The Political Economy of Football V2

Time for a bit of boosterism for the Premier League at a time when commercial influences on football are under challenge.  Many fans are concerned about its dominance of the game and whether enough money trickles down to the EFL and grassroots football, although the Premier League would argue that it makes generous provision.   An agreement has finally been reached with the EFL on funding with the independent regulator hovering in the background with a figure of £1.5 bn being reported:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cx2r015jjl0o The Premier League will add £33 billion to the UK economy and generate close to £15 billion in tax revenue over the next three seasons, according to analysis from EY. The economic value of England’s highest domestic football competition has grown 14-fold since the 1998-99 season, with record international viewing numbers and lucrative broadcasting rights creating one of the richest leagues in Europe. The economic contribut...

Amanda Staveley’s consortium has agreed a £150million deal to buy a 25.1 per cent share in West Ham United, which will throw the future ownership of the Championship club into doubt.  Through her firm, PCP Capital Partners, Staveley offered a higher sum than the one tabled by Daniel Kretinsky, the Czech billionaire who already owns 27 per cent of the club, to purchase the full stake from the family of the late David Gold. Last month the Gold family had agreed to sell 16 per cent of their stake to Kretinsky. He is now considering “all options” after the setback. The proposed deal would have made the Royal Mail owner the biggest shareholder and given him control of the club. Kretinsky and Vanessa Gold, David’s daughter, who are both West Ham co-chairs, said in a statement at the time that they had hoped the deal would be completed soon.  Staveley’s deal was more attractive to Gold’s family because they can dispose of the full holding and it valued the club at a higher s...

Chelsea have been fined £10 million ($13.4m) and given a suspended transfer ban following an investigation into 74 alleged breaches of the English Football Association’s regulations. The club were also initially hit with a suspended six-point deduction by an independent regulatory commission, which handed out the punishments, before this was overturned on appeal. Chelsea were instead given a two-window transfer ban, which is suspended until June 30, 2027. The FA can apply to activate that ban if any Chelsea are deemed to have potentially committed any similar breaches. The breaches relate to a period of time between 2009 and 2022 and “primarily events that occurred between the 2010-11 to 2015-16 playing seasons” — when Roman Abramovich was still owner of Chelsea — the FA said. The latest decision brings the amount of money Chelsea have been fined to more than £18m, after UEFA imposed a €10 million (£8.6m, $11m at the time) sanction in July 2023 concerning the same offences. ...

Real Madrid have reported record financial revenues for the third successive season  They are the first club to break through the £1.2bn revenue barrier:  https://onefootball.com/fr/news/real-madrid-break-revenue-record-again-with-santiago-bernabeu-behind-massive-growth-43204523 The renovation of the Bernabeu stadium is paying off with a doubling of stadium revenues. Now the club has to ensure that their financial firepower brings rewards on the pitch.

  Exeter City's chairman says that the Grecians have overcome the financial issues they faced last season.  However, they are operating on a restricted budget in League Two:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c4gjk3834nqo

It's difficult to think of West Ham in the Championship, even if they do get the dubious bonus of a revival of the Dockers' Derby with Millwall. However, Four Fur Two forecasts they will return as champions and that's my view as well, although unfortunately it means six points taken off my team, Charlton. In its season preview the magazine says: 'Off-field it's a work-in-progress, but on it the Irons look firm favourites, with a mix of good Premier League players, recent second tier stars and emerging academy products, all under a top boss in Nunio.' But how did the club with the 20th highest revenue of any club in Europe and with the eighth largest average gate get relegated in the first place?  Average attendances at the London Stadium are more than 60,000. Since moving from Upton Park they have spent £1 billion in the transfer market, making them rivals to Liverpool and the Haringey club.  Around £450m has been spent on 53 'strikers',  Take Jared Bowe...