Premier League bosses have decided to halt discussions regarding a significant financial settlement with the broader professional football pyramid, as conflicts regarding the scale and structure of the deal continue to arise.
Richard Masters, the Premier League’s chief executive officer, told the 20 top-flight clubs just before Christmas that it would "pause further discussions with the EFL [English Football League] for the time being" due to a lack of mandate to finalise an agreement.
This move to postpone negotiations reflects discontent among numerous Premier League clubs concerning the £881 million 'New Deal,' and puts into question whether the deal will receive the amount of votes required from top-flight clubs to be approved.
Owners and club executives have become increasingly dissatisfied in recent months, citing concerns about the overall cost of the subsidy to the EFL and the uncertainty surrounding the scope of English football's proposed new independent regulator.
The 'New Deal' would see approximately £900 million distributed by Premier League clubs to their 72 EFL counterparts over six years, with a potential reduction in the overall cost from £925 million to £881 million if an immediate £44 million payment is approved.
However, the Premier League refrained from subjecting two 'New Deal' resolutions to a formal shareholder vote at a recent meeting, opting instead for clubs to respond to written resolutions before Christmas.
Even before this development, the EFL and Premier League have been locked in a lengthy spat over the size of solidarity payments.
Having received requests for 25% of television rights revenue in September, the Premier League responded with an offer for 19.31%.
Niall Couper, chief executive of the football lobby group Fair Game, said: “The Premier League needs to re-look at this deal and take a holistic view of what is happening on the ground in our national game.
“Clubs lower down the pyramid are struggling to pay their energy bills and are forced to cut back on community programmes.”