The Political Economy of Football V2

Tottenham Hotspur have frozen their season-ticket prices for next season following consultation with fan groups.   In other words, the cost falls In real terms (Arsenal have increased their prces close to the rate of inflation). The decision is the result of discussions with the club’s Fan Advisory Board and the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust, which began late last year. Spurs did not raise season the price of season or match tickets for the current 2025-26 campaign, but began removing the concession for new senior season ticket holders (for those aged 65 and above) — a decision which resulted in criticism from some fan groups. The club increased season-ticket prices by six per cent for the 2024-25 season, leaving the most affordable adult season ticket at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium priced at £856. Senior supporters who purchased a season ticket for the current campaign did not receive a concession, while existing season ticket holders who become eligible for a...

Scotland is to be restricted to one Champions League place from next season with additional places being awarded to Cyprus and Denmark. Football finance guru Kieran Maguire spells out the serious consequences for Scottish football which already faces financial challenges:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/clygvv8kqklo

Chelsea have agreed a deal with Industrial AI company IFS to be their front-of-shirt sponsor for the rest of the season.   The shirt with the IFS logo was seen for the first time in the home draw against Burnley.. The club’s shirts have been without a front-of-shirt sponsor since a temporary arrangement lasting seven games with DAMAC ended last summer. The valuation of the agreement with IFS, who will remain a partner of the club until 2028, has not been disclosed as of yet, but it is in line with the club’s expectations for a deal like this. IFS, now the club’s 14th global partner, is the latest tech company to align itself with Chelsea. In October, the club announced a sleeve sponsorship deal with Vietnamese technology company FPT that runs until the end of the campaign. Chelsea are working on a multi-year sleeve sponsor for 2026 onwards

Arsenal Supporters' Trust state: ' We are disappointed that the FSA’s  ‘ Protect the Fans, Protect the Game’   proposals calling for a ticket price freeze across all Premier League clubs has not been taken up. Neither the Premier League nor Arsenal have seriously engaged with the idea that a freeze at all clubs would help stop the ‘arms race’. Season tickets will be going up by 3.9 per cent (slightly above the rate of inflation) and most season tickets will cost over £1,000.   A seat in the centre of the lower tier will go up by 27 per cent to £1,281. AST continued: 'We firmly believe that with the football sector benefitting from ever-increasing broadcast and commercial revenues it is time to stop squeezing match-going supporters so hard. Arsenal recently reported to Deloitte a big increase in last season’s total revenue to £691m (up by 10%) and ticketing income of £154m (up by 19%). It is frustrating for fans to see football clubs and leagues do so little to combat...

The Financial Times Business of Football summit kicks off next Wednesday Here are the main discussion points: Financial state of play   — Uefa, which governs football in Europe, will be unveiling its latest annual report on the professional game’s finances at the summit on Thursday morning. We’ll be looking out for the latest trends in revenue growth, rising costs, club investment and that one thing that has proven elusive in football for so long: profits. Impact of regulation  — T he spending rule book has changed a lot over the last couple of years, with Uefa introducing its “squad cost ratio” approach for clubs taking part in European competitions. The Premier League is  following suit  from next year. We’ll be talking to the heads of Spain’s La Liga, the English Football League and the new Independent Football Regulator to see which way the wind is blowing. Plus, we’ll have feedback from clubs and players’ unions. Stadium wars  — Changes to financial rules h...

Club Brugge’s exciting draw in the Champions League attracted attention with them once again being seen as a club punching above their weight.  Club Brugge has built a reputation for smart recruitment, developing young players and supporting them through its academy pipeline. That model has allowed it to compete sustainably, even against far larger opponents. Yet a strategy like this requires operational discipline as well as sporting ambition. Top clubs recruit internationally, negotiate across jurisdictions, and move significant sums across currencies. In many respects, they operate like mid-sized multinationals. The complexity is simply less visible to supporters. Transfers are one of the clearest examples. Deals are often completed under intense time pressure during short transfer windows, with multiple parties involved and payments moving across currencies and banking systems. In that environment, small inefficiencies can quickly become expensive. Foreign exchange costs ...