Manchester City have contacted their Premier League rivals ahead of a vote that is due to be had surrounding how commercial deals are governed following a recent tribunal
Manchester City have written to their fellow 19 Premier League clubs as they claim that amendments to rules governing commercial deals are “unlawful”.
Next week there is a crucial meeting where the clubs will vote on the proposal following last month’s landmark tribunal ruling where City legally challenged Associated Party Transaction regulations (APTs). Both City and the Premier League claimed victory after the decision regarding APTs, which seek to ensure sponsorships with companies linked to clubs’ owners represent fair market value – and aren’t inflated.
Now City have told their rival clubs that the Premier League was “rushing through its consultation process”. The BBC reports they’ve seen a letter where the champions underline their “strong desire is to avoid any future costly legal disputes”, adding it is “critical that the Premier League gets it right this time round”.
The civil war between the Premier League and the team which has been named champions for the past four years clearly has legs. Premier League bosses have accused City of “meritless” threats of further legal action.
Those from the Etihad recently had some of their complaints upheld at a tribunal with two aspects of the rules deemed unlawful.
The Premier League has said in a recent letter to City: “Throughout the consultation, the league has reflected upon all feedback provided by clubs, including from MCFC, and sought the opinion of leading counsel to consider the proposals.
“That MCFC does not agree with the proposed amendments, or with the timing of the process being undertaken, does not mean the consultation itself is deficient or that the league has failed to comply with its obligations as a regulator.”
City’s most senior lawyer Simon Cliff wrote to the club’s rivals and the FA whereby he attached legal analysis and stated that the club considers the proposed rules “unlawful”. Cliff said City are “strongly in favour of robust, effective and lawful regulation”.
He also underlined the disagreements between the two parties over whether the tribunal’s ruling had rendered the current APT framework void. He added: “Common sense dictates that the Premier League should not rush into passing amendments – particularly ones which entail material legal risk – until [it] knows the outcome from the tribunal,” also arguing “clubs will be voting blind”.
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