West Bromwich Albion have been the representatives of the gulf between the Premier League and the second tier in recent seasons. Albion were relegated from the top flight in 2003, 2007 and 2009. In the interceding years, and including last season they were promoted back to the upper tier in 2005, 2008 and 2010. The record clearly sends the message that the club are too good for the Championship, but not good enough for the Premier League.
From the category archives:
Finances
Many Manchester City fans feel that this is the season that they will will win their first trophy in over 34 years.
With a squad that has been overhauled to the tune of £250million in the last two years, demand is high amongst football fans to see Roberto Mancini’s team.
As a result of all this interest, City have announced that they are on the verge of selling all 36,000 season tickets for this upcoming season.
Last season City were the third best supported team in the country behind Manchester United and Arsenal as they averaged just over 45,000 at Eastlands. With a capacity of just under 48,000 there is a very good possibility that every City home game will be sold out this year.
None this year…
When you use words like “freshen up” to describe a Soccer team I think you might have gone a little overboard with attempts to make the team better. It’s true that youth helps in sports, but youth is not everything and it is certainly not going to change things in Manchester. If United was close to winning many trophies this season I don’t see how a bunch of young guys were going to bring them closer to that goal.
Anyways, this seems to be Fergie’s idea ahead of the last match of the season where it appears United will finish behind Chelsea for the Premier League Title.
Just when you thought you had things figured out someone throws a curveball at you. I bet that is what Stan Kroenke is thinking today.
There “Silent Stan” is, sitting with 29.98% of Arsenal shares, only 10 shares away from launching a takeover bid for the club.
Then the news breaks that Arsenal’s fourth largest shareholder, Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith, who owns 15.9% of Arsenal, has hired an Investment group to help her sell her shares. The estimated value of Lady Bracewell-Smith’s shares is around £80million.
For the last year or so the concensus was that Kroenke was going to takeover Arsenal. He is on the board and everything seemed to be pointing to a summer bid.
The Premier League has just landed a new overseas TV deal worth £1.2Billion over the next three years. Each Premier League Club will receive £20m a season from the deal starting in the 2010/11 season.
The current deal was worth only £625m, and shows the draw of the Premier League that they are able to get such an increase in today’s financial climate.
After the financial debacle at Portsmouth this season, the Premier League has decided that instead of paying clubs a lump-sum payment as they have in the past, Premier League clubs will instead receive close to £1.7m per month, starting in August, for the next 36 months.
photo credit: Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com
Portsmouth is:
–An institution–as a friend told me last year.
–In a terrible state of flux
–Hurting badly for points
–Probably going to get relegated
–In need of investors
–In need of its fans to cool off
I can understand that the Portsmouth fans are REALLY UPSET that their team has changed hands 4 times this year and that they want their “institution” to remain solvent. I can also understand that you want to know who’s in control of your favorite team. Here in Atlanta Ted Turner sold the Braves to Time Warner when he took a buyout and left the company he founded.
Despite the protests of Manchester United fans, the financial situation of the club is improving according to new figures showing an increase in revenue and profits.
The figures for the six months up to December show turnover up 19% to £144.7million from £121.7million for the equivalent period in 2008, largely due to increases in match day revenues, TV money – particularly from the Champions League – and commercial revenue.
Media revenues have increased 33% from £40.3million to £53.4million and commercial revenues up 16% from £33.5million to £38.7million.
Portsmouth are in such dire financial straits that they have asked the Premier League if they can sell players outside the transfer window.
However, the move will depend on their request being sanctioned by the Football Association and FIFA as well as the Premier League.
A spokesman for Pompey said:
“I can confirm we have put in a request to the Premier League to sell players outside the transfer window. It is something we are exploring.”
Pompey have not identified any specific players for sale but reports suggest Algeria World Cup star Nadir Belhadj, midfielder Kevin Prince-Boateng and young defender Mark Wilson could be made available according to published reports.
The financial troubles at Portsmouth go from worse to worse as the club’s web site has been closed down today due non-payment.
If Pompey doesn’t have the money to pay for a web site, how can it meet its payroll of around £1.8m that is due tomorrow? Pompey has already been late paying its players at least three times this season.
In addition to meeting payroll, Pompey also has a £9m payment to former owner Sacha Gaydamak that is due by midnight on 31 January. What are the odds that payment will be made?
It will be a miracle if Pompey do not go into administration this season as they are insolvent.
The fans deserve new ownership…and fast!
No, no…not the Colonel, but his son has apparently made an offer to the Portsmouth leadership. Well, that offer was turned down and before you say “Why would you sell to the Libyans?” let me tell you a story.
Saadi is an ex-footballer who played in Italy for Udinese and Sampdoria. So, he’s a player…a “soccer person” and you turned him down?
He also owned a stake in Juventus. Wait, so he also has investing and ownership experience and you turned him down?
