THE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: TAMING THE UGLY SIDE OF THE PEOPLE’S GAME

17 Colum. J. Eur. L. 601 (2010)

Natalie L. St. Cyr Clarke, LL.B, King’s College, London, 2011; J.D., Columbia Law School, 2011.

Despite increasing revenues in European football, the overwhelming majority of club finances are in disarray. Many calls have been made for UEFA  and national football associations to institute salary caps and other financial restrictions on clubs in order to combat the high levels of debt that many face. This note looks to North American practices, which views sport primarily as a business opportunity, in order to ascertain what profit-maximizing practices can be  incorporated/adopted into European football culture. This paper discusses the new Financial Fair Play Regulations and hypothesizes the compatibility of additional measures with European law.