Soccer is for the Fans? England’s proposed “Football Regulator” and the Struggle for the Soul of the Game

The excesses of global soccer capitalism are well documented on this podcast. Perhaps no footballing country is more affected than England, the birthplace of the modern game and home to arguably the wealthiest clubs and league. To take it up one notch, six of its big clubs attempted to join the breakaway Super League while, around the same time, historic club Bury FC collapse and fell under administration. The fan protests surrounding both, the striking inequality growing in English football, and the fast growth of ever more dubious club owners spurred a “fan-led review” commissioned by the British government and, now, a proposal. In March of this year, the “Independent Football Regulator” was proposed. From future attempts to join a “super league” to tests of financial stability to a protection for crest and jersey colors, a wide range of developments in modern football would fall under the purview of the regulator if passed. And its introduction could spur similar developments in other countries. What exactly does the “regulator” look like, what could they do? What is the impact on fans as well as the future of bigger and smaller English clubs, at home and on the global stage?The Football Supporters Organization, the FSA, England’s largest and most influential fan lobbying organization, has been involved in the process from the beginning - as a contributor but also as a critic. Michael Brunskill from the FSA helps me explain the history, the potential and the shortcomings of the football regulator. And what sounds like a technical and political discussion will impact fans of the game around the globe. HELPFUL LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE:FSA response: Independent Football RegulatorUK government Fact Sheet about the regulatorChannel 4 News on the regulator and its historyNEW: send me a text message! (I'd love to hear your thoughts - texts get to me anonymously, without charge or signup) Please leave a quick voicemail with any feedback, corrections, suggestions - or just greetings - HERE. Or comment via Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky or Facebook. If you enjoy this podcast and think that what I do fills a gap in soccer coverage that others would be interested in as well, pleaseRecommend The Assistant Professor of Football. Spreading the word, through word of mouth, truly does help. Leave some rating stars at the podcast platform of your choice. There are so many sports podcasts out there, and only ratings make this project visible; only then can people who look for a different kind of take on European soccer actually find me.Artwork for The Assistant Professor of Football is by Saige LindInstrumental music for this podcast, including the introduction track, is by the artist Ketsa and used under a Creative Commons license through Free Music Archive: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/