Following
criticisms that the new £5.14bn TV deal recently secured for rights to air the Premier League wasn’t benefitting most of English football, football’s most popular league has promised that £1bn will be redistributed down the English pyramid all the way to grassroots level.
Speaking after a meeting of the top flight’s 20 clubs, Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said each club would distribute £50m each over the next three seasons.
“This is unprecedented in world sport. You can’t find me another sport that is committed to this level of sharing,” said Scudamore. “It’s sharing in the success of English football. And this, in my view, is the right thing to do.”
The £1bn sum – which could increase depending on international TV deals – represents at least a 40 per cent increase over the existing agreement. That deal includes parachute payments for relegated clubs and solidarity payments to the Football League and Conference. Notably, the new deal includes significant investment in grassroots football, facilities and further fan engagement, with more money going to clubs which subsidise tickets and travel for away supporters.
At the meeting, fan groups protesting outside were demanding a fivefold increase in the away fans’ fund, which subsidises away travel, to £1m per club per year. Whether the new deal will be enough to satisfy those groups remains to be seen, but Scudamore said ticketing will largely remain a matter for the clubs to decide.
Of all the Premier League clubs, only Chelsea currently pays the living wage to all its staff – which stands at £9.15 an hour in London and £7.85 outside. Following the TV deal, all of the Premier League’s clubs agreed to pay all full-time staff the living wage by the start of the 2016-17 season. The deal, however, is not extended to subcontractors such as match-day stewards and catering staff.
FA chair Greg Dyke recently announced a £230m plan for 150 new 3G pitches around the country as part of an investment into grassroots football. Scudamore did not confirm whether the deal would help to fund this, only that the Premier League remained committed to investing in grassroots facilities.
