Premier League sponsorship rules ‘void’ says tribunal
The court ruled that the sponsorship agreement stipulated by the Premier League is “invalid and unenforceable” between 2021 and 2024.
Last year, an independent arbitration team found various aspects of the Alliance Alliance Trading Regulations (APT) after filing a lawsuit at Manchester City.
These rules are formulated by the Premier League to prevent clubs from profiting from business dealings with companies related to their owners, which are considered “fair market value.”
Despite opposition from Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa and the city, in November, the Premier League voted on the amendment to the rules.
Friday’s ruling is not a judgment on November’s amendment, but it remains the subject of legal challenges.
The court concluded: “In the final award of the first part, it is illegal to announce appropriate rules and amend the APT rules in three ways.
“There is now a question of deciding whether these three aspects can be cut off from the remaining APT rules so that the remaining APT rules are valid and enforceable.
“As the result of the APT rule and the revised APT rule are three aspects of illegality when the overall rule of the APT rule is invalid and unenforceable.”
