Football Governance Bill - Update

The new Labour Government included it as part of their King's Speech for this Parliamentary year.

 
 

The new Bill is still in construction.  Parliament returns again on 7th October.  The Bill will be introduced before the Christmas Recess.  There is debate continuing within government about whether, and if so how, to improve on the Conservative Bill.   The main areas of debate concern:

  • the scope of the income which ought to be subject to Regulation - with particular focus on Parachute Payments;

  • the merits of powers which would enable the Regulator to intervene in respect of sub-optimal proposals for disbursement of income across the Pyramid;

  • the desirability of qualitative measures relating to the fan engagement Licensing condition, and

  • the desirability of a role for the Regulator in respect of Ticketing.

The Premier League have been active in lobbying the media and FIFA/UEFA to argue that any “scope creep” (that is improvements!) may amount to state intervention in the governance of the game.  This may risk England’s exclusion from the next EUROs - but this is unconvincing.  The Regulator will be statutorily independent of government.  UEFA have written to DCMS Secretary of State so this story will hang around for a while. 

WHUST