Britain's future in the European Union "has dominated the headlines" since U.K. PM David Cameron announced that his promised referendum on the issue would be held on June 23, according to THE WEEK.
But while politicians and business leaders "nailed their colors to the mast," there "has been relatively little comment from the world of sport -- and in particular the Premier League, which relies on Europe for much of its attraction."
So "how would Brexit affect football" in the U.K.? The "most obvious impact will be on players." At present, all EU nationals "are free to play in the Premier League and other divisions while those from beyond its borders must obtain permission." If Britain leaves the EU, there "are fears it will become much harder for European players to come to England."
Under current FA rules, non-EU players "must play a certain number of internationals to gain a visa." The rules also take FIFA rankings "and the transfer fee into account." If those rules were applied to all foreign players, many EU stars in the Premier League "would not qualify." Last year, a study by The Guardian found that "two thirds [of European players] would not have met the criteria currently used for non-Europeans." West Ham Chair Karren Brady said, "Cutting ourselves off from Europe would have devastating consequences." If a special deal is struck, "the Premier League will not have it all" its own way.
Daniel Geey, a partner at sports and media law firm Sheridans, said, "I don't think the same standards would be applied to players from the EU as they currently are to non-EU players." The London Independent said this could also become a "hot potato domestically" as the issue of work permits will give the FA "welcome leverage over the Premier League." Rory Miller, who taught a "football industries" MBA at Liverpool University, said that Brexit "would highlight differences between the FA and Premier League." He said, "The worst case scenario for the Premier League is that it would not be permitted to attract foreign stars in great numbers and would then lose ground in international sponsorship and broadcasting rights to rivals like Spain and Germany." Supporters "are often overlooked in debates about football and they, too, could pay a price if Britain leaves the EU." In her letter, Brady pointed out that fans traveling to away games in Europe "currently enjoy cheaper flights and do not require visas."
That could change with Brexit, "while the fall in the value of the pound that is expected to follow would make travelling overseas to watch games become more expensive" (THE WEEK, 3/1).
