UEFA seeks closer club links

UEFA is seeking intensified co-operation with Europe's major clubs.

Increased dialogue
European football's governing body is presenting proposals for increased consultation and dialogue at a two-day meeting of the UEFA Club Panel at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.

Future format
Representatives of more than 40 top European clubs are attending the meeting, together with members of UEFA committees, as part of UEFA's drive to improve its working relationship with the clubs within European football’s decision-making process.

Club Forum
UEFA has the intention of establishing a new Club Forum, replacing the Club Panel, and based on the clubs taking part in the UEFA club competitions. The Nyon meeting is discussing the exact structure of such a forum.

More than 100 clubs
UEFA's proposal is for a forum composed of approximately 102 clubs representing the 52 member associations, on the basis of the competition access list. The forum would meet at least twice a year, and an eleven-member board would be set up, with four members having seats on the UEFA Club Competitions Committee.

Forum objectives
The objectives of the forum include improving UEFA's co-operation with the clubs as well as the consultation process, sharing mutual expertise in an effective manner, finding new ways of working in a changing environment and institutionalising and consolidating relations between UEFA and the clubs.

Joint strategy
"It will give us the possibility to draw up a joint strategy in areas that are important for European club football in the present and in the future," UEFA CEO Gerhard Aigner told the club delegates in his introductory address.

Information and feedback
"It will be a chance for us to pass on first-hand information to you, and it will be an opportunity for us to receive feedback from the clubs on matters such as marketing," he added.

Rights agreement welcomed
Mr Aigner welcomed this week's agreement between UEFA and the European Commission regarding the central marketing of TV and new media rights for the UEFA Champions League. "For the first time, a competition authority has acknowledged the principle of central marketing, and that is a great result for us," he said.

Marketing strategies
The Nyon discussions are also focusing on UEFA Champions League marketing strategies for the period until 2006, the future format of the UEFA Cup and partnership opportunities between the clubs and the official UEFA website, uefa.com.