‘Taxing’ Choice leaves Wembley in the Cold
By: Rob | March 30th, 2008
A couple of days ago, it was announced that the final of the Champions League in 2010 would be held in Madrid, at the Bernabau, home of Real, who have won the tournament more times than anybody else. The main competition for this was apparently The All-New We-Need-To-Pay-For-It-Somehow Wembley Stadium. Apparently the main reason that it wasn’t held in London however was all to do with the taxing of the players.
Apparently, when an event like this happens, the British Government actually takes away some of the players earnings from the event – UEFA was apparently vexed, asked the FA if this was the case, the FA promised them no and the Government sort of went “Sorry, what? Money, we like money” and so Platini has given it to Madrid.
I dunno about anyone else, but this seems a bit crazy. I mean, how on earth do the Government tax the players in the first place? Do they work out a percentage of thier weekly wage based on that one evening of ‘work’ and then tax them as such? Or is it just the bonuses that the players get for getting there?
The other big question is why? I mean, I’m not good with numbers, mention the word “economy” to me and I’ll feign an interest, but most likely, I’ll actually be dying inside, wondering why the whole thing not only sounds fantastically complicated, but also, very very boring. But why tax players playing in an event that can only do the place good? Having the CL final in London would bring giant revenue for hotels and other tourist industry as well as prove we can host a footbally event which would give us a foot-up to hosting a World Cup or whatever, which would be lovely. It would also improve the TV ratings by around 7,542% as interest would be massive for a sporting event in this country. It would help pay for Wembley, and spur on British sides as they would have a chance do it on thier own patch, so to speak. So why is the government being so fabulously small minded about this? Hope they sort themselves out and we can have 2011 over here eh?
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Comments
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Fantastic logic from the English government. If a CL final, without taxes, isn’t enough of a financial benefit for Parliament to make an exception on the ridiculous tax rule, nothing will be. Way to give up a boatload of money by asking for two boatloads.
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Well, I guess this is a law that also “accidentally” happens to apply to football and may very well make sense in other situations. I know that Germany missed out on several European finals over the past years because of tax issues. The government changed the laws recently and voila: Hamburg hosts the UEFA Cup final in 2010.
Though, now that I think of it: this years UEFA Cup final is in Manchester so why didn’t the UEFA have any tax issues in this case?
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Why would they need to tax the players? Wouldn’t the rental of the facility be paid for by UEFA, therefore not needing to be paid for by the players? This sounds a bit like theft to me, but hey I too die a little on the inside when the the word economy is pitched.
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Ian —> Spot on. Absolutely crazy greed.
Jan —> Yeah I don’t understand it at all, maybe there are some kind of crazy different rules in one part of the country as the other? UEFA’s only word on it is that its “Complicated”. Well thanks.
Ashley —-> Its just another way to make money I suppose. Its no wonder anytime an Englishman makes it big in something, they sod off out of the country (hello Lewis Hamilton)
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