Chester Perry wrote:In post #1018 we saw the news on Attendances in the English game at almost unprecedented levels, but just how do they stand-up against other countries. The Football Observatory have been thoughtful enough to do the research for us - No surprise that Germany is out in front for it's top 2 leagues, but the sheer depth of support through the English pyramid is astounding

http://www.football-observatory.com/IMG ... r/mr44/en/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Some remarkable numbers there from Germany with the recent years' average of Dortmund considerably higher than Man United and even our old foes Hamburg higher than Man City.

From Burnley's point of view it's interesting to compare our attendances recently with those immediately after the WW2. Clearly the local population were relieved to see the return to peacetime and competitive football again with our gates as a Division Two club nothing short of astounding. At Turf Moor we had a home gate against Bury of 40,145 whist away from home at Newcastle of 61,255 and Manchester City of 69,463. The following season season back in Division One attendances were even higher.

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Fri May 10, 2019 5:16 pm

With The PL resurgent in Europe the biggest losers have been the Spanish - who have won the last 5 Champions Leagues and 4 of the last 5 Europa Leagues. But what of the domestic picture, we know that the Telegraph has been questioning the finances of both Barcelona and Real Madrid for some time. La Liga themselves, understandably, would like to paint a brighter picture about their overall growth, sustainability and ambitions on the global stage - the are definitely targetting the PL.

http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/la-l ... -broadcast" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

the spanish are definitely more punchy about the overseas games that the PL, even though the Spanish FA have so far refused it. Their Cup final will be played abroad (similar to the Italians) in Saudi Arabia.

http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/la-l ... ck.twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

much will come down to the big two - both in need of refreshing ageing squads, which will inevitably involve talent that is not as well known, which in the new markets of the East and China is pivital as fans their attach themselves much more to players than clubs (a player retires or moves to another league that audience goes with them.)

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/25/china-i ... clubs.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and we must remember that final paragraph from the previous post - lose the Big 2 and it is catastrophic

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Fri May 10, 2019 5:59 pm

Just a little morsel on the disparity that the UEFA/ECA are looking to increase with their post 2024 proposals - This season, just over €2.04bn will be distributed to the 32 clubs playing in the Champions League. Both Liverpool and Spurs are likely to earn as much from the Champions League as Huddersfield and Fulham in the Premier League having earned at least 1.4 times as them in the Premier League

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Fri May 10, 2019 6:39 pm

Following post #130 about la Liga, The Bundesliga also have ambitions

https://worldfootballsummit.com/robert- ... the-world/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Fri May 10, 2019 6:42 pm

And while the European Leagues and Clubs fight for share in the Eastern markets as this article suggests - do not rule out clubs from the East utilising vast resources and political will rising to be global giants themselves

https://worldfootballsummit.com/importa ... tball-wfs/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Fri May 10, 2019 6:58 pm

In post #951 I said Sunderland was for sale - well it is to be sold to a New York fronted consortium funded by monies from the Far East

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football ... 1557509100" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

or is it

https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2019/5 ... ed-the-gun" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Fri May 10, 2019 7:29 pm

Another morsel on disparity in the vain of that in post #1032 - this time from Nick Harris @sportingIntel

For all the seismic football drama this week, by season's end the richest dozen football clubs in the world (by income) will, combined, have won the PL (and filled the top 6 places), La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1; the CL & runners-up; EL & runners-up.

- he might as well add the European Supercup and the club world cup (though Liverpool blew that last time)
- not sure where Real Madrid fit in with winning anything but you get the gist

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Fri May 10, 2019 7:39 pm

Once upon a time fans use to turn up to the game, pay cash at the gate, enjoy the game and go home - maybe even see a player or two on the bus and everyone was happy - now this is the type of things that make boardrooms excited

https://worldfootballsummit.com/global- ... universal/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Fri May 10, 2019 8:06 pm

While I have posted a lot about the Champions League being a closed shop post 2024 - Football Benchmark look at how much you need to spend to have a chance of Champions League qualification now - In Italian but subtitles available at 5th Icon from bottom right of the screen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... 0YKw9zCDgs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Mon May 13, 2019 11:05 am

A good piece from TIFO football explaining how Spurs should cope with the cost of the new stadium and remain competitive

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGYQDmW ... e=youtu.be" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Mon May 13, 2019 11:07 am

@SwissRamble shows the cost of being in the Europa League as opposed to Champions League for Arsenal and Chelsea

https://twitter.com/SwissRamble/status/ ... 5860625408" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Mon May 13, 2019 11:10 am

Nick Harris @sportingintel shows the Premier League earnings this season - big drop for us and Liverpool earn more than City

https://twitter.com/sportingintel/statu ... 4245188608" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Mon May 13, 2019 1:11 pm

There is more detail emerging of last Wednesday's meeting between UEFA and the European Leagues Organisation the outcome of which was the revelation that UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin was effectively going with the ECA plan post 2024.

https://apnews.com/cbd9ed1fd30c4ac3a782bab4207321ed" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Now compare that to his thoughts about the big clubs and the payments they earned when he was first elected into his role

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... -president" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

to paraphrase Mrs Merton to Debbie Magee - What is it about multi billion euro tv deals that attracted you to the ECA, Aleksander?

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Mon May 13, 2019 2:26 pm

Richard Scudamore has his say on the post 2024 European club competition proposals - it is hard not to choke when you consider the impact on the domestic pyramid that he has overseen

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/ar ... order.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Mon May 13, 2019 3:22 pm

Jonathan Liew from the Independent takes a deep philosophical view on the post 2024 proposals

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/foo ... 08781.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Royboyclaret · Post by **Royboyclaret** » Mon May 13, 2019 5:31 pm

Chester Perry wrote:Nick Harris @sportingintel shows the Premier League earnings this season - big drop for us and Liverpool earn more than City

https://twitter.com/sportingintel/statu ... 4245188608" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Big drop indeed, £15m from the £119m of the previous season.

Likely to be someway offset, however, by a significant drop in the Wage bill. The £81m from last season included a £23m bonus for finishing 7th. Of course, from a financial perspective, retaining our PL status for another season was another giant step forward as the Club goes from strength to strength at least off the pitch.

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Mon May 13, 2019 11:15 pm

In post #641 we learned that PSG had managed to put a binding block on investigations pre 2014 and I suggested that Man City would employ similar tactics - well if they have they have failed - that or the current investigation involves newer indiscretions (football leaks anyone). There are reports that the investigations are almost concluded and that there is a desire to ban city from European Competition for at least 1 year

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/foo ... 12411.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This story originally broke in the NY Times (I have used up my free articles), they have the edge on everyone at the moment, and has caused a bit of a ~~~~storm on social media - city fans rather upset and vindictive to say the least

Edit just because I can't read it doesn't have to mean you can't https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/13/spor ... -uefa.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Tue May 14, 2019 12:24 am

More on that City story from the Telegraph - will be behind a paywall shortly to transcribed in full

Man City at risk of Champions League ban with Uefa financial investigation verdict due - Tom Morgan, Sports News Correspondent
13 May 2019 • 10:35pm

Uefa financial investigators are reportedly expected to press ahead with recommendations for a Champions League ban against Manchester City within the next week.

Yves Leterme, the chairman and chief investigator of Uefa’s club financial control body, has been leading the review into evidence surrounding an alleged £60million payments deception detailed during the Football Leaks scandal last autumn.

Telegraph Sport disclosed in January how European football’s governing body was considering a suspension against the Premier League champions over potential breaches in Financial Fair Play rules. City deny any wrongdoing.

The New York Times now reports that investigation will conclude this week or next week, and is set to recommend a ban from the Champions League of at least one season.

The investigatory chamber is said to have finalised its conclusions two weeks ago in Nyon, Switzerland. A Uefa spokesman said it was unable to comment on a live investigation.

Leterme said in February that the club faced “the heaviest punishment” if the allegations were proven. Senior Uefa officials – who previously launched sanctions against City in 2014 – are particularly enraged by leaked files from 2015, which claim almost £60million was paid directly into the club by their billionaire Arab owners but declared as sponsorship.

“If it is true what has been written, there might be a serious problem,” Leterme said in an interview translated by German magazine Der Spiegel, which initially broke the Football Leaks scandal. “This can lead to the heaviest punishment: exclusion from the Uefa competitions.”

The documents, allegedly obtained by illegal email hacks, were previously said to show £59.5 million that was supposed to have come from City’s principal sponsor, Etihad Airways, was paid directly to the club by the Abu Dhabi United Group. To put that into context, City’s record signing is Riyad Mahrez, who cost £60 million from Leicester City last season.

According to Der Spiegel in November, City breached FFP rules by €188 million (£167 million) in 2014. City owner Sheikh Mansour was accused of funding significant parts of so-called deals with club sponsors in an attempt to escape Uefa sanctions. Der Spiegel also alleged that City set up a secret scheme called “Project Longbow”, which effectively hid about £40 million in payments to players, after the club had agreed a €20 million fine as a settlement for FFP breaches.

However, City have claimed “the attempt to damage the club’s reputation is organised and clear” and said they “will not be providing any comment on out-of-context materials purportedly hacked or stolen from City Football Group and Man City personnel and associated people”.

A spokeswoman for City told the Telegraph that the club stood by its previous "strenuous denial of any financial wrongdoing"

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Tue May 14, 2019 12:31 am

Chinese owned Southampton have announced a new shirt sponsor for the next 3 seasons in a "record breaking" deal for their club. The prime point of interest is that this is for a Chinese company that has yet to open it's doors for business but has just thrown circa £20m or more at Southampton. This could get interesting.

http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/sout ... uI.twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It is an ugly logo to - like ours - https://twitter.com/SouthamptonFC/statu ... 5520528385" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Tue May 14, 2019 12:38 am

Oh dear - Man City go all Man Utd for some reason I expect better from them

https://twitter.com/frntofficesport/sta ... 9764395009" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Tue May 14, 2019 12:53 am

Just as Man City are about to be punished for it's dubious sponsorship deals PSG announce their new shirt sponsor

https://twitter.com/Prof_Chadwick/statu ... 4676169729" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Oh and if you think PSG got off lightly this year from UEFA - remember this, from @tariqpanja

“P.S.G. and UEFA have a tangled relationship. The team’s owners also run beIN Sports, the broadcaster that is UEFA’s biggest media rights buyer. Both the club and beIN Sports are run by Nasser al-Khelaifi who was elected to a position on UEFA’s executive board earlier this year.”

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Tue May 14, 2019 10:10 am

@AndyhHolt is sick to the back teeth of the lack of irresponsibility of the EFL. FA. FL, PFA - if we didn't already know. I am guessing he has had more threatening letters from them. If anything he is more determined to speak out - I happen to think he is bang on here

https://twitter.com/AndyhHolt/status/11 ... 7794905091" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Tue May 14, 2019 10:47 am

More on that Southampton shirt sponsor deal see post #1048 - there are going to be lots of questions (if only about the timing)

https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/art ... ts-who-are" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Simon Chadwick has the same thoughts as me

https://twitter.com/Prof_Chadwick/statu ... 7812722690" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I first mentioned the possiblity of Chinese state interest in Southampton in post #821

edlass · Post by **edlass** » Tue May 14, 2019 11:08 am

Chester Perry wrote:More on that Southampton shirt sponsor deal see post #1048 - there are going to be lots of questions (if only about the timing)

https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/art ... ts-who-are" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Simon Chadwick has the same thoughts as me

https://twitter.com/Prof_Chadwick/statu ... 7812722690" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I first mentioned the possiblity of Chinese state interest in Southampton in post #821

Thanks for all the posts. I am always reading them.

Is the suggestion here that this company is a front for Southampton's owner to pump more money in under the guise of a separate company?

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Tue May 14, 2019 11:10 am

In post #697 I posted @Prof_Chadwick piece on how the European/West's old approach to a rule based structure for sport makes no sense to those entering from the East - and suggests why UEFA will have to change it's FFP approach

In post #1050 I posted about both PSG's new shirt sponsor and the tangled web UEFA have got into with Qatar

which led to this serious and pertinent exchange that illustrates just how complex the regulation of our beloved game is becoming

@Prof_Chadwick - Notwithstanding concerns about how PSG's ownership & club's commercial portfolio sit within UEFA FFP, the more fundamental issues are around role sport plays in nation building, nation branding, political influence, soft power, industrial development & so forth....

Chris Anderson @soccerquant - I think this is a huge issue for football in general & one that needs to be addressed. I worry when football clubs become geopolitical footballs (pun intended) or purely commercial projects disconnected from the communities & cultures that made them. Regulators should take note.

@Prof-Chadwick - Really interesting observation, not just in context of PSG/Qatar but also e.g. (un)English club appearances in this year's UCL/UEL finals. With so many claiming a stake in clubs, in a globalised world, whose community/culture is it anyway? Domestic/continental regulatory........intervention increasingly ineffective. Which in turn raises questions of: what needs to regulated? Why? For what purpose? In what ways? With what consequence?

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Tue May 14, 2019 11:16 am

edlass wrote:Thanks for all the posts. I am always reading them.

Is the suggestion here that this company is a front for Southampton's owner to pump more money in under the guise of a separate company?

you might think that but I couldn't possibly comment - is the saying I believe

It will be difficult to prove - but to announce a major sponsorship like this with nothing behind it, will always cause questions and has even back in China as that South China Morning Post article shows. If it was combined with a Company/Product launch that would be slightly strange but this way it just smells very wrong

Happy to hear you think the thread is a worthwhile read - I do wonder if it is just a handful who thinks so sometimes

edlass · Post by **edlass** » Tue May 14, 2019 11:30 am

I love the thread, I would definitely credit it with my increased interest in football finances. Although now when I talk to people about football I cant help myself but to turn it to the finances or start quoting losses but I think people like to stay ignorant to it all.

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Tue May 14, 2019 11:36 am

edlass wrote:I love the thread, I would definitely credit it with my increased interest in football finances. Although now when I talk to people about football I cant help myself but to turn it to the finances or start quoting losses but I think people like to stay ignorant to it all.

I get enough of these

on here to risk talking about it elsewhere

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Tue May 14, 2019 11:36 am

A little piece from football benchmark on the self fulfilling prophecy in Europe (virtuous circle???)

https://www.footballbenchmark.com/libra ... _of_powers" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Tue May 14, 2019 11:51 am

The Betting industry pours a huge amount of sponsorship into football and only does so for the return it gets - but what they contribution to Britains biggest gambling addiction charity raise questions

https://twitter.com/healthystadia/statu ... 3400019969" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Tue May 14, 2019 12:09 pm

Manchester City react to that Tariq Panja article in the New York Times see post #1046

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... -innocence" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

they refused to comment to Panja yesterday but are now talking to what was The Manchester Guardian hmmmm - strange choice of pr machine given Mr Conn's record

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Wed May 15, 2019 7:43 am

Surprising but welcome move - it appears that the FA Cup will be free to air from 2021/22 - with games shared between BBC and ITV - deal not done but close according to reports

https://twitter.com/TimesSport/status/1 ... 5912369152" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Wed May 15, 2019 11:31 am

Remember post #821 and the suggestion that Southampton may be Chinese State owned - The PL say they are not

https://twitter.com/OffThePitch_com/sta ... 3601372160" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- I cannot see the article as it is behind a paywall - but interesting that the news is not available through either PL or Southampton media outlets

but those with a grater understanding of how these things work remain sceptical

https://twitter.com/Prof_Chadwick/statu ... 2595594240" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;