°Tnh\^
A presentation by
THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE
to
THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
Presented by:
W illiam Fox, President
A rthur Sandford, Chief Executive
Trevor Phillips, Commercial Director
October 18, 1990
The Football League, London.
Contents
Joint B o a r d ............................................................................
^
The Proposed S tru c tu re ................................................................
2
F in a n c e ...................................................................................
3
The England Team ...............................................................................
4
The F.A. Cup ...............................................................................
5
The Football Association and British A e ro s p a c e ...................................................
6
European C o m p e titio n s ............................................................................
7
Sanction o f the Football League ..........................................................................
8
Com petitions and Fixtures................................................................
g
R egistrations........................................................................
^0
Referees ............................................................................
^
S ch o o lb o y s ............................................................................
^2
L ille s h a ll............................................................................
13
G rounds...............................................................................
14/15
A Joint Initiative fora World Cup Bid ............
15
New T echnology..........................................................................
17
P r o p e r ty ........................................................................................................................... ..
C om m unity D e v e lo p m e n t............................................................
19
Hooliganism and crowd control ............................................................
20
Discipline .................................................................................
21
O utside Representation................................................................
C o m m e rc ia l/M a rk e tin g ..................................................................
22/23
24
The need fo r a common ap p ro a ch..........................................................
25
Areas o f common in te r e s t.......................................................
• S po nsorsh ip ........................................................................
25
26
•
Television........................................................................
27
•
Videos ...................................................................................
28
• Licensing - product endorsement........................................................................
• W e m b le y ............................................................................
30
•
O ther areas o f common in te re s t............................................................
31
Commercial/M arketing - A sum m ary..............................................................
32
The Way F o rw a rd .....................
33
29
ONE GAME
ONE TEAM
ONE VOICE
MANAGING
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FUTURE
J o in t B o ard
The proposal from the Football League is that there should be a Joint Board
between the Football Association and the Football League. The Board w ould
com prise five members appointed by the Football Association and five members,
from amongst its Management Committee, appointed by the Football League. In
addition, the respective Chief Executives o f the Football Association and the
Football League w ould be members o f the Board.
The Football League is acutely aware that through its County organisations,
The Football Association stretches from the grass roots right up to the international
scene. It relies overwhelm ingly on the voluntary contributions which very many
people make to the sport which they love. It is only right that these voluntary
contributions should be recognised and that the F.A. should provide a structure
w ith in which they can flourish. Those w ho aspire to serve on the F.A. Council are the
top o f a very broadly based pyramid o f their own organisations, be they County
Football Associations or specialist groups such as the Armed Forces. In presenting
our proposal it is not our intention to do anything which w ould im pair the
contribution which such dedicated people can provide, nor to take away the due
recognition which they deserve for their services. Quite the contrary, our intention
is to provide a more effective organisation w ith in w hich that valuable contribution
can be made.
For the Joint Board to come into being there w ould need to be acceptance
o f this proposal by both the Football Association and the Football League. It is
intended that both bodies should delegate to the Joint Board the exercise o f their
respective functions on issues, set out in more detail below, which are o f jo in t concern.
It is intended that the Board should operate at the policy making and
strategic level. For it to w ork effectively it w ould be necessary for all committees o f
both the Football Association and the Football League to operate in accordance
w ith overall policy/strategic decisions o f the Board. It should be emphasised that it
is intended that the existing committees o f both the Football Association and the
Football League should be retained as presently constituted. It w ould o f course, be
a m atter for each o f the parent bodies to decide for itself in the future w hether
there should be any revision to the structure o f their committees. Just as these
committees would be expected to operate in accordance w ith the overall direction o f
the Joint Board, so too it is anticipated that the com m ittees w ould put forward
th e ir proposals on policy/strategic issues for adoption by the Board. It is anticipated
that in this way there w ould be a coherent and consistent set o f policies developed
by the Board right across all o f the issues which are o f jo in t concern.
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T h e P roposed S tru ctu re
Football Association
Shareholders
Football
Association
Council
Football League
Clubs
JOINT BOARD
Football Association
Committees &
Sub-Committees
Football League
Management
Committee
Footbal I Leagu e
Committees &
Su b-Com m ittees
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Finance
A t the present time the finances o f both the Football Association and the
Football League are administered on quite separate bases. There is no
consideration given to any overall plan whereby strategic financial decisions can be
taken. When issues arise they are dealt w ith on a purely pragmatic basis. An
example o f this came out o f the last Joint Liaison Committee. When looking at the
proposed distribution o f television income by the Football Association, it was noted
that the Association was proposing to set aside a significant sum for im proving its
asset base. W hilst this is undoubtedly a most laudable objective, the Association’s
representatives undertook to review the m atter w hen the Football League
representative pointed out the extreme pressures w hich w ould be placed upon
Football League clubs (particularly First and Second Division clubs over the next
fo u r years) in seeking to carry out the recommendations o f the Taylor Report. If
a Joint Board had been in existence it could reasonably have been anticipated that
these tw o issues w ould have come together — and hence there w ould have been a
join t consideration o f them - before reaching the stage where prelim inary decisions
had been made and the matter needed to be raised in a Joint Liaison Meeting.
Similarly, in a number o f areas m entioned below in relation to specific
issues, it w ill be noted that finance plays an im portant part and a jo in t consideration
at a strategic level can only be helpful in ensuring that we make best use o f the
financial resources available to us.
W hilst at the officer level a degree o f liaison already takes place, e.g. a jo in t
approach to the Inland Revenue over capital allowances available to clubs carrying
out ground improvements, it is envisaged that this process w ould be enhanced if
there was a jo in t consideration o f financial issues at a more strategic level.
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T h e England Team
The Football Association has responsibility for the England team. However,
the overwhelming number o f players required for that team come from Football
League clubs. It is necessary therefore to have arrangements whereby such players
are made available to the national team.
The Football League is in no d o u b t that the success o f the national side
brings many benefits to the game in general and to clubs in membership o f the
Football League in particular. There can be little d o u b t that the continuing upsurge
in the num ber o f people watching matches between Football League sides is due at
least in part, to the success o f the national side in the World Cup. As an aside, it was
m ost pleasing to note that the England team was awarded the Fair Play Trophy
w hich at least must say something for the discipline w hich is instilled in our players
w hen playing in domestic com petitions week by week.
The new England Manager, Mr. Graham Taylor and his assistant Mr. Lawrie
M cM enem y have both said that they wish to forge even stronger links between the
national team and clubs in membership o f the Football League. In particular they
w ish to undertake coaching sessions w ith Football League clubs. That is something
w hich must be welcomed. However, if the d iffic u lt decisions which sometimes arise
in the “club v country” context are to be resolved, or better still avoided by pre­
planning, then that w ill need to be addressed in a single forum where both the
interests o f the national team and the interests o f individual clubs, w ho after all pay
the wages o f these players on a week by week basis, can be reconciled. There needs
to be created a climate o f understanding against w hich these sometimes d iffic u lt
and contentious issues can be determined.
It is suggested that a Joint Board between the Football League and the
Football Association w ould be an ideal vehicle for providing that common basis o f
understanding.
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F.A. Cup
W hilst the F.A. Challenge Cup is open to clubs outside the Football League,
only a m inority are adm itted to the com petition proper and it is most unusual for
such clubs to make any significant progress beyond the third round. The later stages
o f the com petition are therefore dom inated by Football League Clubs. There is
therefore a significant involvement by clubs w ith membership o f the Football League
in this com petition.
Issues relating to how the fixtures for this com petition dovetail w ith Football
League fixtures, arrangements for play offs, arrangements for the distribution o f
the television income generated from this com petition, issues relating to the use o f
Wembley for the final, abound. Consideration o f the strategic matters relating to
such issues w ould undoubtedly benefit from a jo in t approach between the Football
Association and the Football League.
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T he Football Association and B ritis h Aerospace
We understand that the Football Association has entered into a jo in t
venture arrangement w ith British Aerospace.
It is perhaps significant that our knowledge o f this venture is som ewhat
sketchy. We understand, however, that an initial commission is to undertake a
feasibility study into the provision o f a new National Stadium, perhaps in the
M idlands. If such a venture were to come about, it is understood that it w ould
compete w ith Wembley as a venue for matches o f national and international
significance.
The Football League currently uses Wembley fo r six matches per season. It
w ould, therefore, have a significant interest in the developm ent o f a new National
Stadium for football.
If there were a Joint Board then that could provide the forum for our
involvem ent in such a venture being considered.
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European Competitions
Football League Clubs are invited to participate in the European Cup, the
European Cup Winners Cup and the UEFA Cup depending upon the positions they
finish in the Football League and the Football Association Challenge Cup and, when
there was more than one place available in the UEFA Cup, in the Football League
Cup. Such invitations come through the Football Association.
In relation to the European Cup and the European Cup Winners Cup, only
the teams which w in the Football League Championship and the Football
Association Challenge Cup can participate, but in relation to the UEFA Cup,
nom inations for entries are put forward to the Football Association by the Football
League. A part from entry into com petitions, issues can arise such as how these
com petitions are accommodated in an overcrowded fixture list as well as issues
relating to the televising o f these matches.
Once again, the jo in t involvem ent in this area is obvious and a single
decision making body w ould have great advantages.
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S anction o f the Footb all League
As the national body responsible for Association Football in this country all
leagues operate under the overall aegis o f the Football Association. It is therefore
necessary for the Football League to obtain the sanction o f the Football Association
to the rules governing the Football League.
This w ill inevitably relate to quite strategic issues such as the recent
decision o f the Football League to increase the size o f the First Division from 20
clubs to 22 clubs and the consequential decision to increase the num ber o f Full
Mem bers o f the Football League from 44 to 46. Just taking this as an example, it is
clear that differing views can be taken on such a proposal which can have
consequential effects outside the Football League, e.g. in relation to the national
team.
It w ould undoubtedly be m ost helpful to have a single body which could
consider all o f these issues rather than possibly having the two bodies taking a
diffe re n t view in relation to a single issue and then having to wrestle w ith the way in
w hich such divergent views can be reconciled to the satisfaction o f all concerned. If
there were a Joint Board then such issues could be debated there and a single view
form ed.
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C o m p e titio n s and Fixtures
Each year the League applies to the F.A. fo r sanction o f the League
Championship, the League Cup, the Full Members’ Cup and the Associate Members’
Cup together w ith any ancillary com petitions such as ‘Soccer 6’. In addition to
approving the form at o f com petitions, the F.A. examine all com petition rules to
ensure that the League is continuing to operate w ith in its own sphere and that no
conflicts occur w ith the F.A.’s own statutes. The basic principles o f the relationship
between the F.A. and the Football League are outlined in the agreement between
the two bodies printed in the League Handbook (page 276).
As was made clear by Mr. Riddell at the last Joint Liaison Committee
meeting, the F.A. need to approve any changes proposed by the Football League, in
particular they can veto any structural changes which they feel are n o tin the game’s
best interest. The consequences o f any changes need to be carefully examined. For
example, not only w ould the principle o f an increase in the number o f Full M em ber
Clubs have to be sanctioned by the F.A. but it w ould also effect the structure o f the
F.A. Challenge Cup, bearing in mind that First and Second Division clubs only join
the com petition at the third round stage. Issues such as the effect on the national
team w ill need to be considered as well as the additional income which a return to
22 clubs in the First Division w ould provide, especially at a time when Clubs are
having to find substantial funds o f their own for im plem enting the Taylor Report.
A t the present time such issues tend to be addressed separately and may
well be given different weight. The role o f a Joint Board o f Management w ould be
to weigh up all these different factors and to come to an overall judgem ent on
behalf o f both the F.A. and the Football League.
A co-ordinated approach on fixtures has never been more appropriate than
at the present time, particularly w ith the role o f the police assuming greater
importance. The dating o f high profile matches as w ell as the costs required for
policing games are issues which are now high on football’s agenda. The F.A. are
understandably loath to depart from the traditional form at for knock-out
com petitions and hence to lim it the num ber o f re-plays which m ight take place. A
concerted e ffo rt is necessary however to ensure that the optim um package o f
com petitions needs to be identified so thata realistic programme o f fixtures can be
planned and that the necessary involvement o f the police in fixture planning can be
taken into account.
There has always been a close w orking relationship between the Football
League and the F.A. on the day to day management o f fixtures. Give and take has
been demonstrated on both sides in order to accommodate d iffic u lt situations.
Nevertheless, problems do arise from time to time and we believe that a Joint
Board could look at fresh solutions — perhaps, for example, by arranging for
fixtures to be controlled by a single office. Although the existing fixture precedents
wou Id still apply, the brief o f any such office w ould be to find the m ost appropriate
solution to any given set o f circumstances.
W ith the added complication o f ‘live’ television coverage creating an ever
increasing burden on the fixture calendar, greater co-ordination across the various
com petitions is more vital than ever.
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Registrations
Currently, both League and F.A. require clubs to register Contract Players
(including Transfers and Temporary Transfers) plus Trainees separately w ith each
body.
Clubs resent w hat they see as unnecessary bureaucracy and constantly
question the need for two sets o f registration forms.
To unify the system w ould not only save clubs work, it w ould also release
sta ff to concentrate on other areas, thereby giving a better service.
A simple com puter link w ould enable each office to check the other’s
records.
A nother benefit w ould be created if all League Clubs’ team sheets were
collated and recorded by one organisation, i.e. League, F.A. Cup, Rumbelows Cup,
European Cup matches - this w ould enable a full statistical record to be kept and
allo w the League to m onitor the terms o f transfer agreements which com monly
provide for an additional transfer fee to be paid on a player making a specified
num ber o f appearances.
Other areas involving players where a closer relationship and re-appraisal
o f responsibilities could be o f benefit are players’ agents, international clearances,
w o rk permits, compensation tribunals.
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Referees
Fortunately, a close working relationship already exists between the two
Referees Departments. The F.A. relies on the co-operation o f the League in making
available details o f assessment markings, thereby enabling the ‘in form ’ referees to
be appointed to F.A. Cup matches. These marks are also used by The Football
Association when considering nom inations for the F.I.F.A. panel. The Football
Association also relies on the League to a ppoint assessors to F.A. Cup matches.
Nevertheless, problems still exist. For example, in the qualifying rounds o f
the F.A. Cup, match officials are appointed by County F.A.s which results in many
Football League Linesmen, w ho have already been appointed to League matches,
‘crying o ff’ because they have been appointed to referee an F.A. Cup qualifying
match by their County F.A. The requirem ent for clubs to provide trainees w ith
instruction in the Laws o f the Game is another area where better co-ordination
w o u ld be o f benefit.
Difficulties which the League and P.F.A. have recently encountered in trying
to introduce a pilo t scheme for professional players to have a ‘short circuit’ route to
the top are well documented - a good example o f w h y a new initiative o f the type
w hich we are proposing is required.
The League is not sim ply concerned w ith the professional game. The
w elfare o f the game at grass roots level is vital to the continued well being o f the
game at the highest level. If there are not referees being recruited to the game on
the local parks, then this w ill eventually have an im pact in the League. The League
and F.A. are currently partners in the developm ent and training o f referees.
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Schoolboys
Just as the developm ent o f referees is im portant, then so is the
developm ent o f schoolboys. The League shares the concern o f the Football
Association about the am ount and type o f football in w hich the more gifted boys are
involved. The co-operation o f everyone w ho has the best interests o f the boys and
the game at heart is required if the problem is to be effectively tackled and this
involves both League and Football Association w orking together.
League Clubs play an essential role in the developm ent o f excellence and
the League is keen to see the Centres o f Excellence thrive.
The schoolboys o f today are the League players and England Internationals
o f the future and it is in both our interests to w ork together to give the boys the best
possible upbringing.
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Lilleshall
An im portant initiative which The Football Association has taken in recent
years is the developm ent o f the National School at Lilleshall. However, the school
does not have the support o f everyone, including a num ber o f clubs, schools and
parents.
The League w ould like to see the school, and possibly more like it, succeed
and we are sure that the jo in t involvem ent o f our two bodies could only help
the situation.
Just as w ith the National School, the League wishes to support the
Rehabilitation Centre at Lilleshall. The League already works closely w ith Lilleshall
sta ff in carrying o u t the annual Fitness Tests for Referees and Linesmen and the
League is to encourage Referees to undergo exam ination at Lilleshall before
resuming duties after injury. The League welcomes and appreciates the gesture
m ade by The Football Association to provide a num ber o f free beds and also the
o ffe r to have players o f First Division Clubs tested free by the Human Performance
Clinic. However, it appears that the services provided at Lilleshall are not being
utilised to the full by League Clubs and this is possibly another area where a closer
relationship could be o f mutual benefit.
Despite the excellent service provided at Lilleshall, there is a feeling that in
England we lag way behind other countries in o u r treatment o f injuries and
provision o f specialist sports clinics. This is an area w hich both the League and F.A.
should look at together.
ON EG A M I
o n e team
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Grounds
The Football Association has a Match and Grounds Committee; the Football
League has a Playing Surfaces Sub-Committee. This clearly demonstrates our jo in t
involvem ent in issues relating to the surfaces on which the game is played as well as
the surroundings. So far as the playing surface itself is concerned, both
organisations have been concerned to evaluate the latest research in order to ensure
that grass playing surfaces are provided at the highest quality consistent w ith the
economic position o f the clubs concerned.
Over the last few years both organisations have had to wrestle w ith
d iffic u lt issues relating to the use o f artificial surfaces. M ost recently both
organisations have been looking at making ex gratia payments to those clubs which
still make use o f artificial surfaces as part o f a phasing ou t arrangement. There is an
obvious and clear advantage in such issues being considered on a jo in t basis w ith a
single approach being adopted, otherwise Football League clubs can find that
diffe re n t considerations are being brought to bear on the playing surfaces which
they can use, on the one hand in Football League com petitions and on the other
hand in Football Association com petitions, principally the F.A. Cup. Even where
grass surfaces are concerned technological developments relating to the production
o f grass surfaces have been seen in recent years, and w ill no doubt continue. It
w o u ld make the utm ost sense for there to be a single approach to such
developm ents in the future.
W ith the application o f Lord Justice Taylor’s Report into the Hillsborough
Stadium Disaster, much attention has focused on the proposals in the Report,
accepted by Government, that all First and Second Division teams in the Football
League should play in all-seater stadia by 1994 and that all Third and Fourth
Division Clubs should play in all-seater stadia by 1999. Added to these
recommendations need to be the requirements o f U.E.F.A. and F.I.F.A. for the staging
o f European and international matches.
It w ill require a determ ined and concerted e ffo rt by all concerned if these
requirements are to be met. N ot only do they im pinge upon the Football
Association and the Football League but they also have m ajor im plications for the
Football Stadia Advisory Design Council, the Football Licensing Authority, the
Football Trust (I990) and for Government itself in relation to planning and fiscal policy.
These recommendations also have significant im plications for local authorities.
It w ill therefore require a single and coherent policy stretching across all o f these
bodies if the recommendations are to be achieved and best use is to be made of
the lim ited financial resources which are available.
Continued.
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As the two bodies directly representing football, it w ill be absolutely
essential For the Football Association and the Football League to be, and to be seen
to be, pursuing a single policy. That w ould be the better achieved if issues could be
debated and decisions made by a single body (i.e. the Joint Board) which is
representative o f both organisations.
As an example o f the sort o f issues which w ould need to be addressed we
w ould cite the requirem ent for there to be 8 stadia in the country w ith an all-seated
capacity in excess o f 40,000 if we are ever again to stage a European o r World
Championship. Wembley apart, it is doubtful w hether any otherground w ill achieve
this criteria if the clubs concerned sim ply look at their own requirments, and
convert present standing capacity into seated areas up to the level which the clubs
themselves require for their Football League matches. A num ber o f grounds
however w ill come close to this figure but it may w ell be necessary to give those
clubs some (financial) encouragement to achieve the 40,000 all-seated capacity.
Equally d iffic u lt decisions w ill need to be made about which grounds should be
chosen for this status. Consideration w ill need to be given as to w hether any o r all
o f the monies which the Football Association are m inded to make available for
ground improvements should be used for this purpose. It must clearly be an
objective o f the Football Association that as a nation w e are equipped in the future
to host European and World Championships but that can only be achieved by the
use o f grounds belonging to and used on a regular basis by Football League Clubs.
Once again, the desirability o f achieving a single approach to this matter
seems so obvious as not to require re-statement. A Joint Board w ould be the ideal
forum forachievingsuch a result.
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A Jo in t In itia tiv e fo r a W orld Cup Bid
It is Fairly certain that the grant aid available to each club from the Football
Trust w ill be capped at £2 m illion o r less - w hat is absolutely certain, however, is
that the Financial assistance available to clubs w ill fall w ell short o f the cost involved
in transform ing Leaguegrounds into all-seaterstadia.
In o rder to help generate additional funding we w ill obviously have to
explore every avenue. One strategy which could help m eet this shortfall w ould be to
propose that a bid is made to stage the World Cup Finals (or alternatively, the
European Championships).
In addition to an 80,000 capacity stadium for the Final, F.I.F.A. insist that in
o rd e r to stage a w orld championship, the host nation must have at least eight
grounds w ith a m inim um o f 40,000 seats. A t this stage very few clubs intend aiming
for this level o f capacity and so unless an initiative is launched soon, there may be
little chance o f England ever staging a m ajorC ham pionship again.
Rather than football deciding the eight regional centres on its own, a more
pragmatic approach w ould be to invite cities (or m etropolitan authorities) to tender
for the privilege o f being involved. Each city w o u ld have to dem onstrate its
com m itm ent by offering to ensure that, in conjunction w ith the club concerned, the
ground it is ‘sponsoring’ w ill be upgraded to the required standard and the necessary
infrastructure put in place by the deadline laid down. Effectively, we would be asking
local com m unities to adopt the same philosophy and show the same enterprise
that led Birmingham and Manchester to bid for the Olym pic games, albeit on a much
sm aller scale. How they generate the funds w ould be a m atter for them but we are
confident that there are a sufficient num ber o f am bitious local authorities up and
dow n the country to make this a viable proposition.
It seems certain that Central Government w o u ld also be keen to help secure
such a prestigious global event, and this m ight be sufficient to convince them to
extend the reduction in betting duty beyond 1995.
Obviously, this initiative w ould have to be a partnership between the
League and the Football Association and although outside assistance w ould most
certainly be required, overall control w ould lie w ith a board o f management.
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N e w Technology
The Football League is about to embark upon a programme o f computerising
many o f the activities which it undertakes. As a first step it is envisaged that this
w ill embrace such areas as finance, player registration, referee registration and
appointm ents and our commercial activities.
Some discussions have taken place w ith the Football Association and it is
intended that the com puter system installed by the League should at least be
com patible w ith the computerised financial system used by the Football
Association. We can well envisage however, extending this programme to provide
direct com puter links w ith the Football Clubs. It is envisaged that this w ill provide
considerable benefits by way o f more efficient processing (e.g. player records could
be updated electronically directly by clubs from the production o f team sheets), as
w ell as providing a database which can be used for the more effective management
o f the Football League and the production o f inform ation which could be sold to
third parties e.g. newspapers and television.
A t the present time the Football League has very little by way o f
com puterised systems - only the financial records are computerised and even that
system is in urgent need o f renewal. There is therefore the opportunity to build
alm ost from scratch the precise system that we require using whatever computer
technology is deemed best for the purpose. This requires decisions on the use o f
hardware and software as well as on the arrangements which we make w ith
softw are houses for the support in the developm ent o f these systems which we w ill
undoubtedly require. Once however developm ent begins, the options for the future
w ill begin to be closed down. We have sought to take a route which w ill allow for
the sort o f developments which we are likely to require in the future and the
hardware and the systems which we are considering w ill be chosen w ith that in
m ind. There w ould however be obvious and clear advantages in the Football League
and the Football Association developing their com puter policy along sim ilar lines
and that w ill require jo in t decisions to be made fairly quickly as the Football League
is m inded to make significant improvements in this area over the short term. Access
to a jo in t data base w ould undoubtedly provide much o f the management
inform ation which w ill be required if a Joint Board is to consider the sort o f issues
described elsewhere in this presentation.
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P ro p e rty
Both the Football Association and the Football League have recently been
reassessing their needs For accommodation. Up until quite recently the Football
League has made extensive use o f the Football Association’s premises at Lancaster
Gate For meeting purposes since we had not had o u r own accommodation in
London which could be used for such purposes. We are grateful and indebted to the
Football Association for the facilities which they have made available to use including the sandwiches!
Because o f the need to relocate our Commercial Department from the
Wembley Conference Centre as our lease was expiring, the Football League have
recently taken premises on lease on the Old M arylebone Road, some five minutes
w a lk from the Football Association’s offices. This accom modation not only provides
a base for the Commercial Department but also provides a meeting room and a
base for the President, the Management Committee and officers o f the League w ho
are not London based. It is understood that the Football Association are pursuing
enquiries to extend the am ount o f accommodation w hich they have at Lancaster
Gate and if this were to come to fruition, then the Football League w ould be more
than interested in pursuing discussions w ith the Football Association about
relocating their London office in such premises. This w ould undoubtedly facilitate
the jo in t w orking which is envisaged elsewhere in this docum ent but it w ould
require jo in t decisions to be made and the Joint Board w hich is proposed w ould
provide an obvious forum for such decisions.
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C o m m u n ity D evelo p m en t
Reference has been made elsewhere to the developments which w ill need
to take place at League Club grounds in order to im plem ent the recommendations
o f Lord Justice Taylor. As part o f these developments, consideration w ill need to be
given to incorporating facilities which are for public use. The jo in t provision o f such
facilities w ith local authorities and the dual use o f w h a t is provided both for club
and public purposes, w ill need to be addressed. There w ould be a clear advantage
for the Football League and the Football Association to have a common policy in
these areas. In addition, recent years have seen a considerable extension in the
activities o f Football League Clubs in the community.
The Football Association has also recognised the opportunities which are
available for prom oting the game. Up until recently, one set o f initiatives had been
developed by the Football Association, w h ils t yet another set o f initiatives under
the governm ent’s Employm ent Training programme have been developed by the
Football League and the Professional Footballers’ Association, through the aegis o f
the Footballers’ Further Education and Vocational Training Society.
Strenuous efforts, which it is hoped w ill very shortly come to fruition, have
been made over the last six m onths to develop a single initiative which brings
together the Football Association, the Football League and the Professional
Footballers Association. The reason it has taken so long to come together under a
single initiative is because o f the complex issues involved and there have been
genuine differences o f opinion as to how best those issues could be resolved. It is
suggested if there had been in existence the Joint Board, then that m ight well have
form ed an effective forum for resolving these issues at an earlier date than has
proved possible. It would, o f course, have been necessary to involve the
Professional Footballers’ Association in those discussions, but the Joint Board
w o u ld have formed the nucleus for such a debate. As it was, various ad hoc
discussions had to be arranged in order to reach agreement at senior level when
agreement was taking so long to achieve through the normal liaison arrangements
w hich exist between the three bodies.
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H oo lig an ism and crow d control
The spectre o f crowd m isconduct has hung over the national game for more
than 20 years now and w h ilst measures instituted by the Government, the police
and by football itself have had a significant effect in recent seasons, we can never be
com placent on this issue. Indeed, as crime figures escalate in the public domain, the
threat o f violence manifesting itself w ith in a mass spectator sport such as
professional football w ill always be there. Hooliganism, therefore continues to
represent one o f football’s m ajor problems.
A Joint Management Board w ould need to formulate a coherent and
consistent policy for addressing the issue o f hooliganism at football matches. A
united approach should make English football’s voice in the corridors o f power,
both home and abroad that much louder. W ith football being well prepared to play
its part it w ould be necessary for the Joint Board to ensure that others played their
part also. For example, it seems that little progress is being made by the
Government on Lord Justice Taylor’s recommendations for tackling crowd
m isconduct and issues such as the extension o f attendance centre orders, making
missile throw ing a specific offence and outlaw ing ticket touting on the day o f a
match should be the subject o f an assertive and cohesive campaign by the game’s
Management Board.
Similarly, the professional game should have a more direct link to U.E.F.A.
ensuring stronger representations were made.
Action against ‘offending’ clubs w ould also carry much greater w eight if
such decisions were taken as part o f a co-ordinated approach to hooliganism. The
F.A.’s Overseas Travel Club could be extended w ith advantage into the domestic
scene. The jo in t approach to the Com m unity Programme w ill, hopefully,
dem onstrate the advantages o f co-ordinating initiatives through a single channel.
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D iscipline
M aintaining a high degree o f discipline is vital in any sport, both on the field
o f play and o ff it. One o f the facets o f top flight sport is that it sets the standards for
the rest to follow and this is particularly true in the case o f discipline and
disciplinary procedures.
The Football League has been granted a significant level o f autonom y in
m aintaining discipline w ith in its own ranks, although overall authority has always
remained w ith The Football Association as the governing body. It is imperative,
therefore, that in order to establish the right tone for the rest o f football, both the
F.A. and the League are in tandem w ith each other when issues o f this nature
emerge.
There is no question that both organisations fully appreciate their own
responsibilities in this area. They also accept that it is for them clearly and
unequivocally to establish a level o f behaviour w hich provides a yardstick for
the rest o f football — a measure against which every disciplinary code w ith in the
game is set.
Every disciplinary procedure, w hether it covers the conduct o f players or
regulates the financial affairs o f clubs, needs not only to ensure that offenders are
duly sanctioned but that such sanctions provide an appropriate deterrent to
others. Disciplinary measures also need to dem onstrate consistency.
It is the League’s view that consistency can only emerge from a close
w orking relationship w ith the F.A. - a relationship which promotes a deep
understanding o f the different perspectives each body may have. Such an
understanding can only be fostered if the senior representatives from both the F.A.
and the League are assembled under one united banner - the Joint Board o f
Management.
A t a time when the authority vested in alm ost every governing body seems
to be under increasing pressure, a unified approach to the management o f football
has never been more appropriate. F.I.F.A. have set the tone by introducing statutes
in the summer which w ill prohibit members from seeking recourse to civil courts on
footballing issues. W hilst there must always be accountability and no one can claim
to be above the law, the modern trend to resort to litigation must be resisted. This
m ust represent an even greater m otivation for the F.A. and the League to w ork
together - we cannot afford to have disciplinary procedures undermined by
individuals exploiting weaknesses and driving wedges between the two bodies.
Football must have leadership which demonstrates to all concerned that
the erosion o f standards w ill not be tolerated. A Joint Management Board would
provide not only a galvanising influence but also a platform for stronger, more
proactive leadership. There w ould be no temptation to leave d iffic u lt issues to the
o th e r body - an allegation that has been made against football in the past.
Unpopular decisions such as those relating to crowd m isconduct would have to be
faced head on; intim idation from ‘breakaway’ groups w ould be counteracted by
there being nowhere else to go; and financial irregularities w ould be more
cohesively dealt with.
W ith the emergence o f more com petitions at professional level, perhaps
the o n -field disciplinary procedures need to be overhauled.
These are issues which should be determined by a Joint Board.
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O u ts id e R ep resen tatio n
The Football League and the Football Association are both represented on a
variety o f outside organisations o r where they are not directly represented, need to
m aintain a close dialogue w ith such bodies. Included in such a list w ould be the
Professional Footballers’ Association, the Football Trust, the Football Licensing
Authority, the Football Stadia Advisory Design Council, the Professional Footballers’
Negotiating Committee, the Footballers’ Further Education and Vocational Training
Society. A dialogue also needs to be maintained w ith other football interests both
in Europe and the rest o f the w orld. As the body charged w ith representing football
interests at the national level, this dialogue is maintained by the Football Association
w ith such bodies as U.E.F.A. and F.I.F.A. and other sister leagues and associations.
Clearly however, these are matters in which the Football League has a
considerable interest. That interest is likely to grow, especially after 1992 w ith the
greater freedom o f movement o f citizens w ith in the European community. In that
context it w ill be necessary for our national voice to be heard and for the Football
Association and the Football League to present a united front when other countries
may well wish to introduce arrangements, which w ould then become binding upon
us, w ith which we may not agree.
An example o f this relating to the freedom o f movement o f players w ould
be in relation to our arrangements for allow ing players to move between clubs at
the expiry o f their contracts but w ith compensation being payable by one club to
the other and being determined by a formal arbitration in the event o f
disagreement. It is understood that this is not a system which is universally
accepted by any means in the rem ainder o f Europe and that we m ight well have to
argue quite forcibly for its retention.
Since the functions o f the Football Association and the Football League are
frequently the responsibility o f a single body in other countries in Europe, we could
well be at a disadvantage if we were not able to present a strong united front. Our
strategic approach to such issues could, it is suggested, be determined by a Joint
Board o f the kind which we are advocating.
In addition to our jo in t representation on, and the need for a close dialogue
w ith , outside bodies we must not forget the necessity fo r football to present its case
logically, coherently and forcefully to governm ent at all levels - to local
government, to national government and to the E.E.C. W ithout such a concerted
approach it is unlikely that we w ill be effective in bringing about the changes which
we jo in tly desire.
Continued.
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An extension for example, o f the reduction in the Pool Betting Levy for a
fu rth e r five years, making ten years in all, is absolutely essential if Football League
clubs are to bring about the changes required by the Taylor Report. The government
has made it absolutely clear however, that such an extension w ill only be granted if
football as a w hole is shown to be playing its part. That is a w holly reasonable
stance for Government to take but if football is to satisfy the Government, then
we m ust be able to demonstrate that there are no divisions between the Football
Association and the Football League. If it were otherwise, the Government could
reasonably ask for example, why the Football Association and the Football League
were not maximising the many commercial and marketing opportunities available
to them, which is the subject o f a more detailed analysis elsewhere in this
document.
A t the end o f the day however, our public relations can only be as good as
the actuality and a single voice approach emanating from a common base is vital if
we are to succeed.
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C o m m e rc ia l/M a rk e tin g
There can be little doubt that the 1980’s provided Association Football w ith
the m ost problem atic decade in its history.
There can also be little d o u b t that the I990’s w ill be the decade o f most
dram atic change.
The marriage between commerce and sport is not always a happy one.
However, it cannot be disputed that revenue into football from areas other than gate
receipts, ie television, sponsorship and other commercial activities, are now so
central to the fundamental structure o f the sport a t all levels that it could not
continue to survive as the country’s num ber one sport w ith o u t them.
It is vital that the recovery that is underway does not result in complacency
regarding the future and a consequent unwillingness to accept innovation and
change. Adm inistrators, owners and the Government need to recognise football’s
special characteristics, but must accept the major and ultim ately irresistible role o f
m arket forces.
THE DEVELOPMENT AND HISTORY OF THE GAME IN BRITAIN HAS BEEN
LARGELY SHAPED BY THOSE FORCES AN D THE FUTURE WILL BE NO DIFFERENT
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The need fora common approach
The rationale For a corporate Football League — Football Association
approach to Commercial and M arketing affairs is quite straightforward and does
not need to be encumbered w ith a w elter o f statistics.
The prim e objectives should be to:
1. Make it easier for commercial concerns to spend money w ith in football.
2. Maxim ise the buying power and strength that corporate negotiations w ould
bring.
3. Demonstrate to the Government, or any other body currently contributing funds
through grant aid etc, that the industry is capable o f helping itself.
k. O ffer a fully comprehensive package to potential sponsors wishing to invest in
the totality o f English football.
5. Improve the image - it has to be recognised that professional pro-active PR
and press relations are an integral elem ent in creating the most fertile
environm ent for the full exploitation o f our com bined commercial opportunities.
Any future combined marketing operation should be considered in tandem w ith
com bined resources in PR and press relations.
Areas of common interest
• Sponsorship
• Television
• Videos
• L ic e n s in g -P ro d u c t Endorsement
• W em bley (contracts, etc)
• Publishing
• Franchising
• Agents
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7. Sponsorship
We would create the opportunity For football to offer dove-tailed sponsorship
packages w hich incorporate both the grass roots and professional levels o f the
sport. This w ould bring particular benefits and opportunities to the amateur game.
•
A t present the Football League cannot offer any real involvem ent w ithin
am ateur/youth developm ent programmes/leagues.
•
The Football Association cannot offe r sponsors any real involvement w ith the
League Clubs.
•
A linked programme o f this nature is the key to unlocking the large prom otional
budgets o f the giant m ulti-nationals.
The Football League has a proficient sponsorship departm ent and we would
elim inate the role o f outside agencies, thereby elim inating the payment o f
commission.
M arket research undertaken w ith affiliated clubs at am ateur/youth level
could assist in providing detailed inform ation on the effectiveness o f many
professional sponsorships, particularly when nam e/brand awareness is an objective
o f the sponsor.
This type o f detailed inform ation is becoming increasingly more valuable as
the sports sponsorship industry becomes more sophisticated and competitive.
It w ill not only help us attract more sponsorship (because sponsors like
o p p o rtu n itie s w hich o ffe r elem ents o f assessing th e ir spend), but equally as
im portant it w ill also help football retain sponsorships it already has in the face o f
aggressive marketing by other sports bodies.
Contacts made at the top level could be used to provide funding at the lower
levels o f the game where fully resourced and experienced marketing personnel are
unlikely to be found.
From an image context it w ould strengthen our selling potential in the
sponsorship marketplace by highlighting the fact that football can adapt to meet the
dem ands o f the next decade and beyond.
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2. Television
For many years the BBC and ITV operated as a cartel in order to keep the price
o f Football down to a m inim um - a strategy in which they were very successful.
It w ould be unwise and comm ercially naive if football were not to apply the
same cartel principle in order to keep the price up.
The split in jo in t negotiations during the last round o f talks was caused
principally by two elements:
(a) The Football League’s lack o f discipline and control over its Clubs.
(b) The Football Association’s lack o f resolve in strongly supporting the League in
the face o f a threatened breakaway.
2. / Future contracts
We currently have four channels operating in the English market, all o f whom
recognise that in order to have a credible sports p o rtfo lio - they must have football.
The developm ent o f cable television, a possible 5th terrestrial channel
w ill add not only to the opportunities, but also to the confusion that already exists.
With respect to television, football is about to enter an era o f unprecedented
opportunity, but also o f great risk if one is to maintain a balance and ensure that we
do not compromise our basic values and beliefs that paying, attending spectators
are an integral part o f th e ‘event’ itself.
Football as an industry must have a long term policy w ith regard to television,
not only to ensure that w e' maximise the commercial opportunities, but more
im portantly to control the output.
2 .2 Production
Football should not continue to sell exclusive rights - but pictures.
To this end we should develop our own independent production company.
The Football League currently films, transmits live, edits and sells for
broadcast transmission its own football. This is not o nly successful in the overseas
market, but has and does receive independent commissions from UK broadcasters.
Selling our own produced product, packaged in such a way that we have a
spread across all channels, allows us control o f our product.
Commercial spin offs as a result o f sole ownership o f the copyright are very
considerable.
2 .3 Overseas
A t present the League sells 38 weekends o f Football League action to a w o rldw ide
market, generating a turnover o f some £4M. The Football Association sells its own
package o f FA Cup and Internationals in most cases to the same countries.
A corporate approach would result in an immediate cost saving o f sales over­
heads, produce a stronger productand increase our pow er to manipulate the market.
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3. Videos
One consequence o f developing our own production capability (2.2) w ould
be our ability to control com pletely the rapidly developing video market both
through rental and sell through markets via our own label.
The form ation o f a commercial library o f football footage, to which we are
the sole rights owners, w ould be a p ro fit centre o f considerable value in its own
right.
Our objectives in the video field should be to:
(a) Control the market, ie lim it an already saturated market.
(b) Improve the quality o f the product - image enhancement.
(c) Retain w ith in football the considerable margins that currently leak out to agents,
producers and distributors.
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4. Licensing - product endorsement
This remains one o f the most underdeveloped areas for both the Football
League and the Football Association.
The League has over the last two years begun the process o f implem enting
a merchandising programme using League logo endorsem ent that has produced a
revenue stream o f £0.5M. This is merely ‘scratching the surface’. Suffice to say that
the logo o f the NFL (American Football) currently generates more revenue in the
UK than the combined Football League and Football Association Logos.
A well constructed merchandising programme combining the two
properties (FL and FA Logos) has an earning potential o f at least £6M per annum
w ith in a time frame o f four years.
The potential in the USA alone in the next three years leading up to the
1994 World Cup for exploitation o f the logos via product endorsem ent is very
considerable.
This is one area where we make it particularly d iffic u lt for companies to
spend money w ith us. The decision making process is slow. Companies play o ff the
Football League and the Football Association in negotiations in order to reduce
royalty levels. A rtw ork and packaging designs have to be cleared w ith both bodies
on jo in t deals, leading to lengthy delays which are o ffp u ttin g to companies in the
fast moving retail business.
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5. Wembley
Our respective contracts w ith Wembley highlights the foolishness o f
separate as opposed to corporate negotiations.
W hilst Wembley remains ‘the only game in to w n ’ it has powerful negotiating
strengths. We can only negate that power by com bining the purchasing power o f the
Football League and the Football Association.
The Football League contract was improved during the last negotiation
(4 year contract). The Football Association is currently tied in for another 12 years.
We should combine and im m ediately re-negotiate a jo in t contract, the
basis o f which should be ‘dry hire’ and retention o f all our peripheral rights e.g.
programmes, merchandising, television, advertising etc.
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6. Other areas o f common interest
There are many other areas where the com bined authority, purchasing
pow er and leverage o f a professionally constructed Football League/Football
Association Commercial and Marketing operation w ould bring quantifiable,
tangible benefits:
Publishing
magazines, yearbooks, programmes etc
Franchising
especially catering facilities
Agents
licensing and control
Overseas Tours
reduce the margins flowing o u t o f the game into the pockets o f agents,
entrepreneurs etc.
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C o m m e rc ia l/M a rk e tin g - A s u m m ary
The commercial and marketing am bitions and objectives o f football can no
longer be approached on a piecemeal basis.
In order to fully capitalise on the commercial potential it is vital that we
improve cohesion com munication and buying power.
The fragmentation o f the decision making process leads to a dilution o f
negotiating power and a subsequent reduction in margins.
The form ation o f a new Commercial and Marketing venture w ith the
infrastructure to develop all aspects o f the marketing, image enhancement and
commercial exploitation o f English football w ould provide a catalyst, a foundation
upon which the sport could develop a more corporate, single-m inded approach to
its opportunities.
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The w a y fo rw a rd
During the lim ited time given to prepare and present our case it has not
been possible to give the detail that we w ould have wished, but the advantages are
there for all to see.
The Football Association needs the professional game and the professional
game needs the Football Association and we, the adm inistrators o f the game are
responsible for taking a positive step forward to w o rk together. If we do not address
the problem o f tw o bodies to all intents and purposes w orking independently, then
we are failing in the duties w ith w hich we have been entrusted.
I must stress once again, that for these plans to work, the Joint Board w ith
equal representation is the basis o f the concept. The desired partnership w ill not be
achieved by increasing the ex-officio representation for the Football League on the
Executive Committee or indeed on a Joint Board.
We are not projecting the advantages o f the Football League in this
presentation neither are we projecting the case for the Football Association. W hat
we are doing is projecting the way forward for FOOTBALL!
We m ust not allow personal situations to influence our decisions. The
yardstick has to be the final objective, that o f restoring our country, England, to its
rightful position as leader o f the game and holders o f the World Cup.
W illiam Fox
PRESIDENT
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