Steve Denison

Great to see a challenge to the cosy consensus about the Independent Regulator for English Football by Jason Stockwood. However, there is more to do. Current model has incorrect objectives - no way should competitiveness of the game be a secondary objective. Can't fix distribution without having this on a par with financial sustainability. Ignores the lessons of football governance since the 19th Century. And what about ticket prices, VAR, relations with FIFA, timing of TV games and so much more. All out of scope. White Paper should be one part of a wider governance reform.

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Our latest Football Investment Survey Report has been published giving analysis of the financial health of clubs in England's top four divisions #football #footballfinance #FFP #PSR https://lnkd.in/eMw-V6NZ

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I am proud to share this year's new-look Football Investment Survey 2024 (download link below), where we survey football club FDs and leaders on their strategies and key challenges, alongside financial benchmarking analyses. Some key takeaways: - 59% of clubs surveyed have been subject to recent formal or informal M&A/investment inquiries - There is still an obvious gulf between the Premier League and the lower leagues, both in terms of financial stability and growth opportunities - There is also an increasing divergence between the largest (so called 'Big 6') Premier League clubs and the rest of the Premier League - Championship, League 1 and League 2 clubs who perceive their finances as 'healthy' are not necessarily trading profitably - 77% of clubs told us they would report a financial loss in the 22/23 season. In reality, 85% and 95% of EPL and FLC clubs respectively have reported a loss - How does this all fit in with Financial Fair Play?  23% of clubs saying that they will require profitable player trading to comply - Premier League players are not over-paid. At least not based on club revenue metrics... Well done to the BDO Professional Sports team: Ian Clayden Tamara Woodhouse Luke Leney Toby Ankers Rebecca Pagedale (née Page) Harry Stoakes Tom Urquhart Sandi Dosanjh Sarah Hillary Pryank Setia Shubham Gandhi Neville Side Shawn Healy Nicholas Millward

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Some interesting findings here in BDO’s latest report on football finances.

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Read this fantastic article from Women & Golf we hope it will inspire more women to try, and then embrace #Speedgolf https://lnkd.in/enStjPMt

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In the wake of my post this week on the relationship between #padel and the LTA, can I ask any stakeholders in the UK padel scene who would like to contribute to as well as share their views and experience on the interplay between the sport and the LTA to get in contact with me (publicly or privately). At this stage I want to collect names and understand and coordinate views, whether positive or negative, what should continue, what should change, objectives, timelines, limitations etc. I will try to then coordinate a forum based on that intel to really fine tune the feelings of the group. Ideally we can end that phase with a decision on next steps and any meeting with the LTA. As an aside, if anyone (not necessarily from within padel) has experience of building and standing up a #nationalgoverningbody #NGB in the UK, how to work constructively with UK Sport and Sport England and the relevant #InternationalFederation #IF etc that perspective could be really useful as well. Finally, if you read this and feel someone else should be made aware of this, please feel free to repost or forward.

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One of the key elements of the Football Governance Bill going through Parliament now is provision for a revamped Owners' and Directors' Test (OADT) to be carried out by the new Independent Football Regulator (IFR). The challenge for legislators and the IFR will be to come up a new approach to the OADT which is both: ⚽ more effective at avoiding the kinds of calamities which have affected many clubs over recent years, than the OADT tests which are currently carried out by the Premier League and the EFL; and ⚽ more transparent and accountable than those tests, so that fans and other stakeholders can understand what decisions have been made and the rationale behind them I'm lucky to have the opportunity within LCP to discuss these issues with colleagues in our Covenant and Financial Analysis team who are experts in assessing the financial strength of organisations and of funding commitments between them - and also have two decades of experience working within a regulatory regime in the defined benefit pensions industry which has some striking similarities to football clubs and their owners. Two of these colleagues, Jonathan Wolff (a Tottenham fan) and Tom Gillespie (Brentford), have applied this experience to look at what a more effective revamped OADT might look like - and how this could be a real gamechanger for the sustainability of English men's professional football. Their full article is here: https://lnkd.in/educf5kk I'll be attending Fair Game UK's annual conference next Tuesday (21 May) at AFC Wimbledon's ground (along with LCP colleagues John Parnis England and Ashley Mould and DEI expert Buki Mosaku), and focusing in particular on the OADT during the Speed Meetings session at lunchtime. More details on the conference can be found here: https://lnkd.in/ePsisebK #fooballgovernance #footballfinance #footballsustainability #fairgameuk

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Interested in working with clients in sports but not sure where to start? Our Chair, Sofia Thomas, has written an in-depth article on her own experiences getting into the sports industry 👇 https://lnkd.in/eNUXeevC Want to learn more about the global tax system and how it interacts with the business of football? Check out our self-paced online Football Tax Aware Course: https://lnkd.in/e_uAtMYn #sportstax #sportslaw #istasports

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FOOTBALL FRIDAY ⚽ In Scottish football, the term "bronze criteria" typically refers to the set of requirements that clubs must meet to gain entry to the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL). These criteria ensure that clubs are financially stable and meet the standards expected within the (SPFL) league structure. "The Scottish FA has announce that Buckie Thistle FC will not be eligible to participate in the Pyramid Play-Off tie," the governing body has stated. "A Flawed Process" "As someone who values logical reasoning, I find it perplexing how a structured league system can culminate in such an unprofessional and controversial conclusion to the season. This glaring flaw underscores the lack of consistent standards among the various associations overseeing the Scottish leagues within the pyramid system." It appears that Buckie FC's aspiration was to secure promotion and partake in the league, yet financial or organisational constraints hindered their progress. To address this predicament, there ought to be a comprehensive funding initiative in place to ensure that clubs facing similar challenges receive the necessary financial backing to pursue their objectives for the upcoming season. "The Purpose of the Pyramid" was with its promotion and relegation system, is often considered fair because it allows teams to advance or regress based on their performance on the field rather than subjective judgments by a committee? Furthermore, it would be prudent to align the "Bronze Licensing Criteria" with the leagues in which participating teams compete. A simple application process and more equitable and accountable approach will involve disqualifying teams from promotion at the season's outset if they fail to meet the specified criteria. These teams would not be able to be promoted. Conversely an alternative is, if a team demonstrates responsible adherence to the standards of the Highland League without encountering significant obstacles, they should be afforded a season to fulfil the criteria. It's noteworthy that certain clubs within the league undergo annual audits based on the same criteria, allowing them the opportunity to rectify any deficiencies rather than being summarily expelled from the league immediately. Moreover, it's perplexing to discover that Brechin FC doesn't assume Buckie FC's place in the playoffs if they fulfil the criteria. Both teams have recently competed in a league that seemingly lacked any real significance. Will Scottish football embrace logic and adopt a more structured approach to address these issues? 

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Following England’s opening game in the European Championships, it’s been interesting to me that, despite the involvement of 26 professional footballers, a plethora of experienced and qualified coaches, and various other “backroom staff” that are no doubt highly qualified in their chosen field, the average fan seemingly places all the responsibility for the team’s performance on one person – Gareth Southgate. It got me thinking about how important it is that the person who is seen to be in charge is seen to be doing things right! In business the people seen to be in charge are often Directors and as such it’s arguably even more important to ensure that an organisation is getting tax reporting and compliance correct for these individuals – after all if an organisation isn’t getting things right for those “in charge”, what else might they be getting wrong? With this in mind, a few questions for organisations to ask themselves about their Directors: ·        If you have Directors that are not resident in the UK but are travelling to the UK for Director duties, are you correctly dealing with the payroll, tax and social security requirements in the UK? ·        Are you confident that you are reporting all share awards for your Directors – even if the awards are in other group companies? ·        Do you have an appropriate policy and reviewing procedures for your Directors expense claims? If you have any concerns regarding the above, the good news is that the Global Employer Services team at BDO are here to help you – please do get in touch with Victoria Bright, Mark Seaden or myself. Now to solve that England midfield conundrum… #Directors #Shareawards #expenses #BDOLLP

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Fair Game UK's conference on Tuesday was full of thought-provoking sessions and a great opportunity to meet and mix with a wide range of football people concerned about the future governance and financial sustainability of the beautiful game. Particular highlights for me were: ⚽ Hearing from interim COO of the Independent Football Regulator Martyn Henderson talk about what his organisation will and, as importantly, won't, have powers to do once established under the Football Governance Bill going through parliament ⚽ CEO Niall Couper's impassioned exposition of the eight key issues Fair Game UK believe still need to be addressed under the Bill - with support from Fair Game's legal expert Simon Orriss of Mills & Reeve. ⚽ Presentations by Aaryaman Banerji of the Civitas Think Tank, and Dr Mark Middling and Dr Lisa J. Ferguson of Northumbria University on the need for better governance and ownership models in English professional football. ⚽ Being able to hold AFC Wimbledon's official replica of the FA Cup trophy their predecessor club won in 1988 beating Liverpool Football Club 1-0 at Wembley - a game I went to as a Liverpool fan. ⚽ Seeing the amazing ground and facilities AFC Wimbledon have built at the old Plough Lane site, developed and financed primarily by their fans as one of the very few community owned clubs in the English men's league pyramid. ⚽ Representing LCP at the conference, along with colleagues John Parnis England and Ashley Mould, and our friend and associate, EDI expert Buki Mosaku - and discussing with many conference attendees how we can use our expertise to support better football finance and governance. With yesterday's news of an election on 4 July, will the Bill come into force before then? It looks unlikely, with parliament being dissolved on 30 May - but with broad cross-party consensus in support of its provisions, it looks certain to be adopted at some point in the next year or so. #fairgameuk #footballgovernance #financialsustainability

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Ahead of tomorrow's Fair Game UK annual conference at AFC Wimbledon's stadium, we've put together a short pack explaining how LCP can help football clubs, owners, investors, governing bodies and other stakeholders in the areas of football finance and governance. Key elements of our service offering include: ⚽ In depth financial analysis of individual / multiple clubs or leagues, including transaction support  ⚽ Financial scenario analysis to assist in planning and risk management ⚽ Communicating the “financial story” to fans, potential investors or other stakeholders  ⚽ Supporting good governance and  compliance with regulatory requirements I'll be attending the Fair Game UK conference tomorrow along with LCP colleagues John Parnis England and Ashley Mould, and DEI expert Buki Mosaku. If you're at the conference, please come and say hello to us! During the Speed Meetings session at lunchtime, I will be focusing in particular on the Owners' and Directors' Test (OADT) . In this regard, two of my colleagues in our Financial Analysis team, Jonathan Wolff and Tom Gillespie, recently looked at what a more effective revamped OADT might look like under the new Independent Football Regulator - and how this could be a real gamechanger for the sustainability of English men's professional football. Their article is here: https://lnkd.in/educf5kk More details on the Fair Game UK conference can be found here: https://lnkd.in/ePsisebK #fairgameuk #financialsustainability #footballgovernance

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The Massive Benefits of a past Sports Career! I often get asked if my past sporting career contributes to my passion for helping business owners succeed?   What I have realised is that strong problem-solving skills and strategic thinking learned from professional sports help me better understand what business owners are trying to achieve in their competitive industries. As well as navigate the challenging economic environment which most are facing.   When facing adversity, fear of failure can set into your mindset and restrict your thinking to not see opportunities. Often as a leader of your business you have to be brave and take calculated risks in these adverse moments to succeed. To do so, having a strong aligned team around you makes a huge difference and increases the odds of success occurring. I enjoy a focused approach to providing clients with value improvement to business strategy, operations and processes. This is a mindset which I developed through sport and has had a significant influence on me and how I work with people. #financialstrategy #businessstrategy #BusinessGoals #FinancialSuccess #Businessgrowth #Partnersinsuccess #BusinessSuccess

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By studying what elite sports people and teams do well, here are four fundamental performance errors that family offices dismiss or overlook Karen Meager Monkey Puzzle Training and Consultancy Limited https://lnkd.in/edvfSAm7

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A 7am start in Warwick can only mean ... it's this month's edition of The Owners’ Network at The Warwickshire Golf & Country Club! Fantastic keynote speech from Keith Antoine! As someone used to coaching international gold medal winning athletes, being in a room with an athletic specimen like me (😬🤣) was like a home away from home for Keith!!! Jokes aside there were some fantastic takeaways:- 🟣 What questions can you ask to bring more awareness to in turn increase performance? The level of awareness during performance takes it to another stage. 🟣 Headline Data can be misleading unless you are also reviewing and analysing the background data. Specifics can be important but the average will give a much better insight then any one specific example when looking at anticipated performance. 🟣 A performance environment does not stand still so we have to constantly be on it 🟣 "If it aint broke dont fix it" is a dangetous attitude ... Right is only right until a better right comes along! 🟣 if you can't envision the best version of yourself then you will never be the best version of yourself How good could you be? Great to see Lee Corden, Hannah Watson, Seánna Holland, Bal Claire, David McCreadie, Kate Harrison, Sue Ford, Andrew Beaumont (The Andrew & Tom Show reunited!), Graham Todd 🤠, and so many businesses in attendance. #networking #business #businessowners

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The Azets CF team Scotland ranked the most active advisor Q1 2024. Business owners are receiving increasing levels of unsolicited approach's to sell their business, owners are looking to an MBO/EOT for succession and some are looking to sell, all adding to heightened activity for the team. Whichever it is being prepared makes a huge difference. #azetscorporatefinance #azetsbuyingandselling #azetsfinancialduediligence #azets

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