Independent Football Regulator costs could hike ticket prices, MP says
Shadow sport minister Stuart Andrew has insisted the Independent Football Regulator’s reported £47.3m club compliance cost could push ticket prices up for fans.
It came as the Conservatives, who introduced the original Football Governance Bill before the 2024 General Election, opposed the proposed legislation at the second reading stage on Monday in the House of Commons.
Andrew, a former sports minister, was previously a backer of the Independent Football Regulator but has since reversed his stance, suggesting it is not the same bill his party introduced. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has previously said she’s against the proposed regulator.
Independent Football Regulator costs
“Make no mistake,” Andrew said in the Commons, “the smallest clubs, the beating hearts of their communities, will be hit the hardest. The government’s own impact assessment estimates that the cost of compliance could reach a staggering £47.3m and that will push ticket prices up.
“Furthermore, with the football regulators’ remit now considerably expanded, operational costs could rise to £150m.
“[And] Labour’s new National Insurance job tax will hit clubs’ finances hard, with the Premier League saying it will amount to £50m, and £250m over the life of this Parliament.
“To give the house some examples, Wembley Stadium is set to pay £829,000 more, while the Etihad Stadium will see a rise of £564,000. These are not abstract figures. These are real costs that will trickle down to fans through higher ticket prices or reduced investment on or off the pitch.”
The DCMS Secretary of State Lisa Nandy dismissed Andrew’s statement as “embarrassing” and “shameful” given the shadow minister’s involvement in the early stages of the bill.
The MP for Wigan went on to say that up until Monday this was a cross-party endeavor, and complimented former Tory Dame Tracey Crouch’s football fan review, which kick-started the parliamentary process into regulating the Premier League and the English Football League below it.