Jeremy
Corbyn, Leader of the Labour Party, will visit Hackney Marshes football pitches
today to highlight Labour’s manifesto commitment to ensure 5 per cent of the
Premier League’s domestic and international television rights’ income is
diverted to the grassroots game.
The
pledge will help the next generation of players and coaches by drastically
improving facilities and pitches.
Labour
has also committed today to working with train operating companies,
broadcasters and clubs to develop a new ‘Flexible Football Ticket’ so that fans
experience minimal disruption when games are switched. This will stop fans
being left with worthless train tickets and having to fork out again for new tickets
when games are re-arranged at short notice.
The
visit is taking place on the same day as the FA Cup Final.
The
party’s manifesto also commits Labour to:
•
Put fans at the heart of their clubs – by legislating for accredited supporters
trusts to be able to appoint and remove at least two club directors and to
purchase shares when clubs change hands. We will also review fan participation
in sports governance more widely.
•
Fix the broken ticketing market – by enforcing anti-bot legislation and
implementing the recommendations of the Waterson review to ensure fair
opportunities for fans to buy tickets.
•
Improve access provision for disabled sports fans – by ensuring that rapid
improvements are made and by prioritising action to make clubs comply with
obligations under the 2010 Equality Act.
•
Ensure that investment and support is given to grassroots women’s football so
as many women and girls as possible can benefit from participating in football
Jeremy
Corbyn, Leader of the Labour Party, will say:
“The
FA Cup final marks the greatest day of the football season. Millions of
football fans across the country, including myself, are eagerly awaiting kick
off this evening at Wembley.
“Despite
the game we all love receiving lucrative domestic and international TV deals,
the grassroots game has been shamefully starved of funding over recent years.
“Too
often, youth football teams cannot find pitches to play on and when they do
they are expensive and the facilities are not fit for purpose. All-weather
pitches are like gold-dust and coaching badges can cost unaffordable amounts.
Under these circumstances, it is no surprise we are not nurturing the talent
that we all know exists within the beautiful game.
“To
address this lack of funding and lack of facilities, Labour in government will
ensure that 5 per cent of domestic and international TV rights money is
diverted to the grassroots game. This will ensure the footballing talent of
young girls and boys is harnessed, and football is a game for the many, not the
few.”
Dr
Rosena Allin-Khan, Labour’s Shadow Sports Minister, will say:
“Football
is our national game – it brings people together from all ages and all walks of
life. We have one of the most commercially successful leagues in the world, but
all too often pitches and grassroots community facilities are run down and in a
state of disrepair.
“Without
supporters, amateurs and young players, football would be barren. As broadcast
revenues and the popularity of our leagues increase, so should the support that
goes back into the grassroots game. We have to make sure we can develop future
British playing and coaching talent, in order to make sure our leagues stay
competitive for years to come.”
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