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[Football] Are we heading towards Arab states running Elite football?
- Thread starter Flounce
- Start date
The Grockle
Formally Croydon Seagull
I suspect they will continue to finance the biggest clubs but I'm not sure their influence will extend much beyond the clubs they invest in as their domestic leagues are so poor.
The Premier league has lots of American owners who clearly have a desire to use the American model but most have found out there's zero desire for PL games to be played abroad and that such a move would alienate them from domestic fans.
The Premier league has lots of American owners who clearly have a desire to use the American model but most have found out there's zero desire for PL games to be played abroad and that such a move would alienate them from domestic fans.
- Nov 11, 2009
- 13,425
Arab states and US consortiums. Little ole Brighton with a local fan owner are definitely in the minority, and I hope we stay that way
The odd think is that whenever they are discussed they are called Arabs rather than Muslims. It seems a narrative has formed in some areas that Arabs are okay but Muslims are not. I guess Arabs are viewed as wealthy and Muslims viewed as poor.
Funny old world we live in at the moment!
Funny old world we live in at the moment!
Milano
Well-known member
It’s not only football. They essentially own the world already. For decades they have been using the vast profits from oil to buy anything and everything that they can, as an example the very fact something as completely domestic as water can be ‘owned’ by a foreign company is a disgrace. With ownership comes power. Thatcher and Blair sold this country out, as did other corrupt leaders in other countries at the time.
Nobby Cybergoat
Well-known member
- Jul 19, 2021
- 10,229
Fifa Club World Cup: How Saudi Arabia is underpinning the tournament
A detailed look at the figures behind the Fifa Club World Cup, and how investment from Saudi Arabia appears to be underpinning the tournament.
www.bbc.co.uk
- Nov 15, 2006
- 7,225
- Thread starter
- #7
Put me down as old school, I have always referred to Middle East states as Arab nothing to do with any Muslim connection. I also think of Eastern European countries as Eastern Bloc, even now!
- Nov 15, 2006
- 7,225
- Thread starter
- #8
Horse Racing is another
It’s not just England, I was shocked to find that Toulouse Airport is mostly Chinese owned, although they have now withdrawn
Was not aimed at you by the way. It was more a general comment. One of my best mates moved to Abu Dhabi a few months back and we were discussing the oddities of it.Put me down as old school, I have always referred to Middle East states as Arab nothing to do with any Muslim connection. I also think of Eastern European countries as Eastern Bloc, even now!
hart's shirt
Well-known member
Not so much heading towards it, but arguably already there.
(Arab state resident of 16 years.)
(Arab state resident of 16 years.)
Clueless as to why you bring religion into it!!!!
In terms of ownership, the direction of travel in the Premier League is more US than Middle East. The following are US or predominantly US-owned:
Arsenal, Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Burnley, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Everton, Fulham, Leeds, Liverpool and Man Utd.
That's 11 of 20. I think Premier League resolutions need 14 of 20 to pass, so we're not too far away from a position where US investors could, theoretically, effect significant changes to enhance the value of their holdings.
Arsenal, Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Burnley, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Everton, Fulham, Leeds, Liverpool and Man Utd.
That's 11 of 20. I think Premier League resolutions need 14 of 20 to pass, so we're not too far away from a position where US investors could, theoretically, effect significant changes to enhance the value of their holdings.
- Nov 15, 2006
- 7,225
- Thread starter
- #13
Do they all outright own those clubs? Parish still seems to hold the whip hand at Palace?
The Fifth Column
Lazy mug
Might surprise you to find out that Iran is not an Arabic country, they speak Farsi and consider themselves ethnically persian and are culturally and historically not Arabs.Put me down as old school, I have always referred to Middle East states as Arab nothing to do with any Muslim connection. I also think of Eastern European countries as Eastern Bloc, even now!
Tom Hark Preston Park
Will Post For Cash
- Jul 6, 2003
- 74,384
Can't really blame them for looking to diversify for when the oil runs out
- Nov 15, 2006
- 7,225
- Thread starter
- #16
Yes, but they'll never buy happiness. Or love.
In seriousness, I am relaxed about 'Arab' owners.
I'm not sure what they want from us, but if it is love and respect, it's not happening.
Do they want to grift political influence? Well......
it is hard to win hearts and minds dressed in medieval clobber,
and behaving like pricks towards women and anything queer.
Personally I see them as sad mugs, living in opulence but generally at a loss....
they can't even seem to organize the death of all the Jews properly.
And the rules of football are not as easy to unpack as they might think.
As for Brighton no longer in with a realistic chance of winning the league because of Arab cash....
my retort would be 'what, like all those magnificent league wins in the 60s, 70s and 80s?
All those European cups? What a time it was to be alive, then. No Arabs, and..... oh, hang on....
I seem to recall at the time big clubs being owned by strange northern businessmen,
not adverse to 'tapping up' players.
And most of them didn't like their club singing black players,
but were content to have us penned in like cattle in unsafe old stadia.
f*** that!
But the answer to the OP's question is no.
- Oct 20, 2022
- 8,968
Yeah - the confusion some people have over the definitions of ‘Arab’ and ‘Muslim’ is truly astonishing.
It seems the ‘narrative’ that has formed in some areas is anti-Islam.
Arabs are an ethno-linguistic group of people, most of whom are Muslim in religion but many of whom are not.
Saudi Arabia, Quatar and UAE are Arab states whose GPD has largely been from exports of fossil fuels - Climate change and global shift towards ‘green’ energy has meant these oil producing Gulf states have been making a major economic shift from oil dependency to international and domestic sport, especially football.
The investment by Arab states in football and other sports has fcuk all to do with religion.
It's why I said "predominantly". Palace like Man Utd, have non-US part-owners, but US owners hold the bulk of the shares in each case. Most are wholly US-owned.
Palace's ownership seems to be roughly the below currently, although Textor is looking to sell, likely to another US entity.
John Textor - 45%
Josh Harris - 18%
David Blitzer - 18%
Steve Parish - 18%
Voting rights seem to be one each, with Parish having the deciding vote in case of a tie.
- Oct 20, 2022
- 8,968
Good article here if anyone wants a read - it’s nothing new though.
US has been much more resistant to foreign investment in domestic sport than Europe.
gis.sport
US has been much more resistant to foreign investment in domestic sport than Europe.
How the Middle East became the sports industry's go-to destination | GIS
Read "How the Middle East became the sports industry's go-to destination" and more news at GIS.
gis.sport