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Football fans want opportunity to own their clubs, new poll reveals

Fan ownership has been thrust to the forefront of the game in the wake of the failed attempt at a breakaway European Super League earlier this year

Sports Staff
Thursday 10 June 2021 16:35 BST
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Chelsea fans react as club withdraws from Super League

The majority of football fans want the chance to own the clubs they support, a new poll has revealed.

Fan ownership has been thrust to the forefront of the game in the wake of the failed attempt at a breakaway European Super League earlier this year.

The poll comes ahead of Monday’s parliamentary debate on the 50+1 rule after more than 100,000 supporters signed a petition to change the way clubs are owned.

Research commissioned by Power to Change of 500 fans found that an overwhelming 71 per cent of those polled agreed that supporters should have greater opportunity to own the clubs they support. Just 8 per cent disagreed.

Meanwhile 77 per cent of fans believe supporters should be able to prevent owners from selling grounds and stadiums against the wishes of their supporters. Just 13 per cent disagreed.

“The verdict of fans couldn’t be clearer – they want the chance to take ownership of the clubs they support," Power to Change CEO Vidhya Alakeson said. "From Wimbledon and Exeter to Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, community ownership in football has been proven to work here and around the world – we just need to give communities a realistic chance to make it happen.

“The European Super League debacle didn’t create the problems in our game – it just brought them to light. All too often our treasured football clubs aren’t run in the interests of the communities they belong to. It’s time to change that.

“The fan-led review is a once in a lifetime opportunity to rebalance our national game in favour of communities. There have to be real changes to ensure that our clubs are sustainably run and that should include a new £400m fund to support a community ownership revolution.

“It’s time to give fans the chance to take back control of our game."

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