Written by Tom MacGregor for FootballFancast.com: The game of football we all love so much is ultimately about two teams going head to head on a pitch, is it not? Let me answer my own question: Well yes, of course it is, everyone knows that! However, unfortunately it’s not quite as simple as that. Money is inevitably at the route of the beautiful game and it dictates almost every aspect from top flight football right down to the amateur leagues. In order to survive, the top sides depend on fans paying their money to watch their teams each week, buying their merchandise, along with the income of TV money and money from the F.A for league standings and winning trophies. In much the same way, amateur football clubs need players to pay their signing on fees and match fees to keep their clubs alive. The message I’m trying to convey here is that without money football wouldn’t be able to function.
So you can imagine how much of a blow it would be for English teams, who qualify for the Champions League, if a European ruling regarding a slash in TV money from ITV and Sky goes against them. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) is planning to reconfigure the way TV money is dished out to teams in the Champions League from 2012-2015. This would have a major effect on English clubs income. It would result in one single TV deal across all of Europe, as opposed to the current individual national TV pools which benefits English clubs. The current deal sees English clubs take a home a considerably larger amount than some of their European counterparts. While this will be detrimental to English sides, I personally see this as a positive move, as it would mean a financial level playing field for all Champions League participants.
Qualifying for the Champions League should ultimately be about the privilege of playing in Europe’s elite club competition, the financial gold mine that comes with it should be an added bonus, not the priority. The new ruling would be a shock to the system for the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea who annually take home between £20 – £35 million. The new ruling would be beneficial to clubs of smaller nations who qualify for the competition, the likes of Celtic and Rangers for example, who receive the comparatively lower figure of £10 million. I fail to see an argument that the English clubs can put forward in this case. Why should they monopolise the TV rights of the Champions League just because the multi million pound companies of Sky and ITV are based in England?
Bear with me here and let me get a little educational with you! I see the current system that supplies English clubs through television rights as a form of Karl Marx theory, the rich clubs getting richer at the expense of the smaller, less wealthy clubs. Clubs such as Chelsea and Manchester United are already streets ahead financially of most their Champions League opponents. So having an equal opportunity for all competing clubs to earn the same amount of television money may well be a kick in the teeth for them, but quite frankly it’s a fair cop!
The ECJ’s court ruling may also come into effect within the Premier League. My views on this differ however from that of the Champions League payments. Domestically in England television money is currently equally shared out across the Premier League clubs and this system works fairly. If Premier League football was given one single TV deal covering the whole of Europe, instead of just domestic TV rights I don’t see the benefit. The only argument I can muster in favour of this is that it would stop the airing of 3pm games being shown in pubs on foreign TV channels. The Premier League said in February that any change resulting from the case ‘would damage the interests of broadcasters and viewers of Premier League football across the EU.” (Daily Mail)
This issue is certainly an area of concern for the Premier League big boys and the reductions they will see in Champions League income is going to be a bitter pill to swallow for them. They have had it so good for years so it may result in some budgeting restructuring, but I have no qualms that they have enough current financial power to be able to cope with it. Whether what I have suggested is right or wrong is all down to opinion, but I maintain that the ECJ’s ruling will be for the greater good of the Champions League.
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