Commercial Disputes in Football
Football has become one of the most commercially lucrative sports in the world, with such partnerships and arrangements increasing in number, complexity and application.
These arrangements in football include for example, on-pitch agreements, off-pitch agreements, club agreements, team agreements, player agreements, and as such, because they become so numerous and complex, disputes arise between football stakeholders/participants and their commercial partners despite their best intentions, and result in disputes
Quite often these disputes come down to a matter of false expectations and misunderstanding on what is expected of (or by) a party through said arrangement, but the damage incurred may not only be distracting but also damaging in terms of cost, time and future relations.
A Cost Effective Alternative to Litigation in Commercial Disputes
Because such disputes often fall outside the remit of football regulations such matters often follow a litigation course (rather than that of sports arbitration mechanisms) and subsequently end up in the public domain and are ultimately very costly for both parties.
Mediation can help resolve these disputes to realign the interests of both parties not only avoiding a dispute and potentially litigation, but also re-aligning the interests of both parties to fulfil their expectations of one another, if not further enhance the mutually beneficial working relationship.
Accredited Mediators With CMC, IMI and Emc
Sentinel mediators are all recognised and qualified through the CMC (Civil Mediation Council) and/or the IMI (International Mediation Institute). This ensures mediators undertake CPD, follow established standards and employ a recognised complaints procedure.
In addition to this, Sentinel mediators have past experience in a variety of practical roles within football whether it be as club officials, agents, players or as officers of football related associations and bodies.
Mediation in Football
Given the nature of football in terms of its competitive (both on the pitch and off it) and increasingly lucrative nature; the grounds for disputes have grown as has the sport (and the industry).
Whilst disputes in football have grown in number, value and complexity; the means for resolving such disputes have arguably failed to develop in capacity at the same pace.
Through mediation, Sentinel are able to offer football participants a cost-effective, quick, impartial and confidential means to resolve their football disputes. In addition to this there is no winner and loser in mediation, we like to think of it as a ‘mutually beneficial draw in the group, stages allowing both teams to be content with a place in the next round’.
