Brexit could transform football in the UK
Thursday 12 May 2016
A British exit from the EU could have widespread ramifications for professional football, affecting fans, sponsors and players alike, a sport industry expert has said.
Among the major implications is likely to be a significant reduction in the number of foreign players turning out for British clubs, with Simon highlighting some estimates that between 300 and 400 players from the top two divisions in England and Scotland may be refused visas, as they won’t meet eligibility requirements. Several stars who have emerged this season, such as N’Golo Kante and Dymitri Payet, may not be allowed the right to remain in England if Britain is no longer a member of the EU.
But fans could also feel the ramifications according to Prof Chadwick, who said: “One has to question whether domestic (and indeed overseas) fans will have the same points of engagement with teams and the league as they do now if some of their heroes are no longer available.
“Would English football's popularity therefore suffer compared to, for example, Spain and Germany, if more of the top players move to those countries.
“Also, we don't know what BREXIT might mean for the movement of fans around the European Union countries. Competitions such as the Champions League have boomed partly due to freedom of movement in the EU. But British fans cannot be certain that their movement around Europe will remain as unrestricted in the future.”
And sponsors could be put off investing in the game according to Chadwick, who added: “They could well be put off by the fact there will be fewer big names, fewer stars, possibly leading to lower contract values.
“Also, if sponsorships are being used as part of accessing the EU market place, then restrictions on the movement of, for example, capital could be an issue.
“Similarly, if the economic well-being of Britain suffers in the light of BREXIT, then consumers will spend less meaning that sponsors may be more reluctant to spend big on sponsorship deals.”
These worries have led important figures in football to become concerned about the potential ramifications of BREXIT. For example Karen Brady, West Ham’s vice-chairman, recently wrote to her club peers imploring them to consider that “cutting ourselves off from Europe would have devastating consequences”. While the English Premier League’s Chief Executive, Richard Scudamore, is publicly on record as stating that he believes Britain should stay in the EU.
Prof Chadwick added: “There's also the issue of work permits for managers too; who in the PL would qualify? For instance, could we see Ranieri win the PL and then fail to meet Britain’s post-EU visa requirements?”
But Chadwick also acknowledges that some of the changes may be unpredictable and may even bring benefits to the national game.
“Some may see a reduction into the number of foreign players coming into the Premier League as a good thing, and that it will give a greater chance to players from England, Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales,” he said.
He added: “The Premier League in particular is an important revenue earner for the British economy hence it seems unlikely that a post-exit government would undermine the sport’s global competitive advantage by restricting football’s access to the world’s top talent.
“Perhaps tellingly, the Premier League’s public position is that EU membership is a matter for voters, and that it always works with ‘the government of the day’.”
He finished: “Despite the ongoing debate’s polarity however, it may actually be too early to predict what the precise effects of BREXIT will be. It could take years to sort things out.
“If fans are to vote in June’s election in an informed way, this at least demands a response from those running the ‘leave’ campaign – what will British football look like in five-year’s time?”
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Sam Wood
0161 295 5361
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