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The Football Association (FA) should have a seat on the board of the independent football regulator, argues a new report by consultants LCP.
LCP’s sports analytics and advisory unit calls for the incoming regulator to “work closely with the FA to guide its reform and build a modern football governance structure”.
They add: “The focus should be on improving and strengthening the FA, not sidelining it. To support this, the regulator should offer the FA a seat on its board.”
The regulator has in part been conceived to deal with matters that the FA and Premier League is seen as having failed to tackle effectively, such as financial redistribution and tests for prospective owners and directors of football clubs.
Legislation to bring it into being is currently passing through parliament and is expected to be passed later this year, despite resistance from some quarters.
“The introduction of the Football Governance Bill and the subsequent creation of the Independent Football Regulator mark a crucial moment for English football,” said LCP’s head of football governance Aaryaman Banerji.
“This is a unique opportunity to set a new standard for fairness and sustainability – but only if the regulator is fully empowered to tackle the crucial issues and prepared to work collaboratively with existing bodies.”
LCP’s report also calls for the football regulator to address the financial chasm between the Premier League and the divisions below it, run by the EFL, and says it must learn from the failures of current and past rule-makers in the English game.
“The new licensing rules mean that clubs will need to prove they meet key standards in finance, operations, governance, and fan engagement,” said Bart Huby, head of sport analytics at LCP.
“While this will require some extra effort and cost, we also see it as an opportunity for clubs to strengthen the way they operate. Improving governance and fan engagement, for example, could be a win-win – benefiting clubs and fans.”
