{"id":632,"date":"2020-05-18T13:24:54","date_gmt":"2020-05-18T12:24:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/football-research\/?p=632"},"modified":"2020-05-18T13:24:54","modified_gmt":"2020-05-18T12:24:54","slug":"is-the-english-premier-league-owners-and-directors-test-fit-for-purpose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/football-research\/is-the-english-premier-league-owners-and-directors-test-fit-for-purpose\/","title":{"rendered":"Is the English Premier League Owners\u2019 and Directors\u2019 test fit for purpose?"},"content":{"rendered":"

18 May 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n

Is the English Premier League Owners\u2019 and Directors\u2019 test fit for purpose?<\/h2>\n

With the takeover of Newcastle United Football Club by a Saudi-backed consortium currently under review by the English Premier League (EPL<\/span>), some human rights organisations, including\u00a0Amnesty International<\/a>, have said the Saudis \u2013 who are reportedly set to finance 80% of the \u00a3300m takeover through their Public Investment Fund \u2013 fall well short of the standards required to own an\u00a0EPL<\/span>\u00a0club.<\/p>\n

A number of human rights violations have been referenced in opposition to the takeover, and Felix Jakens of Amnesty International (UK<\/span>) expressed his concerns by asserting that Newcastle United would be\u00a0a \u201cPR<\/span>\u00a0tool\u201d<\/a>\u00a0to \u201cglamorise\u201d the\u00a0PIF<\/span>\u2019s infamous\u00a0reputation.<\/p>\n

Complicating this further, in addition to human rights violations, the Qatari-based broadcaster beIN Media Group \u2013 the most significant foreign broadcast rights-holder of the\u00a0EPL<\/span>\u00a0with a three-year license worth \u00a3500m \u2013 maintains that the Saudi Government is\u00a0complicit in intellectual property\u00a0theft<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Newcastle<\/figure>\n

It is alleged that the Saudi-based \u2018beoutQ\u2019 illegally provided satellite access to exclusive sporting content to Saudi customers for two years. Though beoutQ channels are no longer available on satellite television, they are still available online with the use of streaming devices sold in Saudi Arabia. As a result, the United States Trade Representative (USTR<\/span>) in its\u00a0annual report<\/a>\u00a0placed Saudi Arabia, for a second year, in its priority watch list for global\u00a0piracy.<\/p>\n

In response to Amnesty International\u2019s concerns,\u00a0the\u00a0EPL<\/span><\/a>\u00a0maintained that due process \u2013 which is essentially the Owners\u2019 and Director\u2019s test \u2013 would be followed. But is the test adequate and capable of taking into account the considerable moral human rights and piracy issues\u00a0raised?<\/p>\n

In addition to financial capacity requirements, the\u00a0EPL<\/span>\u00a0handbook<\/a>\u00a0lists several disqualifying events for a potential director. These include: possessing significant influence over another club; prohibition by law from directorship; unspent convictions in any country; and being involved in any offence which could result in a conviction. Even though the handbook requires disclosure of beneficial owners, the test focuses mainly on designated directors. Would the\u00a0EPL<\/span>\u2019s process examine the consortium, the individual owners of the companies and ultimately, related parties of those involved in the deal? Surely a more robust values-based assessment would be\u00a0welcomed?<\/p>\n

Newcastle United: unequal catch 22 situation<\/h2>\n

So what do the fans think? In a recent Newcastle United Supporters Trust poll (3,397 members),\u00a097% were in favour<\/a>\u00a0of the takeover. The \u201csupport\u201d appears to be the well-publicised fan dislike for the current owner Mike Ashley. Before Ashley\u2019s acquisition in 2007, the club had qualified for European competitions in four out of five previous football seasons. In the subsequent 13 seasons, the club qualified for a European competition just once while suffering relegation from the Premier League on two\u00a0occasions.<\/p>\n

Off-field, fans have accused Ashley of inadequate investment in both players and club infrastructure. Ironically, even though the club has not invested heavily in the transfer market, the club\u2019s finances, in comparison to other\u00a0EPL<\/span>\u00a0clubs, is healthy. Both on-field performance and off-field investment have left fans desiring a change in\u00a0leadership.<\/p>\n

\"Newcastle<\/figure>\n

The current qualifying test for ownership does not seem to be fit for purpose as it is not able to utilise a values-based approach. It is a very blunt instrument in its current form. It is very likely therefore that the deal will be approved, and we could argue that other just as questionable decisions on ownership have already been made in the previous decade. It could also be that events have now overtaken us, and with the financial woes of the\u00a0EPL<\/span>, external capital is welcome regardless of where it is from, even at the expense of lowering the bar on ownership of our prized football\u00a0teams.<\/p>\n

Mobolaji Alabi, Professor Adrian Bell<\/a> and Dr Andrew Urquhart<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Source: Henley Business School News<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

18 May 2020 Is the English Premier League Owners\u2019 and Directors\u2019 test fit for purpose? 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