The Premier League is corrupt — tell me something we didn’t already know?
There has been a hashtag going around Twitter today started by fans of Newcastle United — #premierleagueiscorrupt. I’m sorry but was the only one who knew that already?
If you look at almost any major sports league, which in itself makes it a huge business, you will find some element of corruption. The problem that Newcastle fans appear to have is that the takeover by the Saudi Arabian-backed PIF group didn’t happen, largely in part due to the Premier League dragging their heels. We will never hear both sides of the story as the Premier League have refused to comment but the blame appears to be with the league.
To me, it’s pretty obvious why the Premier League didn’t want a state-funded group to come into the league, particularly one which is very well known for committing hate crimes against their own people and having laws which are in direct opposition to some of the actual good things the Premier League has tried to do — for example, the support for LGBTQ+ rights.
This doesn’t change the fact the league is inevitably going to be corrupt because there are huge sponsors who need to be kept happy. There are worldwide TV rights at stake, including huge markets such as China and the USA as well as money from other Middle Eastern states such as Qatar (can we start a Keys & Gray chant? No? Good). There are also TV rights for Saudi Arabia themselves, with the country being one of the richest on the planet. But the biggest thing for the Premier League, who market themselves as the best league in the world, is the image. Having new controversial owners come into the league is the last thing they need. But they can’t necessarily come out and say that because of the same corruption and the same ultimate goal — making more money.
In recent years, the most publicised ownership change in sports has been the removal of Donald Sterling from owning the Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA. I won’t recount the entire story here as there is a fantastic 30 for 30 podcast series by Ramona Shelburne of ESPN on this and hundreds of articles out there but known racist Sterling got caught being exactly that, a racist. The most important thing for NBA commissioner Adam Silver to do, other than removing Sterling from the league, was to find an appropriate owner.
Enter Steve Ballmer, former CEO of Microsoft. Someone from the tech industry, seen to be progressive in many ways. The image for the league was perfect, the personality of someone like Ballmer is exactly what they wanted. This is what the Premier League wants from new owners. Not an authoritarian regime which actively oppresses against their own people, and those who even visit the country.
Am I gutted for Newcastle fans in some ways? Absolutely. They have an awful man in charge of them currently in Mike Ashley. Even typing his name makes me feel queasy. But was this the right ownership group to come in for the league, and for humankind? I’d say no. And the Premier League agree. Are they corrupt in the way they do things? Absolutely. But they don’t want to make complete enemies of one of the richest nations on Earth, which in itself is corrupt. This cycle of corruption isn’t going to go away any time soon. Money talks. It’s just about keeping all the plates spinning for the Premier League and to keep the flow of money coming in.
All I can say is that I hope Newcastle can find a suitable new owner soon, and they can get back to where they belong — just missing out on the title.
