As revealed by The Times, Manchester City are taking legal action against the Premier League as they believe they are the victims of ‘discrimination against Gulf ownership’ and want to be able to sign sponsorship deals without independent assessment.
City believe unlawful restrictions are being created to prevent spending and claim new rules were imposed based on the Saudi takeover of Newcastle, which saw the Premier League agree to ‘safeguard the commercial advantages’ of clubs that lobbied against PIF.
The two-week legal case starting on Monday has sparked a ‘civil war’ in the English top flight and could work massively in Newcastle’s favour given the number of current restrictions, with similar limitations on spending, related-party transfers and related-party sponsorship deals impacting our Saudi-backed owners ever since a takeover was complete.
City believe they have a strong case and it’s thought they have strong backing from one unnamed Premier League team, but it is currently unclear how the other clubs in the division will react to it.
Any sponsorship deals currently have to be assessed independently to ensure that they are done at a fair market value, but this proposition aims to scrap that and allow clubs to have associated parties as their sponsors.
🔺EXCLUSIVE
Manchester City have launched an unprecedented legal action against the Premier League in a move that has sparked civil war in English football’s top flight.
The outcome could dramatically alter the landscape of the professional game, @Lawton_Times reports
— Times Sport (@TimesSport) June 4, 2024
These are sponsorship deals back in 2021 that they are just suing for now?! – 3 years on and when the PL have decided the investigation will start in November.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I have pointed out many times on this site that FFP and PSR are restrictive practices and should have been challenged by PIF as other clubs have already been allowed to get away with it before the takeover.
Let’s hear it for Man City who have challenged this, even though they have benefited from this in the past.
Joseph(Quote)
What is happening should be a surprise to no-one.
The time for morality over football owners is long past
There should be controls to stop any club from exaggerating commercial deals in the way man city did to dope finances and they apply to the toon.
Those controls should not disadvantage growth for some while others can have at it. So find a way to regulate for all in a consistent way, because what is happening is just BS.
getreal(Quote)
Why should there be limits to how much a team can get in sponsorships? If they get more money then when those teams come in to buy players, the prices go up. It can even be written into player contracts (“if teams a,b,c come in for you it’s £100mm, anyone else it’s £75mm). That way all teams that are selling to them can benefit and go and buy other players or pay bills with that money. The only disadvantage to money coming into football is to the teams which historically have had the most as now they’re no longer the biggest fishes!
Tony(Quote)
So sponser ship based on fair market value, where wad this when Chevrolie sponsored Manu for £400m when the Yanks bought the club. I totally agree if that was fair then any sponsor ship is fair.
BMlondon(Quote)