Fair Game calls for an overhaul of football governance…

Launch of new coalition of professional clubs 

Today a new group called FAIR GAME has officially launched with the aim of creating a better future for football.

Who are we?

Fair Game is for the clubs and by the clubs. We are unique in our aim to change football from the inside. Our team has brought together the very best minds available in academia and from the boards of our various clubs - all united in a single determination to improve the governance of our national game for the wider interests of football.

What do we do?

We are campaigning for football to be governed with fairness, openness and transparency at its core. Our ultimate intention is to push through permanent and meaningful change with the game’s lawmakers, ensuring that fairness is at the heart of football governance and giving a platform for clubs to successfully operate within their communities for generations to come.

We have four very clear principles which highlight our mission:

Sustainability

We want a system/structure that is more responsible, fairer and more equitable. This includes greater transparency on financial reporting, ownership structures, balance sheets and a more realistic, long-term view of the financial health of clubs.

Integrity

The current integrity of the domestic competition structure is under threat. We want greater recognition of and protections for current competitions.

Transparency

Football needs to be better regulated. The current authorities have failed in this duty. Fair Game is calling for the Government and key decision makers to enshrine a new regulator in legislation. We are calling for outside, independent regulation and processes for auditing, dispute resolution and arbitration.

Community

The community and social role of football clubs is central to our mission. To allow clubs to realise their full potential, this needs structured fan engagement and for clubs to take a leadership role in tackling all forms of discrimination. We believe in best practice and are actively seeking out the best methods used globally. As clubs from this intelligence, we will learn, inform and educate.

How do we aim to do this?

We will be making an open call to football clubs, businesses, stakeholders and individual fans to endorse our Principles – and they can do so via our website.

Fair Game will work with ‘like-minded’ clubs and be holding constructive engagement with the government and football authorities to lobby for real and long-term change.

Over the summer we will be holding a series of sessions with our clubs, key stakeholders and experts to develop robust solutions.