S.League’s unsustainable business model, programmes must change

The upcoming S.League season is set to be the most exciting in years, with the hype generated by the signing of Jermaine Pennant and the return of LionsXII players. But fundamental weaknesses in several areas of the league have not been adequately addressed.

First, the business model. Professional football is first and foremost a business and must be sustainable.

A football club’s main source of income should naturally be from ticket sales and merchandise, not clubhouse operations. The current system of giving subsidies to clubs cannot be expected to continue indefinitely, especially if the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) is one of the most heavily funded sports associations.

Privatisation of the league and clubs should be considered. Running clubs as businesses would force them to compete on an equal footing, develop their own niches and look for alternative sources of income. Clubs with unrealistic business models would be eliminated. This is not unprecedented and. In fact, the English Premier League is run as a private enterprise.

Second, the youth development programme needs to be reviewed. S.League clubs sometimes lose players to Young Lions, and previously to the now-defunct LionsXII — both managed by FAS. For example, Mr Shafeeq Faruk, who played for Geylang International, now plays for Young Lions. If a club is somehow “punished” for developing a good player by being denied his services, any sensible club would stop investing time and money into talent development.

Third, engagement with fans remains a weakness. In this era, clubs must have an online presence. But some S.League clubs do not even have a functional website, while those that have an online presence vary widely in how well they tap the potential of such mediums.

Platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter can help clubs enlarge their footprint if used appropriately. But if the social media accounts are not well-maintained, it shows a lack of interest in fan engagement and reflects badly on the clubs.

Unlike in the past, where clubs need to clamour for the media’s attention, they can now promote themselves at a much lower cost through social media. Clubs must exploit these avenues to generate interest and win new fans.

The hype generated thus far by the league may paper over fundamental weaknesses, but these weaknesses still need to be addressed for a viable S.League in the long term.