Various: N-O has lost the plot over potential end of Mike Ashley's tenure

[TheInfiniteOdyssey]

I just find the idea of the Premier League not having a deadline to work towards, in regards to such a high-profile business transaction, completely absurd 

 

It leaves a club effectively owner-less (13 years and counting really), destabilizes all future planning - contract negotiations, transfer targets etc.

 

 

[Guest godzilla]

I just find the idea of the Premier League not having a deadline to work towards, in regards to such a high-profile business transaction, completely absurd 

 

It leaves a club effectively owner-less (13 years and counting really), destabilizes all future planning - contract negotiations, transfer targets etc.

 

They would probably just state that it's Ashley's problem as he is still the owner of the club

[TRon]

I just find the idea of the Premier League not having a deadline to work towards, in regards to such a high-profile business transaction, completely absurd 

 

It leaves a club effectively owner-less (13 years and counting really), destabilizes all future planning - contract negotiations, transfer targets etc.

 

They would probably just state that it's Ashley's problem as he is still the owner of the club

 

Agreed, it's not really the PL's problem tbf. On the one hand, I don't think they want to reject it, maybe because of legal repercussions, on the other, if PIF walked away, then I doubt they would care too much. I hear all this stuff about the money talks, but they've managed without the Saudi money just fine up to now. It's probably a headache they could do without with all the piracy issues.

[Jackie Broon]

Its all sorted man, money talks, Bein sports will be broadcast legally in Saudi by the re-start of the season and Ashley will be long gone.

 

Money talks but Qatar have arguably more. Certainly they are capable to offer more to the PL.

 

According to a colleague, you can watch BeIN legally from KSA through their app or other 3rd party apps. Apparently loads of people watch it this way. Last year, I spent few days in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain - they are also part of the blockade - but BeIN's channels (and Al-Jazeera) were widely available in hotels and bars and it certainly wasn't beoutQ signal

 

Just interested, how do Qatar have arguably more financial power when Saudi Arabia's economy appears to be roughly three to four times larger by every measure?

 

Not every measure though.. The universally accepted one for economic efficiency - GDP PPP is twice the amount of Saudi's and ranks them 1st worldwide. KSA definitely have more historical trade significance and potential though but very little foreign expertise in anything apart from oil, construction and warfare.

 

The main difference is that Qatar is designed to be an investor's heaven. It's the most developed, most open to western influence of all Muslim countries. The reforms MBS is attempting to push now were done in Qatar in the 90s.

 

KSA, on the other hand is still a near-complete black box. They simply don't allow any form of foreign independent monitoring on any topic - juridical system, human rights, oil reserves, piracy accusations. In other words - an investor's hell.

 

Wikipedia, I know, but these lists of GPD PPP don't put Qatar anywhere near first, around 50th actually, with Saudi Arabia around 15th.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)#:~:text=GDP%20comparisons%20using%20PPP%20are,which%20may%20distort%20the%20real

 

Surely what is being discussed is the power of the state of Saudi Arabia to purchase something rather than to attract inward investment.

 

Per capita, of course. Qatar is a dwarf territory compared to KSA, after all.

 

 

 

GPD PPP per capita is not really a measure of a nation's overall purchasing power. Depending on whether the data is coming from Luxembourg and Lichtenstein are above Qatar in terms of GPD PPP per capita, that doesn't mean that they'd have the ability to compete financially with Qatar, or Saudi Arabia, as a nation.

 

It's not simply a question of purchase power though - even the poorest countries are rich enough to afford the PL rights, if they had to. You're picking on just a tiny bit of what I said. Al-Jazeera (BeIN) is a mastodon media empire in worldwide terms. Saudi Arabia can't create a product to rival this from scratch, if they could - they would have done it a long time ago. It's simply unrealistic, to expect Riyadh to become a media hub, while foreign journalists are not allowed access to the country.

 

 

 

I doubt that would be part of the consideration for the sale of broadcasting rights, only how much money a buyer is prepared/able to offer for them.

 

Btw, I'm not trying to be argumentative, I've just been comforting myself with the idea that Saudi Arabia are so wealthy and influential that it's very likely that the issues will be resolved one way or another.

 

I've seen a few people saying that Qatar are now as or more influential and wealthy than Saudi Arabia, but I can't see any real evidence of that. From what I can tell Qatar seem have isolated themselves to some extent within the region and internationally due to the extent of their ties with Iran. Saudi Arabia seems to be far more influential politically and financially, internationally, regionally and particularly in the UK.

 

 

[buzz]

Realistically, how long do you think the Premier League can prolong this test for?

 

End of July?

 

Indefinitely

[Guest awaymag]

I just find the idea of the Premier League not having a deadline to work towards, in regards to such a high-profile business transaction, completely absurd 

 

It leaves a club effectively owner-less (13 years and counting really), destabilizes all future planning - contract negotiations, transfer targets etc.

 

They would probably just state that it's Ashley's problem as he is still the owner of the club

 

Agreed, it's not really the PL's problem tbf. On the one hand, I don't think they want to reject it, maybe because of legal repercussions, on the other, if PIF walked away, then I doubt they would care too much. I hear all this stuff about the money talks, but they've managed without the Saudi money just fine up to now. It's probably a headache they could do without with all the piracy issues.

 

Hold on, its not the PL problem as its to do with Ashley the owner?  But the PL have the final say on who should be the owner?  Either the PL is responsible for owners of the clubs it has as members or it isn't. 

[mrmojorisin75]

Realistically, how long do you think the Premier League can prolong this test for?

 

End of July?

 

Indefinitely

 

think that's naive on the part of the buyer personally, at some point the questions will stop being asked and from then on they're not going to sit there in complete limbo for no reason whatsoever as they'll know it'll be a piss take being driven by qatar in the background

[Wallsendmag]

Once the WTO report is made public the Premier League will reject this takeover and we can get back to normal. Hopefully the Saudis don't appeal and we can draw a line under all this.

[Stifler]

There is no way the Premier League can say to PIF that you have to do something in regards to piracy. The rules all across football strictly state that politics and football should not mix. Politics should not get involved in football, and it works the other way as well.

If there is a piracy issue then it would be questions regarding the relationship between PIF and MBS and if he has any influence over the club and involvement into piracy. The Premier League cannot ask PIF to instruct the Saudi government to act on piracy, nor can they ask them or urge them to bid for future TV rights. If anything like that happened then PIF could immediately go to the courts. It would be a clear indication that the Premier League were not ruling in accordance to their own rules.

 

It’s easy for papers to say that the Premier League want PIF to bid for future TV rights, or encourage the Saudi government to take action, and many people will believe it because it’s a simple link to make in the absence of information.

It’s doing my head in how many journalists and fans are spouting this without realising that it’s not possible for it to happen, and if it did, it would result in the Premier League basically committing extortion.

[Guest Butcher]

Once the WTO report is made public the Premier League will reject this takeover and we can get back to normal. Hopefully the Saudis don't appeal and we can draw a line under all this.

 

Aye, here's to 13 more years of being shit.

[Wallsendmag]

Once the WTO report is made public the Premier League will reject this takeover and we can get back to normal. Hopefully the Saudis don't appeal and we can draw a line under all this.

 

Aye, here's to 13 more years of being shit.

 

We've been shit throughout most of our history other than for a few years at the start of the 1900s, the 1950s, a few years in the mid 90s and a few years at the start of this Century. So about 20/25 good years out of 128!

[Guest Butcher]

Once the WTO report is made public the Premier League will reject this takeover and we can get back to normal. Hopefully the Saudis don't appeal and we can draw a line under all this.

 

Aye, here's to 13 more years of being s***.

 

We've been s*** throughout most of our history other than for a few years at the start of the 1900s, the 1950s, a few years in the mid 90s and a few years at the start of this Century. So about 20/25 good years out of 128!

 

And here we have our best chance ever to become one of the best clubs in the World, but fuck that.

[Wallsendmag]

Once the WTO report is made public the Premier League will reject this takeover and we can get back to normal. Hopefully the Saudis don't appeal and we can draw a line under all this.

 

Aye, here's to 13 more years of being s***.

 

We've been s*** throughout most of our history other than for a few years at the start of the 1900s, the 1950s, a few years in the mid 90s and a few years at the start of this Century. So about 20/25 good years out of 128!

 

And here we have our best chance ever to become one of the best clubs in the World, but fuck that.

 

We don't have a chance. It's not going through and it never was. Of course I'd have loved this takeover to happen mate but I'm also a realist.

[Pons Alias]

Now fuck off, and don’t forget to cancel your lottery tickets on the way out.

[NE27]

Once the WTO report is made public the Premier League will reject this takeover and we can get back to normal. Hopefully the Saudis don't appeal and we can draw a line under all this.

 

Aye, here's to 13 more years of being s***.

 

We've been s*** throughout most of our history other than for a few years at the start of the 1900s, the 1950s, a few years in the mid 90s and a few years at the start of this Century. So about 20/25 good years out of 128!

 

And here we have our best chance ever to become one of the best clubs in the World, but fuck that.

 

We don't have a chance. It's not going through and it never was. Of course I'd have loved this takeover to happen mate but I'm also a realist.

 

Quite a statement.

 

I'm sure you can understand why I hope you're massively wrong 

 

God I wish we knew nothing of this bid from the start! But so desperate are we that we've got people monitoring companies house and airports.

[Guest godzilla]

Once the WTO report is made public the Premier League will reject this takeover and we can get back to normal. Hopefully the Saudis don't appeal and we can draw a line under all this.

 

Aye, here's to 13 more years of being s***.

 

We've been s*** throughout most of our history other than for a few years at the start of the 1900s, the 1950s, a few years in the mid 90s and a few years at the start of this Century. So about 20/25 good years out of 128!

 

And here we have our best chance ever to become one of the best clubs in the World, but f*** that.

 

We don't have a chance. It's not going through and it never was. Of course I'd have loved this takeover to happen mate but I'm also a realist.

 

Quite a statement.

 

I'm sure you can understand why I hope you're massively wrong 

 

God I wish we knew nothing of this bid from the start! But so desperate are we that we've got people monitoring companies house and airports.

 

He hasn't a clue what is really happening as none of us do, all opinion and guesswork

[Strawberry]

Its all sorted man, money talks, Bein sports will be broadcast legally in Saudi by the re-start of the season and Ashley will be long gone.

 

Whilst I lean towards the theory that it will get sorted and the sale will be completed, I don't think the resolution will involve BeIn Sport being broadcast in Saudi Arabia.

 

I think the Royal Family will want local control of the broadcast into Saudi homes so they can control what advertising materials and affiliated content comes along with the broadcast.  Saudi Arabia is a very-conservative country that finds many more liberal principles to be highly offensive so they would likely be intolerant of any extra content that comes along with the BeIn broadcast.  So I suspect they will pay for KSA Sport to have it's own broadcast license - possibly paying some compensation to BeIn, via the Premier League as part of the license fee, so Saudi Arabia doesn't directly send money to its enemy.

 

Agree. Like any other country, KSA can bid for the rights and show the PL locally. To do that now, they need to renegotiate with BeIN, cause they own rights for the whole MENA region (with KSA's approval) for another two years, if I'm not mistaken. It's extremely unlikely that Qatar and KSA will renegotiate anything right now - they have zero diplomatic relations.

 

The possibility of KSA outbidding Qatar for the PL rights in the whole region is pie in the sky stuff. They don't have the expertise, nor the finance to do that.

 

Nor the finance 

 

We are dealing with kids mind here.

 

Wish I was a kid like. My username and my broken English might be doing me a disservice here but my posts on the topic appear far more researched than most on this thread.

 

Sorry if I offended you but what I try to say is Bein was founded in 2014. All the Qataries did was hired Brits and pay them crazy money. Trust me The Saudis can create something similar quickly.

[Wallsendmag]

Once the WTO report is made public the Premier League will reject this takeover and we can get back to normal. Hopefully the Saudis don't appeal and we can draw a line under all this.

 

Aye, here's to 13 more years of being s***.

 

We've been s*** throughout most of our history other than for a few years at the start of the 1900s, the 1950s, a few years in the mid 90s and a few years at the start of this Century. So about 20/25 good years out of 128!

 

And here we have our best chance ever to become one of the best clubs in the World, but fuck that.

 

We don't have a chance. It's not going through and it never was. Of course I'd have loved this takeover to happen mate but I'm also a realist.

 

Quite a statement.

 

I'm sure you can understand why I hope you're massively wrong 

 

God I wish we knew nothing of this bid from the start! But so desperate are we that we've got people monitoring companies house and airports.

 

I hope I'm wrong too as well mate but I don't see how it can go through and the WTO report, which is what the PL are waiting for so they can formally reject it, will be the final nail (all my opinion).

 

Lots of do called ITKs on here and Twitter who weren't actually ITK at all, simply persons fishing for likes and clicks will end up losing a lot of credibilty I feel.

[Guest chopey]

Once the WTO report is made public the Premier League will reject this takeover and we can get back to normal. Hopefully the Saudis don't appeal and we can draw a line under all this.

 

Aye, here's to 13 more years of being s***.

 

We've been s*** throughout most of our history other than for a few years at the start of the 1900s, the 1950s, a few years in the mid 90s and a few years at the start of this Century. So about 20/25 good years out of 128!

 

And here we have our best chance ever to become one of the best clubs in the World, but fuck that.

 

We don't have a chance. It's not going through and it never was. Of course I'd have loved this takeover to happen mate but I'm also a realist.

 

I'm also a realist and have  the 100% opposite view to this, it's going through we have nothing at all to worry about.

[Teasy]

For most of the clubs history it hasn't been one of the best around no.  But not being one of the best and being a completely pointless unsupportable shell of a club are two very different things.  Wanting the slow death of a pointless club to continue just so we can "get back to normal" is just something I can't wrap my head around.

[TRon]

I just find the idea of the Premier League not having a deadline to work towards, in regards to such a high-profile business transaction, completely absurd 

 

It leaves a club effectively owner-less (13 years and counting really), destabilizes all future planning - contract negotiations, transfer targets etc.

 

They would probably just state that it's Ashley's problem as he is still the owner of the club

 

Agreed, it's not really the PL's problem tbf. On the one hand, I don't think they want to reject it, maybe because of legal repercussions, on the other, if PIF walked away, then I doubt they would care too much. I hear all this stuff about the money talks, but they've managed without the Saudi money just fine up to now. It's probably a headache they could do without with all the piracy issues.

 

Hold on, its not the PL problem as its to do with Ashley the owner?  But the PL have the final say on who should be the owner?  Either the PL is responsible for owners of the clubs it has as members or it isn't. 

 

But NUFC already have an owner, how is it the PL problem if they take their time over approving a takeover? They only need a viable reason to keep delaying the verdict, and they've got a perfectly good one in the piracy issue.

[TRon]

There is no way the Premier League can say to PIF that you have to do something in regards to piracy. The rules all across football strictly state that politics and football should not mix. Politics should not get involved in football, and it works the other way as well.

If there is a piracy issue then it would be questions regarding the relationship between PIF and MBS and if he has any influence over the club and involvement into piracy. The Premier League cannot ask PIF to instruct the Saudi government to act on piracy, nor can they ask them or urge them to bid for future TV rights. If anything like that happened then PIF could immediately go to the courts. It would be a clear indication that the Premier League were not ruling in accordance to their own rules.

 

It’s easy for papers to say that the Premier League want PIF to bid for future TV rights, or encourage the Saudi government to take action, and many people will believe it because it’s a simple link to make in the absence of information.

It’s doing my head in how many journalists and fans are spouting this without realising that it’s not possible for it to happen, and if it did, it would result in the Premier League basically committing extortion.

 

Aye that's my take on it as well.

[Ameritoon]

Once the WTO report is made public the Premier League will reject this takeover and we can get back to normal. Hopefully the Saudis don't appeal and we can draw a line under all this.

 

Aye, here's to 13 more years of being s***.

 

We've been s*** throughout most of our history other than for a few years at the start of the 1900s, the 1950s, a few years in the mid 90s and a few years at the start of this Century. So about 20/25 good years out of 128!

 

And here we have our best chance ever to become one of the best clubs in the World, but fuck that.

 

We don't have a chance. It's not going through and it never was. Of course I'd have loved this takeover to happen mate but I'm also a realist.

 

Quite a statement.

 

I'm sure you can understand why I hope you're massively wrong 

 

God I wish we knew nothing of this bid from the start! But so desperate are we that we've got people monitoring companies house and airports.

 

I hope I'm wrong too as well mate but I don't see how it can go through and the WTO report, which is what the PL are waiting for so they can formally reject it, will be the final nail (all my opinion).

 

Lots of do called ITKs on here and Twitter who weren't actually ITK at all, simply persons fishing for likes and clicks will end up losing a lot of credibilty I feel.

 

Weren't you ITK like a month ago saying it would be rejected?

 

I don't really think the report going public matters much, the PL have it, if they have grounds to reject it based on that report they could just reject it. They don't need the report to be public. Also wouldn't make sense for them to be waiting for it while also asking the buyers piracy questions just last week.

[Dr.Spaceman]

I only wish Staveley, the Reubens and some of the most expensive solicitors in the world had thought about the possibility of the WTO report causing this to be rejected before commiting to spending millions of pounds with no chance of a return.

[Guest The Little Waster]

Once the WTO report is made public the Premier League will reject this takeover and we can get back to normal. Hopefully the Saudis don't appeal and we can draw a line under all this.

 

 

 

Oh well , it was a nice dream whilst it lasted ...