Football League clubs to meet to discuss cost of living crisis

Football League clubs will meet in Walsall on Thursday to discuss the cost of living crisis.

One of the items to be discussed is moving weekend kick-off times to potentially save money on floodlight costs. Sixty-three per cent of 40 clubs – including 12 Football League teams – surveyed by football reform group Fair Game recently said they would consider earlier kick-offs to help reduce energy bills as the hours of daylight diminish, if they were given permission.

Mansfield have already moved the kick-off time of their game against Walsall on 15th October in order to save costs on floodlighting. However, some clubs are also fearful that earlier kick-offs would have a negative impact on attendances, particularly amongst away fans, which would cost them more than they save. Matches can move if both clubs agree but a blanket football League decision is unlikely as no single solution suits everyone.

The meeting will also discuss the fan-led review, headed by former Sports Minister Tracey Crouch and which has called for the game to have an independent regulator. The review is broadly welcomed by Football League clubs with the introduction of a regulator potentially seeing the scrapping of the controversial parachute payments in favour of a more equal distribution of funds around the League. Football League chairman Ricky Parry is in favour of the review saying “You need redistribution to make EFL clubs solvent and you need regulation to make them sustainable.”