Is it time for the big shift?

I've recently come across a number of reports suggesting that the Premier League's upcoming media rights auction could be attracting not only the usual suspects (BSkyB, Al Jazeera, ESPN), but also a couple of newbies. Tiny detail: these newbies could be Google or even Apple.

Has the time finally come to see football shifting towards a solid online platform, in addition (or at the expense of?) TV? Apple, although the less likely of the two to bid enthusiastically, would strengthen its Apple TV product in Europe. Google, on the other hand, would have infinite possibilities to confirm Youtube as a medium that transcends the nature of the content.

Interesting times.

Read more here:
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/e984902a-954f-11e1-8faf-00144feab49a.html#axzz1vzWYCnxO

Ilbieraħ

Kont qed naħbat nitlef il-fiduċja. Għall-ewwel darba. Ma kinitx paper li twebbilt li nikteb.

Qbadt nidħol ftit aktar fil-fond fuq il-match-fixing u fil-miljun mod kif dan qed jirrovina l-logħba. U appuntu, bdejt nitlef il-fiduċja - jekk kien hemm bżonn - li dil-logħba se titlef l-aktar aspett importanti tagħha: l-imprevedibbiltà.

Imbagħad ilbieraħ kelli test. Il-logħba tal-Milan, id-dmugħ ta' min se jieqaf, se jitlaq, jew se jibqa'. U kif spiċċa l-league Ingliż, 

Tista' tkun ċiniku kemm trid, imma ma flaħtx nara 'l Gattuso jibki, lil Zambrotta jistħi u jaħbi wiċċu, lil Ambrosini qisu qed jitlef lil ħuh. U minn banda nibda nħossha naqra sproporzjonata l-emozzjoni. Dawn nies li fil-verità ma nafhomx minn Adam, m'għandhom x'jaqsmu xejn mal-affarijiet li jġiegħluna nibku fil-ħajja ta' vera!

Imma le, dawn nies li għalkemm ma jafuniex, aħna nafuhom. U nafuhom sew. U nitkellmu dwarhom, narawhom, nisimawhom, naqraw x'jgħidu kuljum. X'aktarx aktar spiss milli nara u nisma' 'l tal-familja!

Stramba meta jitlaq jew jirtira player. Niftakar l-aħħar logħba ta' Van Basten, ta' Baresi, ta' Maldini. Tintebaħ li dawn ikunu kibru miegħek, dejjem hemm lesti biex ipaxxuk u joffrulek emozzjonijiet bla qies. Imbagħad f'daqq waħda meta jieqfu tirrealizza li ż-żmien li għadda minn fuqhom, għadda minn fuqek ukoll. Kif isaffar ir-referee ma tibqax mingħalik li tista' xi darba ssir player kbir daqshom, tħares madwarek u tinduna li sirt raġel, u issa Gattuso bjaditlu xagħru. 

Le, min ma jħobbx il-futbol qatt ma jista' jifhem xi jfisser. Inutli nipprova nkun razzjonali u nispjega ruħi. 

U bilħaqq, fuq kif spiċċa l-league Ingliż...xorta għokritni għajnejja...

New agreement on contract rights for footballers

The social partners representing the professional football sector have recently signed their first Agreement setting minimum contract requirements. The agreement was agreed between FIFPro (Trade Union); EPFL (European Professional Football Leagues), ECA (European Club Association) - and UEFA. It will also be accompanied by a joint letter where all organisations pledge to implement these new commitments.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, László Andor, EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion welcomed the agreement saying "This is a significant achievement for EU-level social dialogue in the professional football sector. It is a first step in offering minimum social standards regarding the form of players' contracts - especially young players - and we expect it to come into force across the EU, but also beyond in all 53 UEFA countries".

To ensure that player contracts throughout Europe meet certain minimum standards, contracts must be in writing, they must define the rights and duties of club and player and they must address matters such as salary, health insurance, social security or paid leave. Contracts also must refer to the duty of players to participate in training, to maintain a healthy lifestyle and to comply with disciplinary procedures. Standard contracts will also contain provisions on dispute resolution and applicable law.

The agreement will be signed by Michel Platini (UEFA, President), Frédéric Thiriez (EPFL, President), Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (ECA, President) and Philippe Piat (FIFPro Division Europe, President) and their respective General Secretaries in the presence of László Andor, Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion and responsible for social dialogue at EU level. Commissioner Vassiliou, responsible for sport, will also attend the signing ceremony.

The Commission supports the European social dialogue in the professional football sector and will assist EU social partners in the monitoring and implementation of the Autonomous Agreement.

Look and learn - Rangers' sad fate

The report by the public administrators appointed to manage Rangers' insolvency proceedings makes painful reading.

Stuff you pray everyday not to experience at your club.

Compare these 'background' points, on p. 13:

4.3 The Football Club was founded in 1872 and incorporated as the Company in 1899. It is one of the most successful and renowned football clubs in the world. The Club plays in the SPL and has been a member of the SPL since its formation.

4.4 The Club has won 54 league titles, more top flight national titles than any other football club in the world. The Club has also won the Scottish League Cup 27 times and the Scottish Cup 33 times.

4.5 The Club has qualified for the UEFA Champions League 15 times since the inception of the competition in 1992. The Club was runner up in the 2008 UEFA Cup Final and won the European Cup Winners‟ Cup in 1972.

4.6 The Club plays its home matches at Ibrox Stadium which is a 51,082 all-seater stadium in Glasgow and the Playing Staff train at Murray Park located in the outskirts of Glasgow.

To this state of affairs, on p. 15:


5.21 It became apparent that in the absence of a significant introduction of working capital or an agreement with HMRC the Company would be unable to meet its liabilities as they fell due, and the Company could not avoid formal insolvency proceedings.


Not to mention the reality check provided through the hard data in the annexes.

Moral of the story: learn from the experience of others. Do not spend beyond your means.

Full report: http://www.rangers.co.uk/staticFiles/fe/a8/0,,5~174334,00.pdf 

Football and broadcasting are literally merging

It's one of those situations where everyone seems to have become an expert. In this case it's football media rights, telecoms, and EU law all at once. And the context being pub football renders the issue more appetizing - apologies for the bad pun.

A lot has (already) been written and said about the Murphy case. I had made a mental note of the 4th October and looked forward to the Preliminary Ruling. And yet, after a couple of super busy days I already find myself commenting on reactions, rather than the ruling itself (something I hope to be able to do anyway soon). 

Most of us have an eager sense of anticipation to see how the 'post-Murphy' scenario will unfold. Out of these, I can see one which could literally merge football with broadcasting, namely that   of having a Premier League TV network, and eventually similar endeavours by the Lega Calcio, the Bundesliga, and so on. I see few other ways to maximize the benefits (read profits) of a single market of half a billion Europeans. UEFA's Champions League model is the best example.

It's not as easy as it sounds. And it may not be the best of news for the proverbial good of the game. Such a model could prove successful for the big leagues but the situation in the smaller or even the micro leagues (like Malta) could be way more complicated. Then again, it could be an opportunity for development. Not necessarily at the same speed and through the same model, but as basis economics the bigger the market the bigger the potential a product has to grow.

My take is that the ruling was a much-needed pronouncement. In one way or another the grey area had to be addressed for a myriad of reasons.