Udo Onwere comments on the Football Governance Bill

Partner Udo Onwere has commented on the Football Governance Bill which has been reintroduced by the government.

Udo’s comments were published in City AM on Friday 25^th October 2024. You can read the full article here.

“The proposed Football Governance Bill is not without its critics – and for fair reason,”

“Namely, the introduction of an independent Football regulator could throw a spanner into the already strained machinery of English football as these unprecedented powers over club revenue and governance will likely set the stage for litigation by clubs who feel they are unjustly hampered as a result of this legislation.

“In particular, the distribution of parachute payments to relegated clubs will now fall under the regulator’s remit and will likely be a point of contention. Over the past year, relegated clubs have taken action against the league over financial concerns. This is likely to continue under these new proposals, as debates rage on over what fair redistribution looks like between the Premier League and EFL.

“While larger clubs would feel the strain, the overall distribution of wealth throughout the football pyramid would improve under these proposals. This would ensure that clubs in the lower tiers of English football are more afforded greater financial stability – even if it comes at the expense of the sport’s biggest earners.

“Fans will also likely welcome this bill, which would introduce tighter controls around the transparency of ticket pricing – preventing the unfair gouging of match goers who have seen a steep increase in ticket prices across the football pyramid over the past few years.”