Football Governance Bill explained and King’s Speech impact on Aston Villa and Birmingham City
In Tuesday’s King’s Speech, it was confirmed that an independent football regulator would be implemented.
At the State Opening of Parliament, King Charles gave the first King’s Speech in seventy years. He unveiled roughly twenty new bills, including the Tobacco Products Bill, which will phase out tobacco sales in England, and the Autonomous Vehicles Bill, which will lay the groundwork for driverless cars. It is anticipated that the Football Governance Bill—which incorporates a new regulator—will be among the less contentious ones. “The bill has broad support, but there will be close scrutiny over the exact legal powers of the regulator,” according to The Times.
One of the main suggestions of a fan-led review concerning the game’s future is the regulator. The review was prompted by six Premier League teams—Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur—attempting to establish a closed-shop European Super League in the face of a fierce backlash from the public. It will have a significant effect on all English football teams, including West Brom, Aston Villa, Birmingham City, and Wolves.
Ensuring the financial stability of clubs located in the heart of communities is a primary goal. In recent years, a number of clubs have collapsed, including Macclesfield Town and Bury; Bolton Wanderers, Wigan Athletic, and Derby County came dangerously close to doing the same; and Reading is currently in disarray. Vale has had two administrations.
From the premier league to the National League, a regulator will impose a new licensing system that will necessitate clubs to submit applications and prove sound financial business models and good corporate governance in order to be permitted to play. It is said to “guarantee” that supporters will have more influence over the long-term strategy of their clubs and safeguard the clubs’ legacy by preventing owners from altering home jersey colors, names, or badges without first consulting supporters. Any stadium sale or relocation will need club approval from regulators, and fan involvement will play a big role in that process. It also has the potential to prevent teams from joining a breakaway league.
“We’re feeling positive about the regulator, we’re not scared or anti-regulator,” stated former EFL chairman Rick Parry. We believe that significant change can only be achieved through outside intervention. Making clubs sustainable from the bottom of the pyramid to the top is our very clear and basic goal, and the Premier League is part of it. It’s not the EFL vying for subsidies or competing with the Premier League. Not that I’m sticking my hand in the Premier League’s pockets; rather, we’re searching for a better system because we believe that there are so many issues facing the league that something has to change. The Government’s progress thus far acknowledges that.
“For the past 2.5 years, we have been advocating for redistribution, beginning at the select committee and continuing through Project Big Picture and conversations with Members of Parliament. Better regulation and redistribution go hand in hand to create sustainability. One cannot exist without the other, and money cannot decrease if it is wasted.
