corporate-law sport
English Football Club ownership
<p>I have been wondering if club fans have the power to sanction the compulsory sale of the club by an owner whom they perceive as frustrating their club's future. In any case, the money comes from these people (fans) through club products, match tickets etc
For example a substantial number of Arsenal fans perceive Kroenke's ownership as sabotaging the supposed glory of the club in that he does not invest in the club to make it competitive. Same for Manchester United fans with the Glazer family.</p>

<p>Do fans legally have any ownership rights? Generally, no. It can be done if an agreement of the team is put into place when the team is founded or if the current owner agrees to it (which can then be binding on whomever the team is sold/transferred to).</p>
<p>There are some leagues, such as the Bundesliga (Thank you Nij, for the correction; Sports in general are not my thing) where the clubs must be owned by fans, at least 51%. So it can be done, but cannot be forced on an owner against their will, unless such a covenant is agreed to before they take possession of the club. It can be required for a given club to join/participate in a given league.</p>
<p>Legally, supporting a club via buying club merch and match tickets give an ownership interest in the items bought, not in the club/team itself.</p>

<h2>The owner owns the club</h2>
<p>And owners can do whatever lawful thing they like with their stuff - that’s pretty much the definition of ownership.</p>
<p>In the modern world, most sporting “clubs”, even junior clubs for children, are owned by a corporation (not necessarily a company though) under the local law. Details vary but the decisions and actions of the club are carried out by the board (of directors) and the employees or volunteers under the board’s direction. The role of the shareholders (other names are used depending on the exact corporate structure) it to appoint or elect the board and vote on resolutions at general meetings. The powers (and limitations on) the board are set by local law and the rules of the organisation which are established with the organisation and can usually be changed by special resolution.</p>
<p>So in summary:</p>
<ul>
<li>Employees or volunteers carry out the day-to-day operations</li>
<li>Senior employees (executives) manage the day-to-day operations</li>
<li>Directors monitor operations and set long-term goals and strategy for the benefit of all shareholders</li>
<li>Shareholders appoint the directors</li>
</ul>
<p>Shareholders do not control the operations of a club except through influence and their ability to appoint and dismiss directors.</p>
<h2>So where do &quot;members&quot; fit in?</h2>
<p>First, be aware that shareholders can be called members but that's not who you are talking about.</p>
<p>Members, in the context that you use it, means &quot;customers&quot;. They have no control over operations and their only influence is the same as the customers of any other business - to stop being customers or to make their displeasure felt through the media or protest or email etc. The owner of the business can choose to listen to them or ignore them - after all, it's their club and they can do with it what they like.</p>
