UK Edition
One per cent. It is a small amount; a tiny percentage. Just one in 100. But it is a huge leap of faith. When Juan Mata launched the ‘Common Goal’ project 18 days ago it was met with an encouragingly positive reaction but also an inevitable and cynical backlash.
A backlash that completely missed the point of what the Manchester United player is trying to achieve in pledging one per cent – a minimum one per cent it should be added – of his basic salary to a charity, a collective fund run by Berlin-based streetfootballworld, which represents 120 charities in 80 countries and supports global football initiatives for disadvantaged children.
But a multi-millionaire just giving one per cent? It was nothing, a drop in the ocean, even a PR stunt, some argued. Let’s say Mata earns £150,000-a-week then he is only giving £78,000 a year of that to charity, even less, personally, when the tax benefits kick in. The Spanish international can afford much more especially with wages in football going up, on average, an incredible 20 per cent every year in the main European leagues, as more and more money is poured into the game.
And of course Mata can do more. And he does. But it is the one per cent that matters. It is a small gesture in a world in which a lot of people are trying to get hold of a lot of these small percentages. From a young age footballers have these demands upon them. They are asked to give and donate and support charities. They also support their families, often extended families; some support their whole communities.
Many have their own charitable work and foundations, put their name to good causes and raise funds and the sums of money they personally give are also substantial. There have been regular commitments and one-off gestures amounting to millions of pounds in some cases.
Mata’s idea is simple. He, initially, wants to create publicity. Part of that is a world XI of players, recognised, known players, who will all make the pledge and become leaders and figureheads to draw others in. So those 11 players need to be big names for that to succeed and neither should they simply be Mata’s friends or team-mates. There needs to be a spread for it to have an effect.
The first to be announced alongside Mata, last week, was Mats Hummels and the beauty of his involvement is that the German international and Bayern Munich defender does not know Mata personally but reacted to what he read about the initiative. So two of the biggest names in world football are on-board. Other players will follow and an announcement is expected soon on another World Cup winner, like Hummels, to keep the ball rolling.
Such names make a big difference because they give it an immediate credibility. It shows to other footballers that this is an idea that can be trusted, that will not cost a lot, and it starts to create enough interest around it to then turn attention on the football industry as a whole.
And there is more. The key to this, the ultimate aim, was laid out by Mata himself when it was announced. “Today I am launching something that I hope will change the world, even if only in a small way,” Mata said. “The focus now is on contributions from players, but the long-term goal is to unlock one per cent of the entire football industry’s revenues for grassroots football charities that strengthen their communities through sport.”
The italics are mine. Unlock one per cent of the entire football industry’s revenues? Suddenly that one per cent becomes a far bigger number. A one per cent game-changer, in fact. Take transfer fees. Already Premier League clubs have spent close to £1.2billion on transfers this summer. What about a one per cent levy on all transfers with that money going to charity? That would be £12million for this window alone. It may be less than it takes to buy a decent left-back nowadays but would make a big difference and an even bigger one if applied globally. It could be a Fifa stipulation.
The average wage bill for a Premier League club is £125million a year – some far in excess of that, some under it, of course – but across 20 clubs that is a bill of £2.5billion. One per cent of that? Another £25million.
On top of that could be a one per cent levy on the broadcast revenues which currently stand a £8.3billion over three years for domestic and overseas rights to the Premier League – so that is another £28million a year. And then there are other revenues. Not least agents fees. So suddenly we are talking about more than £70million a year, with the January transfer window also factored in, from the Premier League alone. These figures may not be accurate as they are simply rough estimates quickly worked out by me. But that is not the point. It is about the gist of what is possible. Ball-park numbers.
The Premier League and their clubs do a huge amount for charity and that should not be forgotten. And they are applauded for that. Journalists like myself are constantly asking the league and the clubs for access to publicise their initiatives. But football is awash with money and can always do more. It is a massive global, financial success story. A powerhouse. One per cent may be a drop in the ocean; it may feel insignificant. But it can be a big number.
Early hours draw is not on
The draw for the third round of the Carabao Cup – formerly the EFL Cup or, rather, the League Cup to me – will take place at 11.15am this Thursday.
Unfortunately that is 11.15am in Beijing – which is 4.15am UK time. Helpfully the EFL, in announcing the timing, say “the draw… can be followed live on the EFL’s Carabao Cup Twitter feed”. Which is nice of them.
Carabao is an energy drink made by a company based in Thailand – and the first-round draw, in Bangkok, descended into farce with Charlton Athletic shown to be playing twice and other clubs given the wrong opponents in an on-screen graphic.
But this takes it to a whole new level. The games take place in England. It is the EFL – the English Football League – Cup and this simply smacks of an organisation taking the money from a sponsor and not having any thought for the supporters. It may be just the draw but it feels like the thin end of the wedge.
Juan Mata's one per cent charity initiative is so much more than a drop in the ocean