The new Football Governance Bill

The first reading of the new Football Governance Bill took place on 24 October, signalling the start of a formal process that marks the start of its journey through the House of Lords, with the second reading of the Bill to be announced in due course.  The new Bill, which had previously failed to pass through Parliament before the election was called, proposes robust legislation to establish an independent football regulator for the elite men’s game in England. 

On the drive for change, Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy, commented: “English football is one of our greatest exports and a source of national pride which this Government wants to see thrive for generations to come.

“But for too long, financial instability has meant loyal fans and whole communities have risked losing their cherished clubs as a result of mismanagement and reckless spending.

“This Bill seeks to properly redress the balance, putting fans back at the heart of the game, taking on rogue owners and crucially helping to put clubs up and down the country on a sound financial footing.”

Standing at 134 pages,the Bill makes the case for a new independent regulator, whose powers will now include scope to consider the Premier League’s ‘parachute payments’ that are given to relegated clubs, this was previously out of scope.  Fans will also benefit from more scrutiny over ticket prices and DEI initiatives.

In conversation with gunnercooke CEO, Darryl Cooke, Steve Kavanagh, former Non Executive Director at EFL (English Football League), praised this first important step on the path ahead:  “As a former Finance Director of a relegated club in 2007, I know first-hand how essential these payments were to our survival. Without them, the club’s existence would have been in jeopardy. However, the landscape has changed significantly since then.”

In a statement to the press, the Premier League expressed concerns “about the regulatory framework. Specifically, we believe rigid banking-style regulation, and the regulator’s unprecedented and untested powers to intervene in the distribution of the Premier League’s revenues, could have a negative impact on the league’s continued competitiveness, clubs’ investment in world-class talent and, above all, the aspiration that drives our global appeal and growth.

“With our clubs, we will continue to work with government and parliamentarians to consider appropriate checks and balances in the legislation to protect the hard-won position of English football, which is globally admired, a vital source of soft power and a driver of economic growth all over the country.”

Said CEO Darryl Cooke: “gunnercooke’s all-encompassing service for the football industry acts for large clubs and regulators on a range of legal and commercial matters. Gained from our close relationships with CEOs of football clubs, our Partners understand the needs of both the business and its players and to ensure that we add value to our clients.

“We will be watching the developments of the new Bill with interest. gunnercooke Football offers the services of a large-scale corporate law firm, with the team able to act for large clubs and regulators on a range of legal and commercial matters.”