I know this is officially old news now, but it's worth repeating. Arthur Blank and co, did submit their bid for an MLS franchise in Atlanta along with six other cities. Here is the breakdown of cities and who is backing the bids:
Three Canadian cities -
Montreal: bid submitted by the family of Liverpool co-owner George Gillett, who also owns the NHL's Montreal Canadiens and the Saputo family, who control the dairy processor Saputo Inc.
Vancouver: bid submitted by long time soccer player and NBA MVP Steve Nash, Greg Kerfoot, owner of the United Soccer League's Vancouver Whitecaps, and Jeff Mallett, a former president and chief operating officer at Yahoo Inc.
Ottawa: bid submitted by Eugene Melnyk who owns the Ottawa Senators
Four US cities -
Atlanta: bid submitted by Arthur Blank, the Home Depot co-founder and current owner of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons and the Arena Football League's Georgia Force
Miami: Personally this is a very interesting bid...the parters are actually Spanish football giant Barcelona along with BrightStar Corp. chairman Marcelo Claure, a Miami resident who owns the Bolivian club Bolivar. The fact that Barca is interested in owning an American franchise sends a number of positive signals...clearly they see growth potential both as a team co-branded with Barcelona and with MLS as a rising world league.
Portland, OR: bid submitted by the Paulson family, who run the USL's Portland Timbers and Triple-A baseball team the Portland Beavers
St. Louis: bid submitted by Jeff Cooper, a St. Louis attorney who also heads the St. Louis WPS franchise and is on the board of Brentford Football club of England's League Two (the fourth tier of English football).
22 October 2008
Bad economies may actually bolster football's place on television
Check out Martin Rogers' October 20th piece on yahoo.com called, "The price for keeping soccer recession-proof."
In his article, Martin contends that the economic downturn may prove to be perfect tonic for many of the leagues as they enter negotiations for television deals. Many big TV sponsors are closing their checkbooks so the networks are looking at sure bets. You and I know there is almost no surer bet than the global viewing audience for football!
Martin explains, "Several key television rights deals are up for negotiation in the coming weeks and months, and with television companies looking for value like never before, the big leagues and competitions are actually in a stronger position than in buoyant economic times. The networks are looking for guaranteed winners, programs which are certain to attract advertisers.
The English Premier League will rake in megabillions when its deal for the 2010 through 2013 seasons is revamped. The German Bundesliga can also expect to outstrip all previous deals in that country with a long-term agreement for live rights and highlights packages. And despite concerns of whether Poland and Ukraine will be ready to stage Euro 2012, the TV rights will sell for huge money following the success of Euro 2008 as a spectacle."
Read the complete article at yahoo.com.
In his article, Martin contends that the economic downturn may prove to be perfect tonic for many of the leagues as they enter negotiations for television deals. Many big TV sponsors are closing their checkbooks so the networks are looking at sure bets. You and I know there is almost no surer bet than the global viewing audience for football!
Martin explains, "Several key television rights deals are up for negotiation in the coming weeks and months, and with television companies looking for value like never before, the big leagues and competitions are actually in a stronger position than in buoyant economic times. The networks are looking for guaranteed winners, programs which are certain to attract advertisers.
The English Premier League will rake in megabillions when its deal for the 2010 through 2013 seasons is revamped. The German Bundesliga can also expect to outstrip all previous deals in that country with a long-term agreement for live rights and highlights packages. And despite concerns of whether Poland and Ukraine will be ready to stage Euro 2012, the TV rights will sell for huge money following the success of Euro 2008 as a spectacle."
Read the complete article at yahoo.com.
21 October 2008
Top 25 most valuable soccer clubs - April 2008
In this era of massive valuation shifts in industries and economies across the globe, I thought it might be prudent to capture - at least for posterity - the Forbes 2008 list of most valuable football clubs. The original article is here, courtesy of Forbes magazine.
Rank | Team | Country | Value in $US Millions
1 Manchester United -England 1,800
2 Real Madrid -Spain 1,285
3 Arsenal -England 1,200
4 Liverpool -England 1,050
5 Bayern Munich -Germany 917
6 AC Milan -Italy 798
7 Barcelona -Spain 784
8 Chelsea -England 764
9 Juventus -Italy 510
10 Schalke 04 -Germany 470
11 AS Roma -Italy 434
12 Tottenham Hotspur -England 414
13 Olympique Lyonnais -France 408
14 Inter Milan -Italy 403
15 Borussia Dortmund -Germany 323
16 Newcastle United -England 300
17 Hamburg SV -Germany 293
18 Werder Bremen -Germany 262
19 Valencia -Spain 254
20 Celtic -Scotland 227
21 Everton -England 197
22 West Ham United -England 195
23 Manchester City -England 191
24 Aston Villa -England 190
25 Olympique Marseille -France 187
Rank | Team | Country | Value in $US Millions
1 Manchester United -England 1,800
2 Real Madrid -Spain 1,285
3 Arsenal -England 1,200
4 Liverpool -England 1,050
5 Bayern Munich -Germany 917
6 AC Milan -Italy 798
7 Barcelona -Spain 784
8 Chelsea -England 764
9 Juventus -Italy 510
10 Schalke 04 -Germany 470
11 AS Roma -Italy 434
12 Tottenham Hotspur -England 414
13 Olympique Lyonnais -France 408
14 Inter Milan -Italy 403
15 Borussia Dortmund -Germany 323
16 Newcastle United -England 300
17 Hamburg SV -Germany 293
18 Werder Bremen -Germany 262
19 Valencia -Spain 254
20 Celtic -Scotland 227
21 Everton -England 197
22 West Ham United -England 195
23 Manchester City -England 191
24 Aston Villa -England 190
25 Olympique Marseille -France 187
08 October 2008
Fiscal responsibility may be the new price of admission for UEFA tournaments
As the global financial crises mounts, UEFA is suggesting that they will use their considerable clout - in the form of UEFA tournaments - to force responsibility on to clubs in each of the participating organizations.
Currently, the only financial requirements for clubs entering UEFA competitions is that they do not owe money to other clubs and that they pay their staff.
However, today Michel Platini suggested that a new set of entry criteria be imposed; to include a tightening of the licensing requirements for UEFA competitions such that competing clubs are forced to declare their debt and outline their repayment plans.
It should be no surprise that EPL dominance over Champion's league contests may be in jeapordy given this move, considering that more than two thirds of the 3.5 billion pounds of debt in the Premiership is attributed to this year's four Champions League clubs - Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal.
Fiscal responsibility and smart debt management is critical in professional soccer so I tend to like UEFA's incentive approach to the problem. This is not a punishment for debt spending; rather, a means to force a needed behaviour. To paraphrase the great US Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, UEFA's plan may be just the antiseptic sunshine that the European leagues, particularly the EPL, need to keep their debt infections from turning deadly.
Currently, the only financial requirements for clubs entering UEFA competitions is that they do not owe money to other clubs and that they pay their staff.
However, today Michel Platini suggested that a new set of entry criteria be imposed; to include a tightening of the licensing requirements for UEFA competitions such that competing clubs are forced to declare their debt and outline their repayment plans.
It should be no surprise that EPL dominance over Champion's league contests may be in jeapordy given this move, considering that more than two thirds of the 3.5 billion pounds of debt in the Premiership is attributed to this year's four Champions League clubs - Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal.
Fiscal responsibility and smart debt management is critical in professional soccer so I tend to like UEFA's incentive approach to the problem. This is not a punishment for debt spending; rather, a means to force a needed behaviour. To paraphrase the great US Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, UEFA's plan may be just the antiseptic sunshine that the European leagues, particularly the EPL, need to keep their debt infections from turning deadly.
The credit crises bleeds over to international football
What started out as my personal joke - putting the letters "USA" over the "AIG" which adorns Manchester United's shirts - has now turned in to a newly piqued interest in the business of soccer.
Fresh on the heals of the AIG collapse last month (among others), financial markets the world over have been losing enormous volumes of value and the impact of the global credit crunch is starting to show itself in the FA.
Yesterday, the Football Association's Lord David Triesman warned of the "very tangible dangers" faced by English Premier League clubs, whose combined debt he put at three billion pounds.
But to follow that up, an article in The Independent has Professor Tom Cannon, a football finance expert from the University of Liverpool, warning that the capital bubble funded by deep debt will soon burst unless drastic action is taken.
"I don't think there's an immediate crisis," he said, but continued "there is a deep and profoundly worrying issue across the board.
"Lord Triesman is right to point out the level of debt which, if anything, I think he's under-estimated - it wouldn't surprise me if it was more like £3.5billion," he continued.
So what does that mean to how football clubs in England operate? Professor Cannon goes on to explain the central looming problem:
"The likely interest charges are probably at least £70-120m a year, possibly up to £150m, and that exceeds the profitability of the English Premiership.
"They owe more than they're worth and the interest payments alone exceed their profits - that position is just not sustainable."
Stay tuned for more.
Fresh on the heals of the AIG collapse last month (among others), financial markets the world over have been losing enormous volumes of value and the impact of the global credit crunch is starting to show itself in the FA.
Yesterday, the Football Association's Lord David Triesman warned of the "very tangible dangers" faced by English Premier League clubs, whose combined debt he put at three billion pounds.
But to follow that up, an article in The Independent has Professor Tom Cannon, a football finance expert from the University of Liverpool, warning that the capital bubble funded by deep debt will soon burst unless drastic action is taken.
"I don't think there's an immediate crisis," he said, but continued "there is a deep and profoundly worrying issue across the board.
"Lord Triesman is right to point out the level of debt which, if anything, I think he's under-estimated - it wouldn't surprise me if it was more like £3.5billion," he continued.
So what does that mean to how football clubs in England operate? Professor Cannon goes on to explain the central looming problem:
"The likely interest charges are probably at least £70-120m a year, possibly up to £150m, and that exceeds the profitability of the English Premiership.
"They owe more than they're worth and the interest payments alone exceed their profits - that position is just not sustainable."
Stay tuned for more.
04 October 2008
Kennesaw State girls walk all over Jacksonville Friday Night
Under the lights of the beautiful football pitch at Kennesaw State University last night, the Owls played host to Jacksonville University and did not disappoint home town fans with a dominating display of soccer.
The Owls downed Jacksonville 4-0 in a night that saw only a handful of real threatening chances from the Dolphins - although down, the girls from Jacksonville showed great heart and pushed until the final whistle.
KSU hosted Cobb Futbol Club as a part of the evening's activities and as a result, the stands were full of Cobb FC Blue and Red colors. The kids were treated to some exciting fast paced soccer and hopefully picked up a tip or two from these excellent players along the way.
The Owls downed Jacksonville 4-0 in a night that saw only a handful of real threatening chances from the Dolphins - although down, the girls from Jacksonville showed great heart and pushed until the final whistle.
KSU hosted Cobb Futbol Club as a part of the evening's activities and as a result, the stands were full of Cobb FC Blue and Red colors. The kids were treated to some exciting fast paced soccer and hopefully picked up a tip or two from these excellent players along the way.
03 October 2008
Ugly Thursday match between FC Dallas and San Jose
Sorry to fans of both these clubs, but up until the late penalty kick to tie up, the match reminded me a lot of high school soccer. A lot of flat play, long balls, and very little creativity from either side.
That is until Kenny Copper and FC Dallas were given an absolute Christmas present from the referee in the 89th minute. Francisco Lima was in the box with his arms out by his sides, when FC Dallas smashed a ball in to the box, striking Lima's right arm. The ref whistled and pointed to the spot while an incredulous Lima and team argued furiously in vain against this highly suspect call.
The 6'3" Cooper slotted the ball home easily and tied up a match that San Jose felt they could take to the bank. The resulting equalizer sparked a lot of late fire from both sides but the game ended up with a point to each.
That is until Kenny Copper and FC Dallas were given an absolute Christmas present from the referee in the 89th minute. Francisco Lima was in the box with his arms out by his sides, when FC Dallas smashed a ball in to the box, striking Lima's right arm. The ref whistled and pointed to the spot while an incredulous Lima and team argued furiously in vain against this highly suspect call.
The 6'3" Cooper slotted the ball home easily and tied up a match that San Jose felt they could take to the bank. The resulting equalizer sparked a lot of late fire from both sides but the game ended up with a point to each.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)