Premier League Chairman Gary Hoffman Quits

Premier League Chairman Gary Hoffman Quits

Business heavyweight Gary Hoffman is on the cusp of stepping down as the chairman of the Premier League less than 18 months after he took up the role in June 2020

The chairman of the Premier League resigned due to the furious response to the takeover of Newcastle United.

Gary Hoffman only took up the non-executive post in June 2020 but he will finalise his exit this week due to backlash from clubs, according to The Athletic.

It’s claimed executives of top-flight sides feel they were kept in the dark during the lengthy, secretive Newcastle takeover negotiations.

A consortium backed by the vast wealth of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), supported by Amanda Staveley and Jamie Reuben, purchased the club from Mike Ashley for £305million in October.

Some executives have argued the Premier League should have blocked the deal due to the poor human rights record of the Middle Eastern nation.

Concerns over the transparency of talks were dismissed on the grounds of confidentiality obligations.

Opponents to the takeover responded in a meeting of all 20 clubs last month by voting to ban party-related transactions, effectively preventing Newcastle from agreeing to lucrative sponsorship deals with brands linked to Saudi Arabia or the PIF.

The Magpies were the only team to vote against the motion and Manchester City, which are owned by members of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family, abstained.

Meanwhile, Hoffman’s potential departure comes during a turbulent period for the Premier League and English football as a whole.