“It was in the House of Commons eight years ago that Justin Madders, the Labour MP for Ellesmere Port and Bromborough, spoke of his concerns for football’s long-term health. A private members’ bill put forward outlined the case for reform long before the notion of an independent regulator for the English game began to crystalise in 2021. There was a proposal to add a levy to all transfer fees to aid the grassroots game and another to offer matchgoing supporters greater protection against rescheduled TV fixtures. Madders also warned of what he called a ‘demographic timebomb’. The Premier League, he argued, had become prohibitively expensive for young supporters and faced losing a generation of fans. …”
NY Times/The Athletic