If A Wage Cap Fits. . .
Colossal foam fingers. One of the many contributions to the world of sport from our friends across the pond. Also, see hot dogs and vociferous commentary. There is perhaps an idea that could be converted to our beloved game that would not only benefit the Premier League – but level the playing field that could be perceived as more uneven than Steve Mclaren’s hairline. The wage cap.
Perhaps with perfect timing, it was announced recently that Giancarlo Stanton has signed a bank-busting $325m deal spread over 13 seasons with the Miami Marlins Baseball team. The MLB has a ‘Luxury Tax’ in place that – in layman’s terms – means that if a team exceeds an annually determined payroll then they will be taxed on the excess to discourage these outfits from overspending. At first glance it would appear that the measures are not exactly effective. Seeing as the New York Yankees have paid 88.6% of all the tax accrued however, it looks as if teams have enough slack on the rope to lure the top stars and still enable a fair fight for honours.
The NFL, NHL and NBA all have criterion set in order to flatten what would inevitably be a dwindling arms race. The real reason for stifling spending on players though is to guarantee competition. We could review stats and numbers from all teams who fall under the umbrella of frugality but the crux of the matter is; does it invite challenge?
In the last five years, the MLB and NHL has had 3 different winners. The NBA has had 4, the NFL 5. Being armed with a sliver of hope rather than a fugue of expectant morbidity must add a dash of excitement for fans.
In contrast, La Liga has had 3 (in reality 2 but Atleti got in there last season so. . ) different winners as well as the Premier League, with the Bundesliga seeing the least amount of variety with only Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund vying for their country’s top accolade. If you must throw in Italy, while the race looks competitive, Juve’s ability to outspend pretty much insures it being a one man race for the most part.
Critics, pundits, fans alike though, would all agree that the gap in wealth is growing and the ladder that houses teams is stretching the gaps in between the rungs winder and wider. Chelsea and Manchester City with their bottomless pockets can dip unhindered into the lagoon that is the football transfer window. When money is of no concern and no regulations are put in place to truly regulate it, then not only is competition suffering but the long term health of the club is unabashedly placed as a makeshift poker chip as the stakes grow larger.
FFP is the fire hose currently trying in vain to douse the flames of lavishness. PSG and City recently were taken to task by flouting the rules in the summer. The result? City appealed and had the castigation relaxed. When the punishment for the crime is lessened upon duress, surely this weakens the threat and therefore the rule itself?
To put a wage cap in place would not only ruffle feathers but would indubitably cause voices of dissent from club hierarchy, which would in turn result in chaos. However, given the current state of affairs, it doesn’t take a soothsayer to predict where the future of these competitions lie. La Liga and the Premiership are precipitously close to turning into the SPL of ten years ago, with two teams annually resuming a bout for silverware as bemused fans of other teams are left to scrabble for leftovers.
Inevitably it looks like we’re heading to increased ticket prices across the board (to create the vanity exercise of trying to look competitive) which in turn will turn more fans and therefore adversely threaten a team’s funding. A wage cap would have to be meted out and agreed by all parties in order to go forward.
With these gargantuan overseas sports leagues putting in place measures in order to keep smaller teams afloat and competition in rude health – then this makes a case for it to be implemented on our shores. If all teams in the Premiership had a wage cap in place, then just maybe the likes of some of the perceived “have-nots” might just be able to dip into their coffers to buy the ‘Next-Next Cruyff’. As long as the cap is in relation to income, then the changes wouldn’t be so abrupt as to ruin what is already a thriving sport.
A wage cap though would have to be European wide though and supported via UEFA. Locally run caps like via the Premiership or FA wouldn’t work. As footballers only have a short career span, we cannot condemn these idols of ours for playing for the lucre to a degree. If they knew that the Premiership alone had a limit to their earning potential, then the sunnier climes of Spain or Italy would surely sate their monetary hunger far easier? So a Europe-wide regulation would have be the answer.
This would be ridiculously difficult to set up, but without change, the Premiership, La Liga et al will be less palatable than a weeks work experience at The Overlook Hotel. Change is needed. UEFA may have had their heart in the right place (stop laughing) and tried valiantly with FFP. But without a serious backbone and the lac of desire to see through the harsh penalties first discussed when FFP was in it’s infancy, it is an unmitigated disaster.
So, yeah – foam fingers at the ready.
