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Articles and reports on financial issues within football – soccer – from The Political Economy of Football.
Bolton Wanderers have been given a stay of execution until 22nd February following the hearing of a winding up petition brought by HMRC in the High Court. They are hoping either to sell assets or to conclude a deal to sell the club.
There are hopes of selling a car park next to the Macron Stadium which would tide them over until next season. Talks with prospective purchasers are also continuing.
The idea of a European Super League, first raised in 1998, is back on the agenda. Karl-Heinz Rummnenigge, the chief executive of Bayern Munich, raised it at a forum at Bocconi University in Italy.
What he had in mind was a competition, either under the auspices of Uefa or privately run, with 20 or so top clubs from England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France. A few games might be played in the United States or Asia.
A transfer embargo has been imposed on Cardiff City for breaching financial fair play rules. The club is considering an appeal. They join Bolton Wanderers, Fulham and Nottingham Forest who have been similarly penalised.
The Bluebirds’ finances have not been helped this season by many fans voting with their feet and choosing not to watch the team. Last weekend they crashed out of the FA Cup at the hands of lower league Shrewsbury.
Bolton Wanderers face the threat of administration despite a fire sale that has included putting their entire playing staff on the market and raising £4m by selling the offices at the Macron stadium. The club’s situation remains finely balanced despite the sale of the offices and the prospect of future income from transfers. The offices are rented to several businesses and generated £800,000 annually.
Relegation from the Scottish Premier League would hit Dundee United hard, chairman Stephen Thompson has warned. His family would not go on ploughing in money into the club in the long term.
The club has the 3rd biggest wage bill in the Premier League and has spent £650,000 on transfer fees in the last 18 months which is, of course, a small sum by the standards of the English Premier League. Thompson blames their present plight on poor player recruitment last summer.
The author of the Swiss Ramble blog takes his customary in depth and meticulous look at Swansea City’s finances in his latest post. In many ways, the Swans have been seen as a model of the way in which a ‘smaller’ club can succeed.
Almost all the major deals for Premier League television deals are now done and the total looks like being around £3.2bn over three years. This represents a 50 per cent increase on the corresponding figure for 2013-16. When the Premier League started in 1992-3 the rights were worth £8m a year.
Hard nosed American investors are replacing the oligarchs and egoists who have invested in English football over the last twenty years. If the deal at Everton goes ahead, eight of the twenty Premier League clubs will have investors from the US.
A reminder of just how much money is available in the Barclays Premier League next season and what is at stake for clubs who are relegated.
Clubs will receive an average of £120m compared with £80m this season. The top club will receive £150m and even the bottom club will be paid £100m. This is, of course, before revenue streams from ticket sales, sponsorship and merchandise.
The January transfer window is forecast to be busy with Arsenal among the clubs likely to be active as they make a bid for the title. The record for spending in January could well be broken.
It is often argued that it is difficult to find value in the January transfer window, but it can be there if you know where to look for it.