Spanish football clubs' collective debt decreased from €635M at the end of '10 to €218M at the end of '17, a 66% drop, Spain's Court of Auditors announced Monday. The court said that in '10, 92% of the tax debt of the clubs was concentrated in La Liga and Spanish second division sides, while in '17, La Liga clubs owed less than those in Spain's third tier (EFE, 11/26).
La Liga side Alavés and Kagoshima United "joined forces to help the Japanese club develop its sporting project for its senior team and youth program." The clubs' collaboration will feature "information technology being applied to both sports and marketing." Alavés also has a partnership with Croatian side Istra and owns an 85% stake in Ligue 2 club Sochaux (MARCA, 11/25).
VAR has "many more available eyes for judging critical errors" at "big ticket" A-League matches like Sunday's game between Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory. Marquee matches have up to seven cameras more than an "average" match. Fox Sports Exec Producer of Football Murray Shaw said that the exclusive A-League broadcaster is providing VAR every requirement demanded by FIFA and the Int'l FA Board. Shaw said that Fox Sports has eight cameras for every A-League match (THE ADVERTISER, 11/25).
ManU is "struggling" to sell tickets for Tuesday's Champions League match against Young Boys at Old Trafford. ManU can book its place in the knockout rounds with victory over the Swiss champion but the club has "failed to sell out" and is offering tickets on general sale (ESPN.com, 11/26).
League Championship side Birmingham City's "fight against potential points deduction" will be heard in February. The club is facing the prospect of being docked up to 12 points after being found to have breached the English Football League's profitability and sustainability rules on spending. Birmingham City was "hit with a transfer embargo" at the end of last season after exceeding the permitted losses of £39M over a three-year period (London TELEGRPAH, 11/26).
FIFA, the Int'l Centre for Sport Studies (CIES) and the University of the West Indies (UWI) partnered to launch the Football Exec Program -- a new professional development course designed to enhance football administration across the Caribbean region. The program will start in January (FIFA).
