Karren Brady has warned that the “new football regulator could see teams thrown out of the league and stadiums closed down”.
Brady, the current vice-chairman of West Ham United, has expressed concerns about the introduction of a new football regulator in England.
She argues that this regulatory body could wield significant power, potentially leading to drastic measures such as teams being expelled from their leagues or stadiums being shut down.
Brady contends that football, as a sport that has thrived for over a century without such oversight, does not require this level of intervention.
Her perspective highlights a broader debate within the football community about the necessity and implications of an independent regulator, especially regarding its authority to impose severe penalties on clubs for breaching licensing conditions.
This viewpoint suggests a preference for the existing self-governance model supported by organisations like the Premier League and the Football Association, which already distribute substantial funds to lower-tier clubs, rather than adopting a new system that could disrupt the current structure.
*New Column*
This week I discuss how the new football regulator could see teams thrown out of the league and stadiums closed down – our game doesn’t need it, but it’s coming!https://t.co/uSTzX5BSIC
— Baroness Karren Brady CBE (@karren_brady) March 31, 2025
In her latest column for The Sun, she says: “Football has flourished for a century and a half.
“It is the world’s biggest sport and certainly one of its greater preoccupations.
“It is loved by players, spectators, TV viewers and children from an early age.
“It gives £8billion to the Treasury every year.
“And it provides livelihoods, dreams and dramas, excitement and disappointments.
“To some it is a life in itself.
“So, what does it need?
“It is easier to tell you what it does not need — a regulator as judge and jury of professional clubs.
“Problems are plentiful — they always have been — and our first occupant is due to take their bow fairly soon.
“There is no question a revolution is on its way and a heck of a lot of money to go with it.
“It will become law towards the end of the year.
“The bill passed through the House of Lords this week and they sent it to the Commons.
“I sit in the Lords and the debate convinced me that the introduction of a regulator for professional leagues will bring little reward and a lot of work and expense.
“Our game has been settling wrangles forever.
“A regulator hasn’t been required before and isn’t now.
“He or she will have considerable power in granting each of the 116 clubs a licence to operate — each with separate conditions governed by the law of the land.
“Breaches of licence conditions could result in teams being thrown out the league, stadiums being closed down or even a stint in jail — although a few nights in the Scrubs do not seem likely.
“However, a serious offence could result in a named director being fined as much as £75,000 a day.
“The regulator also has a duty to ensure that each club is sustainable.
“If it is not, the club may look to sell assets, probably stars players.
“That’s when the riots could start.
“Regulators have a patchy record. One of them, Ofwat (the water services regulation authority), has been paddling round the question of dumping waste into many rivers, lakes and the sea.
Swimming filthy rivers such as the Wye has become a risk to health.
“And the post under Ofcom has become slow and indecently expensive.
“Regulators are seen by many politicians as a cure-all.
“But, frankly, they would, wouldn’t they?
“Many fans may also feel this way although I suspect there will be considerable mind-changing when they realise what interference might do to their club.
“The Premier League’s riches and status have caused envy elsewhere — most obviously within the EFL.
“This is partly understandable — even if Championship clubs are reasonably well off.
“That is, after all, the sixth richest league in the world, having just signed a new £1billion TV rights deal.
“But while nine clubs in that division are owned by billionaires, quite a few in the lower divisions are hard up.
“Accrington Stanley, one of the founding members of the Football League, have not had a home crowd anywhere near 3,000 this season.
“And for one League Two night game in September their gate was just 791.
“Of course such poor relations should be propped up — and most Premier League clubs appreciate the fact.
“That is why we send £1.6BILLION down the pyramid while the PL Stadium Fund has contributed more than £207m towards projects including 577 clubhouses and changing rooms, 832 stands, 682 floodlights and 480 pitch improvements.
“Further talks on an alternative to politicians’ pet scheme should be held between the FA, the Premier League and the EFL.
“Many EFL clubs I speak to hate the idea of being answerable to a regulator with untold powers to tell them what to do and how to run their clubs.
“The initial plan for the new regulator is that a report will be published on the state of the game.
“This will take 18 months but there is such a lack of detail and clarity in the bill that the bundles of legal challenges will be a nightmare!
“Neither are the outcomes at all promising.
“And who would pay for the grandiose schemes?
“Well, it will be the Premier League of course.
“Every penny spent on the regulator is a penny taken away from all the good causes, and all the pyramid funding.
“And, that’s the real tragedy.”
Karren Brady says English football is NOT broken and the government ‘could get us BANNED’
Karren Brady talks London Stadium move, West Ham, managers, the football governance bill
Twitter users reacted as Karren Brady says the “new football regulator could see teams thrown out of the league and stadiums closed”…
@CazParker1871: You going to close the regulatory gap between UK company law & the league competition with some other mechanism then Karren? Maybe some community asset protection where compulsory purchase orders can be enacted? We’re all ears. #ReadingFC
@ChrisParkerNo6: How about highlighting how a fairer distribution of wealth would enhance the English pyramid? Football is not about the mega wealthy but, just like the real world, the mega rich only want to be richer still.
@Dixeyroyal: You mean you don’t need them sniffing around the way that business is done at West Sham? I was going to say stick to The Apprentice, but you are not very good on that either.
@RussellBeaven: For the most part this article is nonsense, currently spending , abiding by the rules has gone out of the window for a lot of clubs, owners can get clubs in to trouble without any real oversight leading to the collapse of clubs etc. a regulator is needed and responsible checks.
@realbazwhitt: The premier league has not once paid the agreed amounts to grassroots football on its creation. If we didnt have greedy clubs & owners like your club and revenue created by the pyramid was shared fairly we wouldnt need one. We need one because of people like you in football.
@Bio__Matt: Why do you think it’s not required given clubs like Reading, Morecambe and Swindon, to name a few, all being systemically run into the ground? What would you propose instead to ensure that clubs and community assets can’t be destroyed by poor ownership?
@rjcICCS: Knowing this is your position on a football regulator tells me we need a football regulator!
@ACW52: How can you say it’s not needed when you look at the Reading situation . No doubt you would have a different view if West Ham was at risk and not an elites view
@pri66ers: Please close down the souless bowl and build us a proper football stadium.
@Djhame: My 154 year old club is probably going to be toast as the regulator has no power. Coventry got kicked out of their stadium, Bury went bust. Oxford could be stadium less, Swindon & Morecome in trouble. Derby, Sheff Weds, Southend nearly went bust. 7 winding up petitions in 2023.
@RoyalstilIdie: Your game might not. The people’s game does. Let’s keep it for the masses.
@BeckleyRobert: Can we throw you out the league?
@danisthebest8: #GSBOUT
@The_BoleynBoys: #GSBOUT
@paulmortimer59: Karren Brady only interested in herself there’s a surprise.
@JamesTWakefield: What a load absolute tosh @karren_brady. If you disagree then I’d be more than happy to debate the topic with you, and I’m sure you’d be very welcome on the @shrimpstrust podcast to facilitate that.
@SportKing01: Karen, one of this country’s oldest football clubs, is weeks away from going out of existence, many other clubs, as well are having issues with their owners. Of course, the game needs this.
@DN33_Exiles: Must be a good idea if it’s got the parasite class complaining.
@AranLong1: Unbelievable that you would publish this purely out of self interest. Greed literally has no limits 😳
@WhitneyJono: What a nasty person she is.
@RFCmartire: I’m hoping this is just a play to up your kicks. Maybe take a look down the pyramid just a little and you might see the real reason we must have an independent regulatory body. @premierleague and @EFL have not managed to regulate to make football sustainable in England. WAKE UP!
@AlannaOConnor3: Give your head one massive wobble and look at what we’re going through at Reading. You know absolutely nothing!
@ASeymour1878: Our game does need it. Have you seen Reading? You know nothing.
@Kaillie55:
Of course our game needs it.
Look down from your rented ivory tower and consider
Reading
Morecambe
Swindon
Shrewsbury
And many more
@benstokes1: Newsflash Karen… there are teams outside of the Premier League. But you continue to sit in your ivory tower and comment on things you have no idea about. Easy to write such garbage when you’ve only ever worked in the comfy confines of the PL.
@Nozzzaaaa: You are being absolutely ridiculous! What about all the lower league clubs being totally screwed over and need the regulator desperately. Maybe think further than the premiership for a change 🙄
@LeighGriffin76: What a blinkered view of the football pyramid 🤦🏻♂️ Wake up and see what corrupt owners are doing to communities and their football clubs outside of your precious top 6.
@beckytrotman: The game you so called “big clubs” play might think it doesn’t need it. The rest of us however can see a clear need. You’re totally out of touch with the wider game and if you think what’s happening at the likes of Reading is ok to ignore then you have no place in football.
@MaxOnTheBall: We could get thrown out the league and stadium closed without a regulator. You do really miss the point don’t you
@Djhame: In what way is the current situation fine? More and more clubs are getting into trouble. I’ve been to 1000 Reading games and I might not have a club to support on Friday because of a shit owner and shit regulators.
@ASeymour1878: And of course, owner of a football club doesn’t want it, so will therefore make a column in the S*n 🤦♂️
@RyanWatkins20: What a shock that someone who represents the owners doesn’t want any oversight. Football clubs were built by fans long before you and your fellow crooks tried to exploit it to line your pockets so football will be fine, your sort on the other hand won’t be. Get in the bin.
pic.twitter.com/3KsjeUH9zi
— JP (@Ironssparky1985) March 31, 2025
