The former Crystal Palace owner warned that it takes more than a big fanbase and increased investment to really level up
Simon Jordan has warned Rangers AND Leeds United that they WON’T become UK powerhouses under 49ers Enterprises.
The investment arm of NFL franchise the San Francisco 49ers already own the Elland Road club and are in advanced to talks to buy Gers from Dave King and his fellow shareholders. That’s lead to speculation that the Light Blues will see their spending power boosted next season and boost their chances of seriously competing with Celtic for the Premiership title.
But when talkSport host Jim White put it to Jordan than 49er Enterprises could become a major player in the UK game by owning both clubs and taking them to another level, the former Crystal Palace owner stressed that it wasn’t that simple despite Leeds looking like a good bet for promotion to the top flight.
“I don’t think Rangers will become a powerhouse because they are still going to operate within the confines of the Scottish Premiership, which in of itself detracts from their opportunity,” he said. “Yes, they have a global support but there’s only so much money you can get from putting people inside football stadiums and a bit of merchandise. The reason Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool have turnovers of £500million to £600m is because the broadcasters are paying them 40 to 50 per cent of that.
“The rest comes from commercial deals, as well as fans and attendance. So Rangers will benefit from having people with deeper pockets, regardless of how these people will invest, their investment structure, or the level of control they will have.
“Leeds getting back to the Premier League? Well, the owners of Leeds United bought a Premier League football club. Their original deal was to be involved with a Premier League football club and to buy out Ravazzini on the basis of it being a Premier League football club. They probably got a discounted price because they dropped down into the Championship.
“But they’re not designed to be a Championship football club.” So entering the Premier League allows them to potentially spend more money while not improving their short-term situation. Does it make them a powerhouse? No, they’re a big club that want to be and I think probably should be in the elite league.
“They need to look at themselves for the reasons why they haven’t been in the Premier League for any more than three or four seasons out of the last 20 odd. But certainly the ownership model have the opportunity to get the club that they bought, rather than. the ugly cousin that got relegated to the Championship.
When White mentioned that both clubs had a large core support, Jordan accepted that, but also noted the limited economic possibilities of simply having a large fan base. He went on to say, “That is a fantastic thing that cannot be underestimated, but it is not the deciding element. Ultimately, that means winning on the field and catching up to the competition.
“How will Leeds face the same problem as Newcastle and Aston Villa in the current configuration? How do you go from a £200 million annual turnover to £700 million? The only way is to win and attract betting players. To do that, you must spend money, which you cannot do because the current system prevents you from doing so.
