### Are Manchester City Becoming the Harlem Globetrotters?
**Thursday 13 June 2024 6:59 am**
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**MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – MAY 26: Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, smokes a cigar while on the Open Top Bus during the Manchester City trophy parade on May 26, 2024, in Manchester, England. (Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images)**
I enjoy watching Manchester City play. Unlike some neutrals who find Pep Guardiola’s team too clinical, I appreciate their style. Surprisingly, I found myself rooting for Manchester United in their FA Cup final victory over Manchester City last month, a rare occurrence for me (the other time was in 1999). This feeling came even before the shocking news that City is suing the Premier League. Respect, lost.
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Manchester City’s owner, is incredibly wealthy, with a reported net worth of $40bn and an annual income of $3bn. This wealth gives City a significant advantage, especially compared to Sir Jim Ratcliffe, co-owner of Manchester United, who has assets estimated at £24bn.
City’s current legal action against the Premier League aims to challenge rules on Associated Party Transactions, which require independent valuations to ensure commercial deals are not artificially inflated to comply with financial fair play regulations. City’s close relationships with Middle Eastern partners, such as Etihad Airlines, highlight their financial muscle.
The Premier League’s success is largely due to the competitive nature of the competition and its financial rules designed to maintain this balance. If City’s legal action succeeds, it could disrupt this structure and result in punitive damages.
George Harrison’s 1973 lyrics resonate here:
“Well, you serve me and I’ll serve you
Swing your partners, all get screwed
Bring your lawyer and I’ll bring mine
Get together and we could have a bad time
We’re going to play the sue me, sue you blues”
Imagine you’re in the City owner’s strategy room, where money is no object. The goals are clear: dominate English football, usurp Real Madrid in the Champions League, and win the Club World Cup consistently. To achieve this, dismantle the Premier League’s financial regulations and eventually UEFA’s, allowing City to attract the world’s best players.
Next, monetize this footballing empire by breaking away from the Premier League’s collective TV deal. The world would pay to watch City’s matches, generating billions of dollars. Building a world-class stadium in Manchester would be essential, with Sheikh Mansour’s wealth ensuring its grandeur.
However, this strategy carries risks. City could be expelled from the Premier League and European competitions, forced to find opponents globally. They might even join Major League Soccer or the Saudi Pro League, depending on politics.
The crucial question for Sheikh Mansour’s strategists: does Manchester City need the Premier League more than the Premier League needs Manchester City? The Harlem Globetrotters, once a spectacle, are now a tired brand, performing in front of dwindling crowds. Could City face a similar fate?
### Build it and They Will Come
Regardless of the outcome of the T20 Men’s World Cup, Sunday’s India vs. Pakistan game in New York justified the event for the ICC and IOC ahead of cricket’s debut at the LA28 Olympics. The feverish atmosphere at The Oval in 2017, when Pakistan won the ICC Champions Trophy, is still vivid. This weekend’s match drew a packed, enthusiastic crowd.
While one match can’t define cricket’s growth in America, Major League Cricket will likely use this occasion to promote the sport in the US. The ECB will face challenges competing with MLC for marquee players every summer.
As an aside, the ICC ensures India and Pakistan play each other in tournaments. Imagine the uproar if FIFA rigged its World Cup draws to ensure England always played Germany or Argentina faced Brazil, purely for broadcast and sponsorship revenue.
**Ed Warner is chair of GB Wheelchair Rugby and writes his sport column at sportinc.substack.com**
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### Are Manchester City Becoming the Harlem Globetrotters?
**Thursday 13 June 2024 6:59 am**
**Share on Facebook | Share on Twitter | Share on LinkedIn | Share on WhatsApp | Share on Email**
**MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – MAY 26: Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, smokes a cigar while on the Open Top Bus during the Manchester City trophy parade on May 26, 2024, in Manchester, England. (Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images)**
I enjoy watching Manchester City play. Unlike some neutrals who find Pep Guardiola’s team too clinical, I appreciate their style. Surprisingly, I found myself rooting for Manchester United in their FA Cup final victory over Manchester City last month, a rare occurrence for me (the other time was in 1999). This feeling came even before the shocking news that City is suing the Premier League. Respect, lost.
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Manchester City’s owner, is incredibly wealthy, with a reported net worth of $40bn and an annual income of $3bn. This wealth gives City a significant advantage, especially compared to Sir Jim Ratcliffe, co-owner of Manchester United, who has assets estimated at £24bn.
City’s current legal action against the Premier League aims to challenge rules on Associated Party Transactions, which require independent valuations to ensure commercial deals are not artificially inflated to comply with financial fair play regulations. City’s close relationships with Middle Eastern partners, such as Etihad Airlines, highlight their financial muscle.
The Premier League’s success is largely due to the competitive nature of the competition and its financial rules designed to maintain this balance. If City’s legal action succeeds, it could disrupt this structure and result in punitive damages.
George Harrison’s 1973 lyrics resonate here:
“Well, you serve me and I’ll serve you
Swing your partners, all get screwed
Bring your lawyer and I’ll bring mine
Get together and we could have a bad time
We’re going to play the sue me, sue you blues”
Imagine you’re in the City owner’s strategy room, where money is no object. The goals are clear: dominate English football, usurp Real Madrid in the Champions League, and win the Club World Cup consistently. To achieve this, dismantle the Premier League’s financial regulations and eventually UEFA’s, allowing City to attract the world’s best players.
Next, monetize this footballing empire by breaking away from the Premier League’s collective TV deal. The world would pay to watch City’s matches, generating billions of dollars. Building a world-class stadium in Manchester would be essential, with Sheikh Mansour’s wealth ensuring its grandeur.
However, this strategy carries risks. City could be expelled from the Premier League and European competitions, forced to find opponents globally. They might even join Major League Soccer or the Saudi Pro League, depending on politics.
The crucial question for Sheikh Mansour’s strategists: does Manchester City need the Premier League more than the Premier League needs Manchester City? The Harlem Globetrotters, once a spectacle, are now a tired brand, performing in front of dwindling crowds. Could City face a similar fate?
### Build it and They Will Come
Regardless of the outcome of the T20 Men’s World Cup, Sunday’s India vs. Pakistan game in New York justified the event for the ICC and IOC ahead of cricket’s debut at the LA28 Olympics. The feverish atmosphere at The Oval in 2017, when Pakistan won the ICC Champions Trophy, is still vivid. This weekend’s match drew a packed, enthusiastic crowd.
While one match can’t define cricket’s growth in America, Major League Cricket will likely use this occasion to promote the sport in the US. The ECB will face challenges competing with MLC for marquee players every summer.
As an aside, the ICC ensures India and Pakistan play each other in tournaments. Imagine the uproar if FIFA rigged its World Cup draws to ensure England always played Germany or Argentina faced Brazil, purely for broadcast and sponsorship revenue.
**Ed Warner is chair of GB Wheelchair Rugby and writes his sport column at sportinc.substack.com**
**Related Topics:**