EFL chair Rick Parry has criticized the Premier League for undervaluing the football pyramid, emphasizing the importance of promotion and relegation in maintaining competition and variety in the sport. Speaking ahead of the return of legislation for an independent football regulator, Parry advocated for greater financial redistribution from the Premier League to support the sustainability of all clubs. He expressed the belief that without promotion and relegation, the league would become sterile and lack the excitement and unpredictability that makes football so popular.
Parry has been a vocal critic of the current governance of English football, particularly in light of the Covid crisis and the need for external regulation. He sees the new bill, which focuses on ensuring financial stability and proper controls in the men’s game, as a necessary step to prevent further shocks to the sport. While he acknowledges that some clubs may become less competitive as a result of the regulations, he believes that overall, the game will become more resilient.
One key area of interest for Parry is parachute payments, which he has previously described as evil and in need of eradication. Although they remain unreformed, the new bill brings them under the scope of the regulator, aiming to bridge the revenue gap between Premier League clubs and Championship teams. Parry remains adamant that financial distribution is crucial for the overall health of the game, and hopes that the new regulations will lead to a fairer and more sustainable football ecosystem.
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