Latest news with #independentregulator
New York Times
08-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Independent English football regulator given green light by MPs
The bill to introduce English football's first independent regulator was approved in the House of Commons on Tuesday by a majority of 415 votes in favour to 98 against, making its passage into law this summer a formality. In a lively third reading of the bill, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy and sports minister Stephanie Peacock said football fans had waited long enough for a government to protect clubs from rogue owners. They also poked fun at the opposition benches for the Conservative Party's U-turn on independent regulation, despite their active support for the idea when they were in government, and pointed out that politicians from all parties had been talking about this for more than a decade. Advertisement 'We are doing this for you, the best fans in the world,' Nandy told a well-attended debate. 'For too long you've been treated as an afterthought, at best, and a nuisance, at worst, in a game that's only great because of you.' She then said the bill was for the supporters of clubs that have either gone bust, such as Bury and Macclesfield, or have got very close to the precipice, such as Wigan, Bolton, Derby, Reading, Sheffield Wednesday and Morecambe, the National League side that faces a very uncertain future as a proposed takeover is being held up by their current owner. While the vote was another resounding victory for the government on this bill's passage through parliament, the shadow sports minister Louie French did not go down without swinging. The Conservative MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup repeatedly accused the government of risking English football's financial health by 'replacing the risk of irresponsible owners with reckless political interference', saying the regulator would tie clubs up in red tape and had too much power. French also clashed with Nandy over his claim that the government's choice to chair the independent regulatory, veteran media executive and Labour Party donor David Kogan, was a 'government crony'. Nandy hit back hard at this line of attack, noting that Kogan's name was on a long list of candidates she inherited from the last Conservative government, which included a Conservative Party donor, and that Kogan had been appointed to chair public broadcaster Channel 4 by the Conservatives. But she was warned by the speaker of the house for suggesting that French was displaying 'staggering hypocrisy', as that would be 'unparliamentary language'. French, however, did attempt to add an amendment to the bill that would have ended the ban on fans being allowed to drink alcohol within sight of the pitch in the top five tiers of men's football in England. The amendment was defeated by 178 votes in support to 338 against. Advertisement The government's stance on this idea is more nuanced than the vote would suggest, however. In fact, the last government approved a pilot scheme to test if alcohol could be made as available at football games as it is at cricket, rugby and all other sports, as well music events held at football stadiums. Those pilots did not happen, though, and the Labour government is keen to push on with them. The Liberal Democrats also proposed an amendment to the bill that would have seen 10 Premier League games a season ring-fenced for broadcast on free-to-air channels, plus the League Cup final and all of the EFL's play-off finals. While this idea would undoubtedly be a crowd-pleaser, it would also almost certainly scupper English football's business model, which is highly dependent on the large fees it receives from the likes of Sky Sports and TNT Sports in return for exclusive live rights. It is also hard to think of a better example of the type of government interference that the bill's critics, most notably the Premier League, have been warning against. As a result, the government did not support the Liberal Democrat idea and it was defeated by 340 votes to 86. The bill, without these two defeated amendments, now goes back to the House of Lords for its consent to the small number of changes the House of Commons did make to the original draft, which should be quickly nodded through, leaving only the final formality of royal assent before it becomes law. After such a smooth passage through parliament, the government is confident this will happen before Westminster's summer recess, which starts 22 July.
BBC News
08-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Football Governance Bill set to become law
MPs have voted to back the Football Governance Bill and establish an independent regulator to oversee the men's game in England's top five voted by 415 to 98 to pass the bill at its third reading in the House of Commons, and it is now poised to become legislation will grant powers to a body that is independent from government and football government has previously said an independent regulator will "protect football clubs" by "ensuring their financial sustainability"."I am proud to be part of the winning team that has put our fans back on the pitch at the heart of the game, where they belong," Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said. The bill was initially introduced in March 2024 by the then-Conservative government but failed to pass through parliament before a general election was called in May. The new Labour government reintroduced the bill in July a message to fans before the vote, Nandy had told the Commons: "We are doing this for you because for too long, you have been treated as an afterthought at best or a nuisance at worst in a game that is only great because of you."This is for Macclesfield, for Wigan, for Bury, for Bolton, for Derby, for Reading, for Sheffield Wednesday, for Morecambe and for many, many more who have had to endure the misery of being put last when they should have been put first."Shadow Minister for Sport, Louie French MP, criticised the Bill, saying "a future Conservative government will trigger a review of Labour's regulator as soon as possible".
The Guardian
11-06-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
English football faces strain between money and fans' needs, says report
England's football system is 'under strain' in a climate of tension between commercial imperatives and the needs of supporters, according to a new report from Deloitte. The analysis also warns that uncertainty over the role and scope of an independent regulator is 'unhelpful' to those wishing to join the rush of investors entering the sport. The Annual Review of Football Finance painted an overall picture of a booming industry, pointing out that the European football market was worth a record £32.2bn in 2023-24. More than £16.9bn of that was generated by the 'big five' leagues, with the Premier League alone recording revenues of £6.3bn. Deloitte cautioned, though, that those numbers do not tell the full tale of a game caught between its community roots and the requirement for continued growth. 'There can be no doubt that the system in English football is under strain,' said Tim Bridge, lead partner at Deloitte sports business group, in the report's foreword. 'Repeated reports of fan unrest at ticket price and accessibility demonstrate the challenge in the modern era of balancing commercial growth with the historic essence of a football club's role and position in society: as a community asset.' A bill to create the independent football regulator went through its second reading in parliament last month. It could transform the game's governance but Bridge cited the gap between Premier League and Championship finances as a problem that must be addressed. 'It is clear that the way in which the game is governed and the regulation that underpins it needs to seek to drive value, fan engagement [both physical and digital] and competitive balance,' he said. 'The two most recent seasons underscore the challenge, as in each season, all three clubs promoted from the Championship were subsequently relegated after just one season in the Premier League. The financial implications of the 'yo-yo effect' on clubs, their spending, and overall competitiveness are major factors to address in order to continue attracting high levels of investment across the system.' The hope is that the regulator can begin its work this autumn, although roadblocks include a likely inquiry into the government's choice for its chair, David Kogan. Bridge pointed out that the uncertainty about its form rings alarm bells for investors. 'The level of interest and the demand to engage with English football remains high and investors still see the opportunity, particularly when there is a strong community link or adjacent investment opportunities, but the lack of clarity over the future regulatory regime is now unhelpful,' he said. He noted that other 'big five' leagues – those of France, Germany, Italy and Spain – are monitoring the regulator's possible effects, seeing it as a potential opportunity to close the financial chasm that has opened between England's top flight and the rest. The Premier League's aggregate revenue was almost double the £3.2bn recorded by La Liga, its nearest competitor. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion Premier League clubs' aggregate operating profit grew to more than £500m in 2023-24, the report showed, but net debt was up 12% to £3.5bn. Revenues in the Championship soared by a notable 28% to £958m, but all of the division's clubs recorded operating losses. 'Long-term strategies must be established to ensure financial stability across the league,' Bridge said.
