Comments on: Michel Platini Ends The Big Money Era http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/michel-platini-ends-the-big-money-era.html League Football, Soccer News and Views from Around the World Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:57:06 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Jefferson http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/michel-platini-ends-the-big-money-era.html/comment-page-1#comment-149615 Jefferson Thu, 17 Sep 2009 08:47:28 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/michel-platini-ends-the-big-money-era.html#comment-149615 Could be a good idea, but the devil's in the details. I talked with a UEFA spokesman yesterday, and debt in this case seems to refer to a team's annual balance sheet. That would mean Real could take 500 million in debt into 2012, but as long as revenues were sufficient to cover interest payments, that would be okay. RE: Bundesliga. Bayern love this ruling because they have cash in the bank. But the situation is trickier with teams like Wolfsburg, which is basically underwritten by VW, or Hoffenheim, which is bankrolled by a non-owner "patron." It's going to be difficult to apply the ruling equitably given how different club structures are from nation to nation and league to league. The plan is to make decision on a case-by-case basis -- always trouble when UEFA is involved. Could be a good idea, but the devil’s in the details. I talked with a UEFA spokesman yesterday, and debt in this case seems to refer to a team’s annual balance sheet. That would mean Real could take 500 million in debt into 2012, but as long as revenues were sufficient to cover interest payments, that would be okay.
RE: Bundesliga. Bayern love this ruling because they have cash in the bank. But the situation is trickier with teams like Wolfsburg, which is basically underwritten by VW, or Hoffenheim, which is bankrolled by a non-owner “patron.”
It’s going to be difficult to apply the ruling equitably given how different club structures are from nation to nation and league to league. The plan is to make decision on a case-by-case basis — always trouble when UEFA is involved.

]]> By: tOmmy wOng http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/michel-platini-ends-the-big-money-era.html/comment-page-1#comment-149610 tOmmy wOng Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:53:06 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/michel-platini-ends-the-big-money-era.html#comment-149610 I will play devils advocate and disagree with Inara. If one makes the point that Lyon started their transformation from small club to big club in 2002 when they won Ligue 1, then you also have to think of the money even then. Lyon just made the cut for teams eligible to become small teams through the same type of hard work. Even with all of this hard work Lyon still can't go deep into the Champions league because they don't have the funds that other big European clubs have. As such, it was only a year later in 2003 that Chelsea came under Billionaire ownership. Since that time many other billionaires and sports franchise owners have gone into pouring more money into the sport for their teams, who now all (mostly) sit at the top of their respective leagues, and continue to dominate the cash cow that is the UEFA CL. I'm trying to make three points - 1. The way it stood from 2004/5 to now is that the big clubs could only get even bigger in terms of money, and the sky was literally the limit for most of these some of the owners. 2. For as amazingly as Lyon played their financial cards, and talent scouting, they would never be able to reap the monetary return, and excell into truly "superclub" status the way most English/Spanish/ clubs have. This is MOSTLY do to the fact that they just don't have that same type of Billionaire ownership. In summurization - even if a club is financially sound ala Genoa/Lyon/Villarreal, they will never go deep into the CL (where all the good money via whatever types of revenue have you) like the already established and money juggernaut clubs play. I will play devils advocate and disagree with Inara. If one makes the point that Lyon started their transformation from small club to big club in 2002 when they won Ligue 1, then you also have to think of the money even then. Lyon just made the cut for teams eligible to become small teams through the same type of hard work. Even with all of this hard work Lyon still can’t go deep into the Champions league because they don’t have the funds that other big European clubs have. As such, it was only a year later in 2003 that Chelsea came under Billionaire ownership. Since that time many other billionaires and sports franchise owners have gone into pouring more money into the sport for their teams, who now all (mostly) sit at the top of their respective leagues, and continue to dominate the cash cow that is the UEFA CL. I’m trying to make three points –

1. The way it stood from 2004/5 to now is that the big clubs could only get even bigger in terms of money, and the sky was literally the limit for most of these some of the owners.

2. For as amazingly as Lyon played their financial cards, and talent scouting, they would never be able to reap the monetary return, and excell into truly “superclub” status the way most English/Spanish/ clubs have. This is MOSTLY do to the fact that they just don’t have that same type of Billionaire ownership.

In summurization – even if a club is financially sound ala Genoa/Lyon/Villarreal, they will never go deep into the CL (where all the good money via whatever types of revenue have you) like the already established and money juggernaut clubs play.

]]> By: alessio http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/michel-platini-ends-the-big-money-era.html/comment-page-1#comment-149594 alessio Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:19:56 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/michel-platini-ends-the-big-money-era.html#comment-149594 In addition to the other examples that have been given, Genoa. In addition to the other examples that have been given, Genoa.

]]> By: Tristán White http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/michel-platini-ends-the-big-money-era.html/comment-page-1#comment-149591 Tristán White Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:51:34 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/michel-platini-ends-the-big-money-era.html#comment-149591 Real Madrid has a €500 million debt AT LEAST. If you think UEFA will have the cojones to tell Real Madrid that they can't play in Europe until it's solved, you must be joking. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/jun/16/real-madrid-loans-debt As a result, this little idea from Platini will collapse, because they will never be able to enforce it on the big moneyspinnners like Man Utd and Real Madrid. To answer someone's query, Villarreal is another team to come from the lower divisions and become a European player, without a sugar daddy but thanks to shrewd investments, getting players on loan instead of buying them, etc. And they even can afford to make good gestures to people less fortunate: this season, the unemployed get in free at Villarreal, for example. http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/news/newsfeed/2009/03/29/villarreal-kind-78057-21236154/ Real Madrid has a €500 million debt AT LEAST. If you think UEFA will have the cojones to tell Real Madrid that they can’t play in Europe until it’s solved, you must be joking.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/jun/16/real-madrid-loans-debt

As a result, this little idea from Platini will collapse, because they will never be able to enforce it on the big moneyspinnners like Man Utd and Real Madrid.

To answer someone’s query, Villarreal is another team to come from the lower divisions and become a European player, without a sugar daddy but thanks to shrewd investments, getting players on loan instead of buying them, etc.

And they even can afford to make good gestures to people less fortunate: this season, the unemployed get in free at Villarreal, for example.
http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/news/newsfeed/2009/03/29/villarreal-kind-78057-21236154/

]]> By: Javier De Roque http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/michel-platini-ends-the-big-money-era.html/comment-page-1#comment-149590 Javier De Roque Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:49:22 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/michel-platini-ends-the-big-money-era.html#comment-149590 Working debt free within 3 years when your talking hundreds of millions is silly. The only clubs this will benifit are clubs with rich ownership. You are now going to see third parties buy players instead of the clubs and get intot he stupid tevez situations over and over. This will not change the landscape it will just make third party deals more lucrative. Sure you can have Ronaldo for 20 MIllions. But you only own 10% of him and we can flip him when we feel like for more cash. Working debt free within 3 years when your talking hundreds of millions is silly. The only clubs this will benifit are clubs with rich ownership. You are now going to see third parties buy players instead of the clubs and get intot he stupid tevez situations over and over.

This will not change the landscape it will just make third party deals more lucrative. Sure you can have Ronaldo for 20 MIllions. But you only own 10% of him and we can flip him when we feel like for more cash.

]]> By: Aleksander http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/michel-platini-ends-the-big-money-era.html/comment-page-1#comment-149587 Aleksander Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:07:59 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/michel-platini-ends-the-big-money-era.html#comment-149587 Ur so right, Inara Ur so right, Inara

]]> By: Inara http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/michel-platini-ends-the-big-money-era.html/comment-page-1#comment-149577 Inara Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:44:28 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/michel-platini-ends-the-big-money-era.html#comment-149577 Elle: I disagree. Lyon grew from a poor division 2 club to being one of the wealthiest clubs in the world, all without any sugar daddies and despite the financial handicaps of France. They did it thanks to smart moves on the transfer markets, increasing brand strength, and investing for the long term. It took 20 years to pay off, and they still have some ways to go, but it does happen. Elle: I disagree. Lyon grew from a poor division 2 club to being one of the wealthiest clubs in the world, all without any sugar daddies and despite the financial handicaps of France. They did it thanks to smart moves on the transfer markets, increasing brand strength, and investing for the long term. It took 20 years to pay off, and they still have some ways to go, but it does happen.

]]> By: elle http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/michel-platini-ends-the-big-money-era.html/comment-page-1#comment-149576 elle Tue, 15 Sep 2009 23:10:19 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/michel-platini-ends-the-big-money-era.html#comment-149576 alessio, yea that is what I'm saying. At least not in the modern game. alessio, yea that is what I’m saying. At least not in the modern game.

]]> By: g http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/michel-platini-ends-the-big-money-era.html/comment-page-1#comment-149574 g Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:40:38 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/michel-platini-ends-the-big-money-era.html#comment-149574 also, hoffenheim has no debt, but they do have a sugar daddy. He just happens to care about the long-term more than blowing his stolen(abramovich) millions on a team he had no prior attachment to. also, hoffenheim has no debt, but they do have a sugar daddy.
He just happens to care about the long-term more than blowing his stolen(abramovich) millions on a team he had no prior attachment to.

]]> By: alessio http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/michel-platini-ends-the-big-money-era.html/comment-page-1#comment-149572 alessio Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:07:32 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/michel-platini-ends-the-big-money-era.html#comment-149572 <i> The smaller clubs already don’t make money, that’s their problem. Now they never will. </i> So you're insinuating that no small club has ever grown without a sugar daddy? The smaller clubs already don’t make money, that’s their problem. Now they never will.

So you’re insinuating that no small club has ever grown without a sugar daddy?

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