Liam Scully, CEO @:Lincoln City: The Real Cost of Competing in the Football League

Liam is the CEO of Lincoln City, who are currently competing in League One of English football, and who at Liam’s own admission, have been overperforming both their budget and performance expectations for years. The running of clubs further down the football pyramid is not easy. They have to operate as far more and sensible businesses rather than billionaire playpens.

Liam not only brings some incredible insight into managing a team in the lower leagues, but as he sits on the board of the English Football League, a much broader perspective on the business of football.

Existing in the same structure as enterprise Premier League, 3pm domestic broadcast blackouts, the financial controls required to protect the future of these most treasured community assets; this was a fascinating insight into the world of a football CEO. 

After a week where the back pages were dominated by the Man City vs The Premier League, this was a real question of how do you protect the product we’ve done so well to create while ensuring top to bottom longevity of the industry?

In today's show, we discuss:

Rise of Lincoln City:

• Small budgets and non-league football status when he joined, how has Liam built a club to compete in the top tiers of English football?

• What are the key things to focus on when running a club?

• The revenue streams that a club must capitalise on to ensure they are able to compete with some of the biggest teams in the league.

• The value of a strong academy; first team feeder or profit driver?

• Bringing the glory back to Lincoln: what does it mean to the community to re-establish a club steeped in history?

• The £1.3m FA Cup run; what did this enable the club to do from an investment standpoint?

Football League Challenges:

• The football industry is unsustainable. Why?

• There needs to be more money that filters down the pyramid to protect teams in the lower tiers. How do you do this?

• The transfer market is the key generator of cash for lower league clubs, but they need Premier League teams to keep buying from English teams to sustain that flow.

• Is the 3pm broadcast blackout an issue or vital to sustainability of the broader football ecosystem in the modern sporting environement?

The Nuclear-Sub vs. a Canoe

• Football is full of inequalities. How do you operate in a market where there is such a spread of wealth and opportunity?

• League One is the eleventh most watched League in Europe, the product is better than ever.

• US investors: The rise of foreign ownership has opened new markets to promote teams and competitions

• How great owners and structured management can be the most important assets of a club regardless of their size.