The Premier League clubs set to benefit from the new £5.136billion television deal have been challenged to commit 5% of that revenue to grass roots football.
Former sports minister and board member of the Football Foundation, Richard Cabon, has called on the top 20 clubs to commit 5% of the TV deal money they receive into the grass roots level, saying they have a responsibility to do so for the future good of the game.
Speaking to the Press Association, Cabon explained.
“This is a challenge to the 20 club owners and chairman. some of them have been alleged to have little interest in the England team and English football more broadly. Community funding from the Premier League has not kept pace with its increase in television income and I would challenge the chairman to commit five per cent of their total receipts to grass roots football.”
The Premier League already commit £12million to jointly fund the Football Federation, and the FA and Government contribute £10million each as well for community facilities and programmes, but if Cabon gets his wish 5% of the new deal across 2016-19 would see £86million a year go into the Foundation and it’s estimated that if overseas broadcasts brings in the £3billion as reported, it would mean a total of £136million going into the grass roots level each year.
Cabon goes on to suggest that the 5% suggestion should exclude parachute payments or solidarity payments to Football League clubs – it is a Premier League specific only suggestion, and he further explains that the uplift in money could be used to fund a growth of 3G pitches because we lag behind the likes of Germany for example.
The Premier League have responded to this, pointing out that they have already committed 5% of the 2013-16 UK rights to grass roots and good causes – effectively £56million a season, including the £12million to the Football Foundation.
The Football Supporters’ Federation has a different plan, saying a three pronged attack is now required, but they aren’t overly confident this will happen and they say to boost the future of football not only should further funding be invested in grass roots, there should be a better filter of the riches down the football pyramid including a cut to ticket prices across the board.
Chairman Malcolm Clarke explained.
“The real challenge now for the Premier League owners – and I’m not particularly optimistic they are going to rise to it – is how they use this money. People keep using the word ‘obscene’ but it’s not obscene we’re getting this amount of money into English football. What might be obscene is how it’s used. Basically we want to see real action on ticket prices, particularly for away fans because we are an all important part of the product that has enabled them to gain all this money.”
Clarke goes further and references the film industry where extras are paid to attend, and jokes (with a good point) maybe fans should be paid to attend instead of paying to attend as fans are treated like extra in this big game of television money and sponsorship.
“I know it’s a joke, but behind it there is truth because without the match going fan inside the ground, they wouldn’t have a product to sell. There needs to be very significant movement on prices. There is no justification whatsoever for increasing prices, and there is every justification for considerable reductions.”
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