Embargoed until 00:01 Saturday 12 April 2003
All Party Parliamentary Football Group launches its first ever Inquiry into Football and its Finances
The All Party Parliamentary Football Group is to launch its first ever football inquiry. With the financing of football appearing more precarious today than ever, it was agreed by the Group that this should form the first inquiry. Others, on different themes relating to the game, will follow in due course.
The impetus for the inquiry is the potentially gloomy overall prospects for the football economy: spiralling player costs, increased debt, limited transfer income within smaller windows, uncertainty over future TV revenue, variable share performance and the spectre of insolvency. Other factors are the stark disparity between a small number of top clubs and the rest (including spasmodic interest in new league formations), increasing commercialisation, possible tensions between maximising the return for shareholders and more traditional indicators of club performance, and the alienation of other stakeholders (i.e. supporters) and the ‘fan equity’ they represent.
Alan Keen MP, Chair of the All Party Football Group said:
“Football is part of the nation's heritage. The game has made great strides forward as a spectacle in recent years and broadened its supporter base from the old working class traditions. However, despite its increased popularity, there are serious financial problems at the professional end of the game. There is concern that the grass roots could be affected as well as the long term future of the professional game itself if the wrong decisions are made. We hope that the All Party Parliamentary Football Group's report may assist to gather together the joint wisdom of all those involved in the game at all levels”
The Rt. Hon. Richard Caborn MP, Minister of Sport said:
“As Minister for Sport, and on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media & Sport, I welcome the All Party Football Group's Inquiry into Football and its Finances, and look forward to the Group's findings in the Autumn."
The Inquiry will cover all aspects of football finances. Anyone wanting to prepare a written submission is invited to do so which can be based around the following areas:
The impact of new broadcasting contracts on football’s
finances
The cost of success in today’s increasingly competitive game
The increasing cost to fans of being a football supporter
The growing divide between the Premiership and the Nationwide
League
The impact of increasing wage bills on clubs
The role of Government in supporting the national game
The importance of maintaining support for grassroots football
The Group is likely to invite a limited number of speakers to make presentations on their written submissions. The first oral evidence session will take place by the end of May and a later press notice will give details of this and subsequent sessions before the publishing of the report into its findings in the autumn.
The following MPs and Peers from the Group will form a panel that will consider the submissions and hear presentations from interested parties: