Premier League reform plan looks like power grab, UK minister says

Premier League reform plan looks like power grab, UK minister says

by Joseph Anthony
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Liverpool and Man United are backing a plan to radically change the Premier League’s structure

The minister who oversees sport in Britain said on Monday he feared a plan by Liverpool and Manchester United to restructure the English Premier League was a power grab that could prompt a deeper look at the governance of the sport.

The two clubs are backing a plan to radically change the Premier Leagueโ€™s structure, giving more power to the big clubs, reducing it to 18 teams from 20 for the 2022-23 season, and scrapping the League Cup and Community Shield.
The plan would see the Premier League commit to providing 25% of the leagueโ€™s revenue to English Football League (EFL) clubs and a 250 million pounds ($326 million) rescue fund to help with the immediate impact of the COVID-19 crisis.
Asked on Sky News if the proposal was a good plan or a power grab, Oliver Dowden, the minister for culture, media and sport, said: โ€œI fear itโ€™s the latter and Iโ€™m quite sceptical about this.โ€
He added: โ€œIf we keep having these back room deals going on, weโ€™ll have to look at the underlying governance of football. We promised in the manifesto a fan led review, and I must say the events that Iโ€™ve seen in the last few weeks have made this seem more urgent again.โ€
The plan, which has been backed by the EFL, has already drawn opposition from the Premier League on the grounds that a number of individual proposals within it could have a damaging impact on the game.
The Football Supportersโ€™ Association (FSA) has also opposed the plan.
โ€œUnless the clubs, the Premier League and the EFL can get together urgentlyโ€ฆ it does raise genuine questions about the governance of the sport,โ€ Dowden added.
โ€œIโ€™m sure many fans โ€ฆ will be thinking to themselves why canโ€™t this sport get its act together at the Premier League and the EFL level in order to help.โ€
REUTERS

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