[Football] Football Governance Bill / Independent Football Regulator

[El Presidente]

Fair enough. I didn't read the Times article due to the paywall, so was just shooting from the LIP.

I stand by my point though - I'm not convinced that an independent regulator is going to be the panacea to 'set the game right', because regulators still f*ck up on a regular basis. And the fact is, the EPL and EFL are both incredibly successful. Is everything perfect ? No. It never has been, and it never will be. So what is this new body going to fix, exactly ?

It’s going to turn the dial down a bit, reduce opportunities for Premier League clubs to get involved in SuperLeague Mk II. Fancy the Albion v Palace in Miami or Riyadh? All it will take is 14 votes from PL club owners and that dream can come true. We’ve already seen with Project Big Picture and SuperLeague what the vision of the future is. Only a handful of clubs allowec to vote on the regulations, 16 or 18 club Premier League to allow the Groovy Gang to have more pre/post season tours & expanded European competitions, which will widen the gap between rich and poor, abolition of parachute payments which will make it difficult/impossible for clubs such as the Albion to sign the current calibre of players for fear of relegation. Clubs selling their own TV rights to accelerate the financial gap, watered down promotion/relegation and so on.

If we had 20 Tony Blooms in charge then no need for IFR, but we don’t. The Glazers are interested in the bottom line, as are FSG, Kroenke and Co and IMO cannot be trusted.

 

[El Presidente]

I obviously live in a fantasy world wishing for this but surely this is something FIFA, could or should, facilitate.

If Gianni Infantino is your knight in shining armour it shows how bad things are!

 

[BadFish]

If Gianni Infantino is your knight in shining armour it shows how bad things are!

When you put it like that!!

For something so good football is f***ing shit.

Still it won't let me go so I guess I'll just keep on drinking that koolaid.

 

[GT49er]

"We’ve two choices with those costs. We either stop doing some of the things we’re already doing, whether that’s academy, women’s, girls’ football or whatever, or we pass those costs on to fans."
That makes two things on which I now fundamentally disagree with PBOBE - this, and his obsession with people not passing a ticket to a family member or mate if they can't go, with draconian penalties for anyone caught trying it.

 

[Talby]

"We’ve two choices with those costs. We either stop doing some of the things we’re already doing, whether that’s academy, women’s, girls’ football or whatever, or we pass those costs on to fans."
That makes two things on which I now fundamentally disagree with PBOBE - this, and his obsession with people not passing a ticket to a family member or mate if they can't go, with draconian penalties for anyone caught trying it.

It’s ok when your captain’s Arsenal supporting extended family get a ticket at the away end of the Emirates of course.

Don’t want to open up that whole debate over players ticket allocations (as they definitely deserve them) but ‘two rules’ in play always.

The penalties aren’t draconian if applied consistently and correctly. They’re not, so your point is very valid.

 

[highflyer]

Those that are winning, and gaining advantage as a result, will.always oppose attempts to reduce such advantage. Big tech companies don't care about the harm they do to children, the financial industry just wants to be allowed to gamble other people's money and pay themselves huge bonuses and the premier league teams want to draw up the ladder and ensure nobody else can challenge their position. The reason regulators don't work is simple. Once you get past a certain point, those being regulated are more powerful than those trying to regulate. They can use various means to ensure that the scope of any change is narrow and that the regulators are toothless. So it looks like something is being done but really it isn't. See also, water companies, power companies, rail companies, social care companies etc etc. We all love Bloom and Barber for what they are doing for Brighton. They are very good at what what they do. But let's not be naive about who they are.

 

[The Fits]

….We all love Bloom and Barber for what they are doing for Brighton. They are very good at what what they do. But let's not be naive about who they are.

I agree with the sentiment of your entire post but I don’t love Barber, at all.
He’s undeniably done a ‘good job’, he is undeniably a big part of our success and is undeniably good at what he does from a strategic point of view.
Personally, I think he loves the sound of his own voice and should rein it in.
Plenty of CEOs operate in a far more restrained way. Seems to enjoy the limelight a bit more than I’d like, and it doesn’t do him any favours when he’s spouting stuff like in this article. He doesn’t need to be so visible and vocal. We are at a point now where our results and performances will do
most of the heavy lifting, so if he is going to do stuff like this I’d prefer it if it reflected both where we’ve come from and our focus on ethics, AITC etc. Some of that, on a national level, is definitely getting lost a bit.

 

[Talby]

I agree with the sentiment of your entire post but I don’t love Barber, at all.
He’s undeniably done a ‘good job’, he is undeniably a big part of our success and is undeniably good at what he does from a strategic point of view.
Personally, I think he loves the sound of his own voice and should rein it in.
Plenty of CEOs operate in a far more restrained way. Seems to enjoy the limelight a bit more than I’d like, and it doesn’t do him any favours when he’s spouting stuff like in this article. He doesn’t need to be so visible and vocal. We are at a point now where our results and performances will do
most of the heavy lifting, so if he is going to do stuff like this I’d prefer it if it reflected both where we’ve come from and our focus on ethics, AITC etc. Some of that, on a national level, is definitely getting lost a bit.

All suits, no boots.

Completely agree with this.

 

[CheeseRolls]

With US and other ownership we also need to consider the rights of the owners to relocate their franchises. The transport issues at the Amex could be solved in a flash by relocating to Dublin.

As always there is a clever counter argument and relocating from Selhurst to a location four hours outside Riyadh, would be a step up from Croydon.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Like many here, I'm not naturally pro regulators, but it's the least worst option on the table unless the fa and epl come up with something better and move some way closer to the efl then in some shape or form it will happen. It would also be better to think of a lot of positive stuff the regulator could achieve such as working with other regulators e.g transport to have a more joined up approach to a matchday experience for the fans

Same, I'm not naturally pro regulators. My view is to only regulate when there is a clear need; some sectors need regulation. Sadly, football is one.

 

[Guinness Boy]

In compliance…….dealing with regulators……and since retiring, in education and social care (on a voluntary basis) where they are seemingly even less competent

The thing is, can you imagine Financial Services without a regulator? Or, worse, cloud and data storage without data privacy and anti-hacking regulation? I've met enough salesmen, traders and computer nerds over the years to know that would be a bad thing.

I've also dealt with the FCA for much of my career as well as regulators in other countries. The company I work for currently sees regulation as an opportunity for both our customers and ourselves. Specifically Consumer Duty and DORA. The first should be used to better know your customer and ensure they have the right products. Sometimes that will mean losing a customer but sometimes there's an opportunity to correct or cross / upsell. And the intention is for happier customers which, in turn, means more trust of the FS industry and higher NPS. And we've invested a huge amount in DORA compliance and leading the conversation in it. It's a sales point for us - we believe in keeping your data safe, rather than 'tsk, look at all this pesky regulation'.

This is how the Albion should be looking at it IMO. Taking the position that, unfortunately, we need something, not because of us but because of these other bad guys. So let's lead it so that it works for everyone. So that it doesn't become bloated. So that there's a constant and open dialogue between the IFR and clubs and that it looks for opportunities to improve both fan experience and club revenue in a way that's positive. It's incredibly unfortunate that, instead, we're siding with Brady and a club that more or less stole an Olympic stadium and now want to price kids and pensioners out of it.

 

[Hotchilidog]

The "we'd have to charge the fans more" seems to be a favourite reason for the club to use if they really don't want to do something.

It was also used as one of the reasons for not installing Safe Standing for a while.

It's not a great look for a business that has revenues in the region of £200m, paying many employees millions of pounds per year to put on this "we don't have two pennies to rub together, so the fans will have to stump up" act if something comes along they don't like.

Paul Barber is a great communicator and fantastic ambassador for the club, but on this subject he doesn't come across well at all. Might be the one area where he gives a polite "no" to the media requests.

Completely agree with this. I can see why Paul would feel BHA do not need regulating (we don't) but the sport as a whole does because it has unsuccessfully managed itself. When players are paid 10s if not hundreds of thousands a WEEK, the room for cost-cutting is obvious.

 

[Han Solo]

I bet at least half of those "against regulation" appreciates the existence of law and order, so the question to them would be why we should regulate what people can and can not do but let businesses do exactly as they please? Why is regulating society and people right but regulating business wrong?

 

[dazzer6666]

The thing is, can you imagine Financial Services without a regulator? Or, worse, cloud and data storage without data privacy and anti-hacking regulation? I've met enough salesmen, traders and computer nerds over the years to know that would be a bad thing.

I've also dealt with the FCA for much of my career as well as regulators in other countries. The company I work for currently sees regulation as an opportunity for both our customers and ourselves. Specifically Consumer Duty and DORA. The first should be used to better know your customer and ensure they have the right products. Sometimes that will mean losing a customer but sometimes there's an opportunity to correct or cross / upsell. And the intention is for happier customers which, in turn, means more trust of the FS industry and higher NPS. And we've invested a huge amount in DORA compliance and leading the conversation in it. It's a sales point for us - we believe in keeping your data safe, rather than 'tsk, look at all this pesky regulation'.

This is how the Albion should be looking at it IMO. Taking the position that, unfortunately, we need something, not because of us but because of these other bad guys. So let's lead it so that it works for everyone. So that it doesn't become bloated. So that there's a constant and open dialogue between the IFR and clubs and that it looks for opportunities to improve both fan experience and club revenue in a way that's positive. It's incredibly unfortunate that, instead, we're siding with Brady and a club that more or less stole an Olympic stadium and now want to price kids and pensioners out of it.

Don’t disagree with any of that, but I guarantee the Football regulator will grow like topsy and quickly become a colossal pain in the arse. Wouldn’t be at all surprised if it’s an ex FCA bod brought in to run it either.

 

[studio150]

I bet at least half of those "against regulation" appreciates the existence of law and order, so the question to them would be why we should regulate what people can and can not do but let businesses do exactly as they please? Why is regulating society and people right but regulating business wrong?

And there I was thinking that employment law, tax law, health and safety regulations......... already apply to businesses, it's a question of where the balance is between too much or not enough regulation .

And don't overlook how ineffective many Regulators are.

Why are mid contract price increases allowed on mobile and broadband contracts? The Regulator isn't interested.

Water tariff price increases signed off by the Regulator recently, completely overlooking the lack of investment to ensure healthy dividends but the water companies in past years.

And many other examples.

So why will a football regulator do far better .

 

[The Fits]

And there I was thinking that employment law, tax law, health and safety regulations......... already apply to businesses, it's a question of where the balance is between too much or not enough regulation .

And don't overlook how ineffective many Regulators are.

Why are mid contract price increases allowed on mobile and broadband contracts? The Regulator isn't interested.

Water tariff price increases signed off by the Regulator recently, completely overlooking the lack of investment to ensure healthy dividends but the water companies in past years.

And many other examples.

So why will a football regulator do far better

Better the devil you know surely?

 

[Han Solo]

And there I was thinking that employment law, tax law, health and safety regulations......... already apply to businesses, it's a question of where the balance is between too much or not enough regulation .

And don't overlook how ineffective many Regulators are.

Why are mid contract price increases allowed on mobile and broadband contracts? The Regulator isn't interested.

Water tariff price increases signed off by the Regulator recently, completely overlooking the lack of investment to ensure healthy dividends but the water companies in past years.

And many other examples.

So why will a football regulator do far better .

So in short you're against regulation of businesses because you feel f***ed over by poorly regulated businesses like the Telecom industry?

Should the law enforcement cease to exist because criminals exist or how is that different?

If all intentions to try and regulate anything or anyone is deemed "hopeless" then why not just embrace full anarchy?

 

[The Fits]

So in short you're against regulation of businesses because you feel f***ed over by poorly regulated businesses like the Telecom industry?

That’s the general argument against here it seems. Some regulation doesn’t work so why bother?

If we had 20 Tony Blooms in charge then no need for IFR, but we don’t. The Glazers are interested in the bottom line, as are FSG, Kroenke and Co and IMO cannot be trusted.

Given how much @El Presidente has to think, write and talk about this stuff this strikes me as the most important thing here.
Do you want the club you love, and ultimately the game you love, to be in the hands of a bunch of US and Middle Eatern megalomaniacs or are you prepared to accept that it might cost money, they might not always make the right decision, but ultimately a regulator is needed to protect us all from that?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

So in short you're against regulation of businesses because you feel f***ed over by poorly regulated businesses like the Telecom industry?

Should the law enforcement cease to exist because criminals exist or how is that different?

If all intentions to try and regulate anything or anyone is deemed "hopeless" then why not just embrace full anarchy?

You highlight the absurdity of a common pattern of 'reasoning'.
Is it an English pattern or do you see it in your country too?

I remember the opposition to drink driving and speeding laws by some sorts back in the day.
There is 'no point' in having speed limits 'because people still speed'.

Yeah.....OK mates.

 

[Change at Barnham]

There are only a certain amount of times you can see The Lion King as the ending is always the same.

RIP Mufasa.
Not as bad as Tarka the Otter, but it still gets me.