Last week, the deceitful announcement of the European Super League threatened to take football out of the hands of football’s rich hierarchy and into Europe’s even wealthier. During such a dark time for England’s national game, we are reminded just how important fan’s voices are, as the proposal fell down after just two days. Fan ownership is the only way football can be saved from the likes of Florentino Perez and initiatives similar to the ESL.
The German Model:
In protest of the ESL proposal, many fans have pointed to German football’s ‘50+1’ method of club ownership to keep teams running in the interests of football and not money. Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund were notable absentees from the ESL for this very reason.
The 50+1 rule dictates that, for a club to compete within the Bundesliga, it must own a majority of its own voting rights - hence the ‘+1’ part of the rule. This is designed to avoid outside influence from owning the club and fully dictating its destiny; this is how Bayern and Dortmund avoided the same fate of the privately-owned clubs across Europe. With such a loud fan voice involved in German football, it is unsurprising that tickets are far more affordable than in England. €15 will get you a place at the Allianz but you may be forced to pay upwards of £100 to just get in the rafters at Old Trafford; not to mention the endless waiting lists tied to that. A season ticket for the 2019/20 season at Bayern Munich cost just €145…for SEVENTEEN home matches at one of Europe’s premier clubs. German football really is owned by, and produced for, the fans. But surely it hasn’t always been this good?
Well, the 50+1 model did only come in to being in 1998. But before then, the system was even more transparent, with clubs ran as strict non-profit organisations. That’s right, up until six seasons after England’s top-flight was taken off of terrestrial television amidst the creation of the Premier League, German football clubs were exclusively member-owned and free from outside influence. All the perks of fan ownership did not curb German football’s success either, with German sides winning three of the four available European trophies available from 1995-1997. Fan ownership and success? Surely not.
Borussia Dortmund lifted the 1997 Champions League. Credit: Thomas Kienzle/Associated Press.
Fan Ownership: A Football League Success Story
Contrary to popular belief, there are examples of fan-owned clubs still in English football. I have to look no further than the club I loved whilst at University, and that I still write for. Exeter City are no doubt one of the best success stories of fan ownership working and improving a club in the right way.
The Exeter City Supporter's Trust was originally set up in 2000, but became the principal owner of the club in 2003. Credit: The Grecian Archive.
Following a number of financially troubled seasons, the club went into administration in 1994, resulting in St. James’ Park coming under the control of the council. But with financial issues never going away, Exeter were relegated to the Conference in 2003 for the first time in the club’s history. Two directors involved in the club were later convicted of fraudulent trading, during a time where the club were left without ownership of its own stadium, in thousands of pounds of debt and without stable ownership. This is where the Exeter City Supporters Trust stepped in.
Exeter City achieved promotion to League One six years after The Trust took over, in 2009. Credit: The Grecian Archive
With fans banding together, The Trust purchased the club and fought to keep it alive through personal donations and fundraising events (a wall of the club is dedicated to the names of those that helped out during this time). A bit of fortune in the FA Cup draw in 2005 and the club managed to get back on its feet at a time when a collapse was certainly the easy way out. By 2009, Exeter had experienced back-to-back promotions into League One, and to this day The Trust still own over 53% of the club. With more than £1million being invested into the ground and pitch works this summer, things are certainly far from the dark days of the early noughties.
The Perks of Fan Ownership:
Aside from avoiding dodgy owners and businessmen that may not have football at the heart of their intentions, fan ownership offers supporters a different perspective of their clubs.
Firstly, the prospect of owning a percentage of your favourite club is undoubtedly cool, with these bragging rights costing you as low as £24 a year at Exeter City. Being able to gain a discount on matchdays and the right to vote on issues within your own club is priceless; there would be no talk of the ESL with fan votes that’s for sure. This gives you a real feel that you are involved and a valued member in your club.
The not-for-profit aspect of a Supporter’s Trust also gives fans the peace of mind that any money they inject into the club will be used for the benefit of the side. For example, whilst Exeter’s £14 matchday tickets are not amongst the cheapest in the league, fans do not mind parting with their cash as they know it could go toward a new player’s wages, rather than lining a billionaire’s pockets. In line with this, The Trust set up the 1931 Fund in 2009 to sponsor a player each season, aptly wearing number 31. To date, they have contributed £150,000 to the number 31’s wages, and pledge to give £100,000 per year into the club. Your £24 can certainly go a long way.
£14 will get you a ticket on England's largest terraced stand, The Thatchers Big Bank - but remember to bring a cap. Credit: Exeter City FC
As good as fan ownership is, it is important to state that it is flexible and far from a final destination. A majority fan ownership does allow for supporters to redirect the club in the correct way, but this privilege can be malleable in order to bring in a cash injection via the right owner. Portsmouth is one such club to have gone down this route. After slipping down to League Two as a result of severe financial trouble in 2013 (the entire first team left the squad after their relegation to League One), the Pompey Supporters Trust purchased the club. Four years later, with a certain amount of financial stability now behind the club, the Supporters Trust sold the club with promises on how the club would continue to be led. After being the largest fan-owned club in English football, Portsmouth are now a financially stable club that has retained a large amount of fan input – the best of both worlds.
Credit: thefalsenine.com
The European Super League should only serve as a reminder of the dangers of football falling into the hands of rich owners with an eye only on profit. The German model reminds us of a footballing utopia largely absent in England, whilst Exeter City’s success as a supporter-owned club is a testament of what can still be achieved whilst maintaining an overwhelming fan focus. Out with the ESL, up with fan-ownership.
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