By Paul Nicholson
November 23 – Dutch clubs in the Eredivisie have agreed a package of reform measures that will increase the revenue distribution amongst its clubs and a requirement for them to invest deeper in youth training programmes.
The Eredivisie’s ‘change agenda’ has been a year in formulation and cover revenue, distribution, youth development, competitions, equality of match conditions and the development of professional football in the country.
From the 2020/21 season 5% of all media revenues will be distributed equally between the 18 Eredivisie clubs, while the remaining distribution will be on the existing performance and club model.
“This results in a 10% improvement in the money distribution ratio per balance. The ratio will be 1:4.8, instead of 1:5.3,” said a league statement.
However, the biggest change in revenue distribution will be the 5% of UEFA revenues Eredivisie clubs receive for participation in the group stage of one of the European club competitions will, from the 2019/20 season, be redistributed to Eredivisie clubs that do not play in any UEFA club competitions. That revenue distribution will drop to 3.75% from money paid to clubs progressing beyond the group stages.
The Eredivisie is the first European league to how this kind of solidarity in its membership and make UEFA club competition revenue payments league-wide.
The Eredivisie club have also voted to end money down the pyramid with 15% of UEFA club competition revenues to be distributed between all Eerste Divisie clubs, but linked to youth training programmes. “For this season the total amount to be distributed in this context is €4,500,000,” said the Eredivisie.
Holland has always been noted for its youth development and the clubs have voted to further reinforce that commitment by making it compulsory for Eredivisie clubs to have a youth development academy, “at least at the level of regional youth training in association with amateur clubs.”
The clubs also agreed a change to training compensation fees which now become applicable at the lower age of 11 with clubs agreeing not to poach youth players off each other. If a player initiates a move the compensation fee has been increased to a maximum of €35,000 per training year, per player.
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