University Research for Dissertation Purpose - About foreign ownership of English Football Clubs.

[RitchieNC]

Hello. I have four questions and would like the thoughts of fans about it. Hopefully, that some of you will provide their opinions to all four questions or at least one of them. Thank you.

1 - What do you think about the foreign ownership of English football clubs?

2 - What are your thoughts about the European Super League and the club’s owners involvement in it?

3 - Do you think the Profit and Sustainability rule and the Financial Fair Play rule came into play due to the increase in foreign ownership of clubs and why?

4 - What are your views on the ’50 + 1’ rule and should it be implemented in England?

Participant Information Sheet.pdf

[BaaLocks]

2 hours ago, RitchieNC said:

Hello. I have four questions and would like the thoughts of fans about it. Hopefully, that some of you will provide their opinions to all four questions or at least one of them. Thank you.

1 - What do you think about the foreign ownership of English football clubs?

2 - What are your thoughts about the European Super League and the club’s owners involvement in it?

3 - Do you think the Profit and Sustainability rule and the Financial Fair Play rule came into play due to the increase in foreign ownership of clubs and why?

4 - What are your views on the ’50 + 1’ rule and should it be implemented in England?

Participant Information Sheet.pdf 166.3 kB · 3 downloads

1 - What do you think about the foreign ownership of English football clubs?

It's pretty much irrelevant what anyone thinks, once you have shares and listings for your club then you leave it open to purchase by the highest bidder, just the same as for our water company, energy providers and train companies. The distracting point is why foreign owners are somehow the target of derision - I think Derby fans can say with some confidence that local owners are not always the best answer either. Look up Mel Morris if you are not aware.

2 - What are your thoughts about the European Super League and the club’s owners involvement in it?

Football is a business now, it will ultimately gravitate to the greatest opportunity for financial betterment.

3 - Do you think the Profit and Sustainability rule and the Financial Fair Play rule came into play due to the increase in foreign ownership of clubs and why?

No, I think it came into play due to the mismanagement of clubs by owners - irrespective of where they were born (take a look at Blackpool under Oyston if you want an example). Not sure I even like the suggestion that somehow foreign ownership led to need for FFP, feels a little bit - well - biased in tone if I may.

4 - What are your views on the ’50 + 1’ rule and should it be implemented in England?

Not sure forcing clubs to be owned by members, or even Trusts, is the right way to go. I do agree they should be consulted but the basic problem is that fifty years ago football was the provision of the community. The clubs belonged to the towns and cities they were in, that has now changed and they are openly traded commodities. That was a choice, and we can no longer put the genie back in the bottle. Want one thing that may return the game to a semblance of normality? Introduce a cap to player wages - not £50 a week like it used to be but something realistic like £20k a week. It would never work, of course, as clubs would get around it (tax free, throw in a free house or a Rolex watch - all that stuff). But until player wages are managed more effectively the game of football is out of control - no matter who owns the club.

[Highgate]

1 - What do you think about the foreign ownership of English football clubs?

Not bothered at all about the nationality of the owners, but then I'm not English either.  I can see why people would prefer owners with some local interest in their club though.  I'm completely against the mega rich owner model for running football clubs in general. 

2 - What are your thoughts about the European Super League and the club’s owners involvement in it?

I hate the concept of a European Super League that would completely supersede the national leagues.  I was perfectly happy with the Champions League as it was, I thought it was an excellent tournament. I'm not sure how next year's version will play out. The owners wish to create a Super League is predictable, their motivation is to maximize revenue...and little else.

3 - Do you think the Profit and Sustainability rule and the Financial Fair Play rule came into play due to the increase in foreign ownership of clubs and why?

No, I don't think it had anything to do with the owners being foreign as such, just that many owners were enormously wealthy compared to the rest of the league, distorting the competition. And of course many owners were completely fiscally irresponsible to the point of recklessness and were the biggest threat to their own club's future. We know all about that latter scenario at Derby County unfortunately. 

4 - What are your views on the ’50 + 1’ rule and should it be implemented in England?

It would be a great idea if it could be implemented (which would prove very difficult now). Anything that could be done to follow the Bundesliga's example would be a huge step forward.  The German league is surely the best league in the world, in many ways, from the perspective of the average football fan.  

[RitchieNC]

Dear All,

I have created a google form and the link can be found below.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf6fcIDQJ3V37JQMKgTV4Df6pyrJfLLXD45x73CGlInZ7dxtQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

In case, you want to contribute but do not want other people to read about your views. Please do not hesitate to contribute.

Thank you.

[RadioactiveWaste]

1 - What do you think about the foreign ownership of English football clubs?

The nationality isn't the issue for me, it's a wider question of the "product" and "free market" approach to clubs which are cultural and social institutions to their communities.

2 - What are your thoughts about the European Super League and the club’s owners involvement in it?

I despise it. It's a symptom of the "football product" thinking about the game. I don't think the ownership being English would particully act as a bullwark against this sort of thing though.

3 - Do you think the Profit and Sustainability rule and the Financial Fair Play rule came into play due to the increase in foreign ownership of clubs and why?

No. The unsustainable costs would've likely followed similar problems, even if more slowely if english clubs weren't attractive to foreign owners.

4 - What are your views on the ’50 + 1’ rule and should it be implemented in England?

I ike the idea of it and would be broadly be in favor, but it seems unlikely to be implimented.

[RitchieNC]

Hello. Last request to anyone who has some spare minutes if possible to contribute and help with my research. The google link is available above. Thank you.

[bimmerman]

On 23/07/2024 at 16:26, RitchieNC said:

1 - What do you think about the foreign ownership of English football clubs?

Depends on circumstances. Wrexham model where they've immersed themselves in the local community I'm absolutely all for, the absent owners I'm dead against

2 - What are your thoughts about the European Super League and the club’s owners involvement in it?

Awful idea just to make the rich richer

3 - Do you think the Profit and Sustainability rule and the Financial Fair Play rule came into play due to the increase in foreign ownership of clubs and why?

No, came into play to stabilise and grow the bigger clubs and keep them a dominant force

4 - What are your views on the ’50 + 1’ rule and should it be implemented in England?

I'm a fan of all clubs being fan owned ala the Exeter city model. Proving to be sustainable is more important then being good in my eyes