Exclusive: Brits say taxpayer shouldn’t bail out struggling football and rugby clubs
The majority of Brits say that the government should not use taxpayer money to support professional football and rugby clubs that are teetering on the edge of financial difficulty.
Exclusive research by Ipsos for Morning Wire shows that British adults think football teams (67 per cent) and rugby teams (66 per cent) should not seek government hand outs when the going gets tough off the pitch.
It comes amid mounting concern more widely surrounding government loans issued during the pandemic — with millions still to be recovered — and the growing Americanisation of British sport with teams calling on the government for taxpayer handouts to help with stadium projects.
Less than 40 per cent of respondents believe public money should be used to bail out clubs in a major crisis such as a pandemic, with that number dropping to 20 per cent for leagues struggling with issues such as broadcast income.
“The data reflects a mature and pragmatic public view that football and rugby clubs – and professional teams in general – are commercial entities and should be treated as such,” Professor Rob Wilson tells Morning Wire.
“While we need to recognise the cultural value of sport, that should be a justification for using public money to cover financial mismanagement. There is little appetite for rewarding failure when essential public services remain under pressure.”
Taxpayer money sacred
Elsewhere the data shows that around one in four adults think the government should use public funds to help clubs — with support strongest among 18-34-year-olds and diminishing after that — while more non-rugby fans (22 per cent) support aiding union than non-football fans (12 per cent) support financial help for football clubs.
“It is entirely consistent with wider attitudes towards sport governance that public funds should not be used as a safety net for poorly run clubs,” Professor Wilson adds. “The public understands that administration is not an accident but the result of long term decisions by owners and directors. Responsibility is expected to sit with those who control the finances rather than the taxpayer.”
Almost half of the 1,000 respondents disagree that irrespective of the owner’s wealth, professional sports clubs should receive equal financial aid from the government if they encounter financial difficulties, while 50 per cent of those asked recognised the importance of sport in tourism, to local community and to a sense of identity.
“The public clearly accepts that if public money is ever used it must come with strict conditions,” Prof Wilson concludes. “This reflects a strong belief in fairness and accountability rather than opposition to support in principle. People want assurance that clubs cannot access public cash without first demonstrating financial discipline and a credible path to repayment.”