Manchester City have begun their retaliation for the 115 charges levelled against them by the Premier League.
The club have done so in the form of legal action over the Premier League’s associated party transaction rules.
Essentially, Manchester City will argue that it’s unfair that their sponsors can’t invest as much money in the club as they’d like. A hearing has been set for 10 – 21 June.
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Via The Times:
“City argue that sponsors linked to club owners — City’s are in Abu Dhabi — should be allowed to determine how much they want to pay, regardless of independent valuation. Four of City’s top ten sponsors have ties to the United Arab Emirates, including their stadium and shirt sponsor, Etihad Airways.
“Manchester City argue that the present rules will limit their ability to buy the best players and force them to charge fans more for tickets. They say they may also have to cut spending on youth development, women’s football, and community programmes.”
With the hearing over City’s 115 charges due in November, this is intended to stretch the Premier League’s resources. In a statement dripping with cynicism, City say they are subject to the ‘tyranny of the majority’. The team who have won 6 of the previous 7 Premier League’s claims it is being prevented from buying the world’s best players.
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Evoking the idea of charging fans more for tickets and mentioning youth & women’s football is … bold. However, City can afford to be bold. Theoretically, they could tie the Premier League up in a legal battle for years.
Whether or not they will be held accountable for their alleged breaches remains to be seen.
