2023 Agenda
Private capital continues to flood into European football, with American investors taking a large slice of the pie. Among the largest recent deals, Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly and his partners bought Chelsea FC for £2.5 billion, a record for the English Premier League, while RedBird Capital Partners, supported by the New York Yankees, acquired AC Milan for €1.2 billion, the highest price ever paid for a continental European club. While some of these investors may never have run a football club before, their understanding of the power of data and analytics in boosting fan engagement, their experience in negotiating media rights, and their fresh ideas on branding could be transformative for the European game.
But with the finances of even the most famous clubs under pressure from ever-rising player salaries and the continuing impact from pandemic-related revenue losses, do these new investors have a magic formula to boost returns and win trophies? How do you make money in the current football economy and why are valuations so high? How resilient is football to economic cycles? With multi-club ownership accelerating at pace, do governing bodies and the leagues have the right controls in place to maintain fair competition and ensure financial sustainability? What implications will the abuse of dominance case brought by European Super League founders against UEFA and FIFA in the European Court of Justice have for the future of football?
The Financial Times’ Business of Football Summit returns for its fifth edition to discuss these issues and more, including the impact of the latest European Championships on the growth of the women’s game. Leading investors, club and league executives, regulators, broadcasters, tech innovators, advisors and other key influencers will share their insights in discussion with FT journalists, both in-person in London and virtually before a global audience.
How can investors make money out of football?
Analysing valuations and return on investment
Inside the Deals: Are highly leveraged buyouts viable for a club’s long-term growth?
Why is the pace of multi-club ownership accelerating?
How should regulators respond to the latest wave of private investment?
CEO Panel: What is the best way to run a football club?
Review of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar
Beyond Euro 2022: What’s next for the commercialisation of women’s football?
What impact will the European Court of Justice case have on the future of football?
The dominance of the English Premier League: How can the rest of Europe compete?
The Fan as Consumer: Will technology and data bring fans closer to their clubs?
To what extent are modern data analytics transforming football, on and off the pitch?
The Player as Brand: Do players have more or less influence in the modern game?
Head of Behavioral Insights & Business Analytics, The FA
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