“Nearly but not quite” as Government response to consultation falls short

“There is no doubt that the financial flow in football needs to be addressed. A system where the game receives £3.19bn of TV revenue each year, but clubs in League One can’t afford to pay their energy bills, the hiring of a kit manager in the National League is considered a luxury, and indeed a club’s very survival is a daily concern is clearly flawed.”

Niall Couper, CEO, Fair Game

FAIR GAME today welcomed the historic commitment from the Government to introduce a new Independent Regulator for English Football. The introduction of an Independent Regulator will safeguard our clubs, protecting them from individuals who don't have their best interests at heart. It is a crucial first step towards a fairer future for football, but the government must go further to protect struggling clubs.

Fair Game CEO Niall Couper said:

“It is great news that there will be a regulator for English football, but as ever the devil is in the detail.

“The back stop powers need to be firmed up to help protect the pyramid.

“There is no doubt that the financial flow in football needs to be addressed. A system where the game receives £3.19bn of TV revenue each year, but clubs in League One can’t afford to pay their energy bills, the hiring of a kit manager in the National League is considered a luxury, and indeed a club’s very survival is a daily concern is clearly flawed.

“At the moment, for every £1000 of TV revenue, £882 goes to Premier League clubs, but £32.85 to most Championship sides and just 15p to National League South clubs.

“The omission of equality standards and environmental standards from the regulator seems short-sighted, and we would urge the government to allow the regulator to have the powers to look at those areas in the years ahead.”

The Independent Regulator has the potential to transform football for the better.  But in order to do so, it must have the necessary teeth to hold those it oversees to account.

Football has never been so unequal.  In there era of the £100 million transfer, clubs in the lower leagues are struggling to pay their energy bills.

That means the financial flow of TV revenues must be the responsibility of the regulator and used to reward well-run clubs. The regulator should have the power, either directly or through back stop powers, to impose a fairer financial flow that rewards well-run clubs, is weighted on divisional average attendances and goes down to National League North and South.

Fair Game have produced the Fair Game Index as a roadmap for that fairer financial flow.  The Index ranks each club for financial sustainability, good governance, fan engagement, and equality standards - four key pillars under the oversight of the regulator.  The Index could be used to redistribute funds to the well-run clubs who deserve them most, offering a lifeline to those struggling in the lower leagues.