English Football League (EFL) chairman Rick Parry said an independent regulator was long overdue.
Parry said, “It’s in line with our expectations. It’s definitely in line with the fan-led review, which we welcomed.”
“So we are happy. Our aim is to make clubs sustainable, which is about financial redistribution and regulation – the two have to go hand in hand.
The government states that 83% of the revenue earned by clubs in the top five divisions in England sits within the Premier League, compared to 57% when the Premier League was formed in 1993.
Parry told the BBC, “The game is in poor health in many ways.” “The problem from our point of view is that there is a huge gap between the top and the bottom.”
Fan-LED Review
The independent regulator will have powers to stop clubs joining rogue leagues such as the European Super League, for which six Premier League clubs have signed up for the start in 2021 – a situation which has prompted a fan-led review into the sport .
“The Football Governance White Paper clearly addresses our key concerns about ownership, rogue competitions and sustainability,” said Kevin Miles, chief executive of the Football Supporters Association.
“We support any proposal that gives fans a greater voice in the running of their clubs.”
The Premier League itself said it recognized the case for change in football administration, but that it was already implementing “stronger and more independent self-regulation”.
It also warned that too much interference could have “unintended consequences” and harm the competitiveness of the Premier League by making it less attractive to investors.
“We commend the government’s commitment to safeguarding the continued success of the Premier League,” it said in a statement.
“It is vital that regulation does not harm the way sports fans like to see those in the world’s deepest professional pyramid, or their ability to attract investment and increase interest.”
Responding to calls for a fair distribution of funds through the league, the Premier League said it was already providing £1.6 billion ($1.93 billion) in financial support for the wider game over the current three-year cycle.
Sullivan, 74, accused the government of a public relations exercise.
He said, “They think it will be good PR to support the ordinary football fan and the smaller clubs, but I bet it won’t get them a single extra vote. I believe in free enterprise, not government interference.”