BBC Sport
[Source: BBC]
Premier League owners met for the first time this season on Thursday with champions Manchester City locked in two legal disputes with the league.
The meeting in central London ended with no update on Manchester City’s legal challenge against Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules, which govern commercial deals with entities linked to club owners.
Some clubs had expected to hear about any ruling, but league sources and several club representatives attending said the matter was not discussed at the two-hour meeting.
And, because this relates to a confidential arbitration process, there may not be a formal announcement, even if a ruling has been reached.
Separately, several undisclosed proposed rule changes – including one concerning the Premier League’s ‘databank’ – which clubs have to submit commercial information to – and which is one of the ways that the league’s board assesses deals for fair market value – were dropped after feedback from clubs.
The league’s legal costs last season – which spiraled to more than £45m as a result of fighting a spate of disputes over financial rules – were discussed, with some clubs questioning the costs. The league feels this is the result of unprecedented legal action and a need to uphold its rules.
Clubs were also told that testing for semi-automated offside technology is continuing, and may now not be brought in until the new year.
