The Premier League’s commitment comes in a statement responding to the Government’s decisions on what it agrees with in the so-called ‘fan-led review’ conducted by Tory MP Tracey Crouch and her panel of experts. The PL say ; “We agree that fans are of vital importance to the game and their voices should be better listened to across the League. We will be introducing a number of measures to improve this area and plan to make a detailed announcement before the start of the 2022/23 season”. The League doesn’t offer any more detail on what these measures will be.
The two areas of fan involvement which Tracey Crouch’s review focused on were recommendations for what were called ‘shadow boards’ and ‘golden shares’.On both issues the Government now supports the principle but does not commit on the way to achieve it.
SHADOW BOARDS
The current situation at Brentford: Bees United (BU) has a director on the board of the club, the only fan group in the Premier League to have a seat on a main board. It is also consulted on major issues affecting fans. In addition BIAS (Brentford Independent Association of Supporters) has what is called a ‘structured dialogue’ with club management.
What the Crouch review said: ‘each club should be required to have a ‘Shadow Board’ of elected supporter representatives which would be consulted by the club on all material off pitch matters. The mechanism for selecting the Shadow Board members should be independent of the club’
What the Government says: ‘The government wants supporters to be properly consulted by their clubs in taking key decisions, as shown by our actions in coming out strongly against the European Super League. That said, the government is not currently convinced that a Shadow Board is the most appropriate means of doing that for every club, or in every situation. A more flexible approach, whereby the regulator oversees a minimum standard of engagement, is our preferred option at this stage’.
Next steps; Premier League will presumably announce something before the start of next season. The Government says ‘We will set out the details that will be used to define the acceptable minimum standard of fan engagement in the forthcoming White Paper (expected to be published in the summer)
GOLDEN SHARES
The current situation at Brentford: Bees United has a ‘special share’ which gives it a veto on the club leaving its current stadium unless certain conditions are met. The ‘special share’ does not currently cover any other part of the club’s heritage.
What the Crouch review said: ‘each club should be required to provide for a special share — a ‘Golden Share’ — in its articles of association. This share should be held by a democratically run Community Benefit Society formed under the Cooperative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 for the benefit of the club’s supporters….The Golden Share would require the consent of the shareholder to certain actions by the club — specifically selling the club stadium or permanently relocating it outside of its local area, joining a new competition not affiliated to FIFA, UEFA or the FA, or changing the club badge, the club name or first team home colours’.
What the Government says:’This approach can be successful – Brentford is an example of a club that has introduced a form of ‘Golden Share’ (the ‘BU Special Share’) whereby the owner voluntarily offered up a veto right over the sale of the stadium to the supporters’ group…However, a ‘Golden Share’ may not be the most suitable way for every club to allow their fans a right to protect the items listed above’.
Next steps; the FA or Premier League may announce something before the start of next season. The Government ‘will bring forward details on the minimum requirements for this mechanism in the White Paper, and we will consider whether this will include a veto right for supporters’.