European Pressphoto Agency
They call it third-party ownership, and to its proponents, it's no more harmful than owning a share in a thoroughbred or any other company. You pay a certain amount here and now in exchange for a slice of revenues that may or may not come rolling in down the road.
For a racehorse, that means prize money and maybe stud fees. For a soccer player, that means taking a cut of any future transfer.
Third-party ownership has persisted for decades in South America, primarily in Brazil and Argentina. Usually investment funds—or sometimes just very wealthy individuals—will offer a club money up front for a stake in a promising player. When that player is sold to a bigger club, typically in Europe, the transfer fee gets split between the club and the third-party...
This year’s January transfer window looks set to become the sporting non-event of the year, with a series of failed deals and botched negotiations becoming a celebration of the transfer that never was. If anything, this... more »
No rivalry, however stoked to fever pitch by national events, should be allowed to descend into the darkness of stampedes, violence, stone-throwing and chasing opposing fans, leading to countless deaths from suffocation.... more »
Bob Bradley was a history major at Princeton and intrigued by international relations, so part of the appeal of taking over as head coach of the Egyptian national soccer team last September was a chance to live in Cairo and... more »
Chelsea takes on Manchester United in a massive Barclays Premier League clash airing live on FOX before the Super Bowl (check your local listings; the national telecast begins at 10:30 a.m. ET). It’s a game that United must... more »
Over the past few weeks we’ve witnessed the good and bad side of African soccer. The good side has been the African Cup of Nations, a riveting tournament loaded with shock results and last-gasp goals. The bad is what took... more »
Email
Print
Share