Is FFP (Financial Fair Play) as fair as it claims to be?
The role of finances in soccer is becoming more prevalent and influential than ever before. In recent years we have seen transfer fees for players rise to insurmountable sums and wealthy clubs grow wealthier, creating a greater divide between them and their poorer counterparts. This raises the question whether those smaller clubs will ever be able to reach the same level with the constraints which FFP imposes on them. Some can argue that FFP’s regulations are just and put all clubs on an equal playing field, and then there are some who argue that FFP allows and enables the bigger clubs to exploit the system to their advantage. Through my research paper I would like to shed light on both claims and eventually find where I stand on this issue.
The only doubt or worry that I have in regards to researching this topic is that there might be more sources and evidence defending the negatives of FFP than ones which support FFP.
This idea of how finances affect sports seems to be a commonality in our papers. Both topics address a rising titan becoming more and more powerful, while diminishing the peoples at the bottoms opportunity. This idea is extremely prevalent and is one you should run with regardless of the other side. This is shaping up to be a great peice.
I find your research question really interesting. I have also always found the idea of FFP peculiar since, like you said, big clubs do get away with spending big and avoiding punishments. As for your doubt about finding pro’s of FFP, I can see what you mean because I too can’t find any pro’s in my head right off the bat. After thinking for a bit, one that I thought of was that FFP prevents clubs from going into financial ruins and destroying their already fragile economic structure by threatening them with punishments. I say threatening because their punishments never go through such as with the AC Milan ban from European competition, as well with Man City. But, this might be a pro for FFP because it forces these types of clubs to fix their shady structures and get into a right habit of things. If there are more cons than pros, then I guess you have found your answer to your research question. Regardless, I’m looking forward to what you make of your question and ICI CES’T PARIS.
I find your topic interesting because it goes into how money is becoming more and more pivotal in the world of sports. Since many clubs think FFP is a joke it may, like you mentioned, be very hard to find sources supporting its positives since the system is corrupt itself. There should be plenty of negatives though but I see your worry in not being able to write a full length paper about it.
being that I am a huge soccer guy, this is very interesting to consider because it is very much true in the soccer scene around the world. with the huge amounts of money cycling through this system, it is clear that upper European teams get the upper hand with these finances and it can be seen as corruption. great choice!