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Good thought. And possibly for more than honest amounts where the situation calls for it. The price of the player being altered to fit the needs of the organization.

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Yeah. By "less than honest", I mean "more than market value."

ThunderCougarFalconBird said:

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deadbq03 said:

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Or to provide a tangible example, Sheriff Tiraspol is most certainly a money-laundering scheme (and probably also sports washing).

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Sheriff Tiraspol is just a part of what is a small warlord's fiefdom -- football branch. They're absolutely operating with ill-gotten funds but there isn't anyone with the actual authority to look under the hood.

That said, I think the commentary about petro state ownership and sportswashing is really good on this thread.

I am really curious to see what the EPL comes up with and what Man City is really up to. Think it will affect NYCFC?

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They're basically able to use their phony unrecognized ruble currency, which is supported by illegal activity, and then pump it into the infrastructure of a football club which is able to utterly dominate their tiny domestic league. This allows them to consistently participate in UEFA competition where they can earn legitimate Euros. If that isn't money laundering, I don't know what is. (Truly… maybe I honestly don't)

But you are right, it's not like he'd ever really be held accountable. Certainly not domestically. But so long as this helps him turn bad money into good money, I think that counts as money-laundering.

I'll also add that sportswashing doesn't have to be unprofitable for the owner either.

If these numbers are remotely true, then it means that when Boehly paid 4.25 billion pounds, RA made a killing… even though Chelsea was always having to get bailed out by his "loans," his total amount spent on them was roughly 2.6 Billion between purchase, additional investment, and "loans" so he made a killing… even though they were always in the red, and always had to take money from him.

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/amp/soccer/news/how-much-did-roman-abramovich-pay-chelsea/rarsgqv7fhomkdpn5prhdxyh

So it can, yes be a rich guys plaything and yes make some money (eventually) - but those factors are independent of the fact that by virtue of getting economically involved, it builds goodwill. There's a quote about no such thing as bad press - if these sovereigns are getting exposure in the West, it makes them more familiar and that can pay political dividends down the road.

Roman Abramovich technically made nothing. He is a sanctioned individual by the UK and the European Union and both had to be satisfied that none of the money from the sale actually went to him and the entities that made the loans had to waive their claims. The proceeds were put in frozen accounts held by the British government. So he's only going to get it if in the future the government decides he can have it, theoretically its supposed to go to some kind of Ukraine charity.

In other ways he may as well still be the owner because of conditions of the sale and bidding process, too. The agreements to purchase the team required commitments to huge investments in specific things (training facilities, stadium, academy) and that suitors could not sell their stakes on for 10 years. Really ****ing weird deal if all that stuff is actually enforceable.

The more I learn about this, the more I think City could get hammered, next year. There is no court of arbitration, this is just a PL decision. Probably happens next year. I think it'll be fine (which Mansour will not care about) and a significant points deduction.

Fair points all around. That whole deal is bizarre.

I guess I'm just trying to say that based on valuations right now, these are good investments too.

No idea what City is worth right now, but in 2020 Forbes said their value was $4.5 Billion, and Mansour had only sunk $2B into it between initial purchase and subsequent investment… of course maybe a lot more was off the books and hence this hot water they're in now.

I think if the war had never happened and Abramovich had been a normal owner wanting to sell, the price would have been lowered by the amount that the club owed Abramovich. What Boehly paid for was a club free and clear of all the money it owned Abramovich rather than one that owed him money and therefore was worth more once those claims were cancelled.

Personally I'm surprised no one got up in arms about canceling those loans being $2 billion worth of breach of financial fair play. I guess the rationale is that in the end the "club" didnt get the benefit of the release of those loans. The "club" paid it back as part of the sales price, and therefore that benefit is going to the Ukraine charity.

Pep Guardiola is salty and I think he might have just secretly put a hit out on someone.

Pep not goin anywhere.

Bro, I'm an Astros fan. I'm built for this adversity.

In fairness, that's always how Pep talks about everything.