It's the legal battles where I feel you may be misleading yourself.
I think we all want to believe that if it gets rejected, PIF will spend millions taking them to the cleaners but i've yet to hear anyone put forward anything that suggests that they'd have any kind of strong case, if any case at all.
I think someone yesterday suggested only MA would have a legal angle, if he felt compelled to go down that route. Whether that's right I don't know but in basic terms, if feels like if it gets rejected because of the PL's own test, rather any kind of UK law, then they'll be able to back that up.
I just don't see this going legal.
I may be completely wrong but I would imagine that the matter falls under the remit of contract law. The O&D test unequivocally states that confirmation will be given within five working days, the PL is in breach of that element of the rules and that has caused the consortium to lose its £17m deposit (which would have been refunded if the PL had issued a refusal).
So if it does go to court it will be so they can get the deposit/damages/costs back. Can't see it forcing them to approve
I don't think it would be within the remit of a an English court to influence the actual decision (it would possibly be within the remit of the Court of Arbitration for Sport though).
But, from my point of view, this is more about speculation of what might be going on behind the scenes and the pressure that might be put on the PL to make a decision. I think if it does get as far as legal action that would probably mean the deal is dead, because it could go on for years.
Agreed. As Dokko also said, if there was some legal angle that could taken, I don't know how many of us would have the emotional energy to wait for that to end. The last 18 weeks have been bad enough.
IDK how or where this ends, but if it goes beyond this week then its probably going on without my investment. I know you cannot see legal action, i just cannot see how it doesn't end up in the courts somewhere down the line.
To contest:
* £17m deposit (if true the PL encouraged the bid early doors, before interference from Bein. If there is any evidence of that, the PL will be paying that £17m back to the bidders + legal fees)
* Ashley unable to sell an asset (restriction of trade has been mentioned, no idea if valid, but sounds like there's something in it)
* Devaluation of asset (Can't sell it to specific people, therefore the value plummets. Only a certain % can afford a club and to run it, the pool isn't huge to begin with)
* Sporting competition/fair playing field (Dice is loaded in favour of the big 6, meaning this is no longer a fair competition. Surely has impact on gambling in PL games with interference from the body keeping the big 6 better than the rest)
* Time, money and effort gone in to bid and test (Millions will have been spent getting this bid together and going through the test. If they aren't allowed to pass due to other clubs interference then this is money they could possibly as back in a legal case)
From what i gather the £17m alone could bankrupt the league. Ashley could claim his asset is £100m worse off now and has to drop the price to that to sell it. Probably another £10m or so on putting the bid together. All this is money i'd be looking at claiming back once it goes tits up, and they will, even if its years down the line.
As far as I can see it, there are two likely parties who would be motivated to sue the PL.
PIF as they have lost £17m due to the PL dithering and failure to make a decision. But I'm not convinced they would be arsed enough about £17m to go to court for it seeing as they are swimming in cash so it's a drop in the ocean for them.
Ashley himself. But again I'm not sure he's that arsed about it either as he's made £17m from nothing and he can still continue to operate the club on a shoestring. If anything he can now justify being even tighter with his money.
I suppose the Reubens and Stavely might be a factor, but I'm not sure if it's their money which was put down as a deposit, much more likely to have been the Saudis I'd have thought.
Ashley is losing the chance to snap up some undervalued businesses while this is going on. He's standing there with his plate and his little bib tucked into his shirt but the manager won't open the buffet.