financial fair play

[RoyalBlue]

The rules/regulations look like you could drive the proverbial cart and horses or London Bus through them - and that's before clever accountants get to work.

As someone has already pointed out - what's to stop one of Anton's or his dad's companies deciding to pay a fortune for hospitality, stand naming rights, sponsorship etc.?

If you want to create a level playing field you are more likely to be able to do this by following some of the practices our US friends adopt for some of their sports.

[Green]

If you want to create a level playing field you are more likely to be able to do this by following some of the practices our US friends adopt for some of their sports.

It's all very well saying we should follow the US model, but as I'm sure you're aware the US leagues are all franchises, and there are no other leagues elsewhere in the world that are nearly as competitive.

Can't really do the same for football. There'll always be a league elsewhere willing to flaunt the regulations.

[Alexander Litvinenko]

The big difference is relegation and promotion, which you just don't have in the US.

Just about every club that's had financial problems has had them because they've over-spent trying to either gain promotion or avoid relegation - that's what screws up the finances.

And whilst there are big financial gaps between income levels at each league - and getting bigger all the time - that'll continue to be the case unless there are rules to stop it.

[Hoop Blah]

As someone has already pointed out - what's to stop one of Anton's or his dad's companies deciding to pay a fortune for hospitality, stand naming rights, sponsorship etc.?

I'm pretty sure they've put something in place to stop this, although I'm not sure how entirely. I seem to remember something along the lines of an independent review assessing a fair market price for the sponsorship etc and they can't go to far over that. I've no idea how they intend to police it, or make it stick under pressure from the first club that wants to test it in court though as it sounds ridiculous (so much so I may have made it up!).

[Alexander Litvinenko]

As someone has already pointed out - what's to stop one of Anton's or his dad's companies deciding to pay a fortune for hospitality, stand naming rights, sponsorship etc.?

I'm pretty sure they've put something in place to stop this, although I'm not sure how entirely. I seem to remember something along the lines of an independent review assessing a fair market price for the sponsorship etc and they can't go to far over that. I've no idea how they intend to police it, or make it stick under pressure from the first club that wants to test it in court though as it sounds ridiculous (so much so I may have made it up!).

That does sound familiar - the power they have isn't to stop the club from accepting the money, but they can disallow the excess from within the FFP calculations and then take whatever sanctions are allowed under FFP.

[Who Moved The Goalposts?]

As someone has already pointed out - what's to stop one of Anton's or his dad's companies deciding to pay a fortune for hospitality, stand naming rights, sponsorship etc.?

I'm pretty sure they've put something in place to stop this, although I'm not sure how entirely. I seem to remember something along the lines of an independent review assessing a fair market price for the sponsorship etc and they can't go to far over that. I've no idea how they intend to police it, or make it stick under pressure from the first club that wants to test it in court though as it sounds ridiculous (so much so I may have made it up!).

That does sound familiar - the power they have isn't to stop the club from accepting the money, but they can disallow the excess from within the FFP calculations and then take whatever sanctions are allowed under FFP.

We'll see how far they go. Sponsorship deals, naming rights and other "lubricants" to the system will enable the clubs to get round things. Currently, not only are some of the PL's bigger clubs selling these rights way over real-world commercial values, they are also provided by companies with both direct and indirect links to the club's owners. I've a feeling the whole issue will be fudged, and UEFA will back down when push comes to shove.

[Hoop Blah]

I largely agree, but how are you attributing real world commercial values on these deals? Which ones? Because currently they are just that aren't that (bar perhaps Man City)?

[RoyalBlue]

As someone has already pointed out - what's to stop one of Anton's or his dad's companies deciding to pay a fortune for hospitality, stand naming rights, sponsorship etc.?

I'm pretty sure they've put something in place to stop this, although I'm not sure how entirely. I seem to remember something along the lines of an independent review assessing a fair market price for the sponsorship etc and they can't go to far over that. I've no idea how they intend to police it, or make it stick under pressure from the first club that wants to test it in court though as it sounds ridiculous (so much so I may have made it up!).

Could be but here comes the next cart and horses/ London Bus. What's to stop Anton's or his dad's companies deciding to sponsor 20+ different things at fair market prices?

The intention of the regulations is well meaning - the application probably impossible to achieve.

[Hoop Blah]

Playing devils advocate, because I agree there will be ways round these rules that the clubs will find and exploit, but if these 20 things they sponsor have a going rate and they sponsor them then I can't see how that's articifically inflating the income of the club.

After shirt, shorts, ground and training ground what else is there that they'll sponsor with any significant market value? If it has a market value then chances are it's already being sponsored.

They could sponsor all the players tie-ups or boots, but that's not going to pay for Samuel Eto'os wages!

[maffff]

Let's launder all our money through the hotel 'other income' then.

BZ can rent a room for £1m p/w.

[Royalclapper]

http://www.financialfairplay.co.uk/fina ... lained.php

Good amount of information on here including things like what happens if clubs are already committed to player wages & contracts before the FFP begins. Useful 6 min video guide on understanding the rules.

[RoyalBlue]

Playing devils advocate, because I agree there will be ways round these rules that the clubs will find and exploit, but if these 20 things they sponsor have a going rate and they sponsor them then I can't see how that's articifically inflating the income of the club.

After shirt, shorts, ground and training ground what else is there that they'll sponsor with any significant market value? If it has a market value then chances are it's already being sponsored.

They could sponsor all the players tie-ups or boots, but that's not going to pay for Samuel Eto'os wages!

I'm sure they could find loads of other things to sponsor and, I suspect, if they were to pay 25% more than current sponsors would still be able to get away with claiming the deal was within market value.

[PieEater]

Let's launder all our money through the hotel 'other income' then.

BZ can rent a room for £1m p/w.

Good plan

[Lower West]

Are we witnessing the start of a new era? Very few football league transfers. While Premiership clubs with money to burn overpaid for players from the continent. Where many clubs were only too happy to offload expensive wage players from their books.

So will there now be a trickle down. As out of contract players are forced to accept what ever is on offer.Those with no possibility of playing are loaned out while keeping themselves in the shop window for January.

[namroyal]

No

[Blue Label]

Doesn't seem to have stopped have stopped the fake hoops

[Royal91]

Wasn't this the most ever spent in a window. Over £600m in the PL.

How can QPR keep burning money.

[Ian Royal]

As far as I can tell, there's only one person's posts worth reading on the subject RFC and the transfer deadline. And that's Hoop Blah.

[P!ssed Off]

As far as I can tell, there's only one person's posts worth reading on the subject RFC and the transfer deadline. And that's Hoop Blah.

Even you don't rate your own posts...

[Ian Royal]

As far as I can tell, there's only one person's posts worth reading on the subject RFC and the transfer deadline. And that's Hoop Blah.

Even you don't rate your own posts...

No. He's much more articulate and certainly at least a bit smarter. I'd guess he puts more effort in too.

And remember, it's all comparative.

Hoop >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> everyone. Me >>You