Only hours after fans demonstrated outside the Premier League shareholders meeting in London to demand cheaper match tickets, more money for grassroots football and a more equitable distribution of money throughout the football pyramid, the Premier League announced £1 billion of their £5.14bn of TV rights income is to be shared outside of the Premier League from 2016/17 season for 3 years.
This sum will mean record levels of funding will flow from the very top of the English football pyramid down to every level – including grassroots football.
The priority area of investment for clubs agreed are:
• Fan Engagement and Matchday Experience
• Grassroots football
• Participation – sporting and educational development of Young People
• Solidarity of Lower Leagues
• Supporting Disadvantaged groups
Premier League clubs have also all signed up to pay the ‘Living Wage’ for employees.
The exact amount of money to be dedicated to each area still has to be decided. But to give an idea on how this could affect the “Twenty’s Plenty” ticket price campaign which involves capping the ticket price at £20 for away fans at football matches – this would cost each Premier League club £1m a year to embrace. That’s £20m a year over three years for all the clubs. Or £60m in total over the term of the TV deal.
Out of the £1bn put aside for various causes, it’s not unthinkable that away ticket prices could be capped in the Premier League – and, in principal, the lower leagues too.
Premier League Chief Executive, Richard Scudamore, said: “The clubs have always stepped up to the plate when it comes to sharing their success. They appreciate that the development of the Premier League is contingent to a high degree on continued high levels of passionate support and a vibrant football pyramid”.
Football Supporters Federation CEO Kevin Miles said: “We look forward to continued dialogue between fans, clubs and the Premier League as to how this money is spent. Supporters must be at the heart of the decision making process; every club’s fan base has different needs, and addressing these requires proper dialogue”.
This comes as a big victory for fans – some of who spoke on the Beesotted Pride of West London podcast – calling for football to share the TV wealth, make football more affordable and show more support for grassroots football. However, until it the clubs detail exactly how the money is to be spent, we shouldn’t count our chickens and fans need to keep the pressure on to ensure that clubs do what is fair.
Admittedly, this windfall hasn’t fixed every last issue that fans have. But it does signal a shift and illustrates a positive attitude of engagement from those who hold the purse strings in English football.
Respect has to go to the fans who’s activism over the past few years has allowed this sea-change. Your hard work has kept fans’ interests in the spotlight and maintained pressure on both the Premier League and football clubs. It’s not over yet. Still plenty of work to be done. But it’s a great start.
And plenty more to come.
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Do you know it actually costs more to collect the gate receipts than the actual gate receipts themselves?
How so, sir, Man U 76,000 at only £30 per head is £2.28 million.
Even the Bees 10,000 at £23 per head is £230k…..
What are your stats based on.
I go with reciprocity on pricing, League rules would need to be changed though, currently away fans ticket prices are related to home fan prices….and like the idea of pricing based on distance between clubs……London derby matches may distort it though………If we play Spurs, Arsenal, Chelsky, Palace and The ‘Ammers and maybe Watfors, travelling costs are all on Oyster cards…….(no mention of White City Station-of course)
M