Member

The noble Baroness raised points about why the regulator would not give preference to the Premier League’s proposal since it is the league’s funds that are being distributed. In our view, a model of this type would undermine the fundamental reason for giving a backstop power and distributions to the regulator in the first place: namely, to introduce parity in a negotiation process between two parties where one has significantly more bargaining power than the other. The Premier League’s suggestion to include a preference for its proposal in statute would introduce a bias to the process, making it unfair, partial and predetermined. Such a proposition would undermine the reaching of an equitable and transparent decision. To ensure that the backstop functions in the way that affords the regulator impartiality, no party can be favoured in the model as it stands.