Reforms to be implemented in the project (one of seven main headings)
“A project will be implemented to enhance the competitiveness of the major tournaments in elite Swedish football and elite hockey
The government will start a special project for the competitiveness of the major tournaments. “
Sportbladet has asked several big and big clubs what they would like to see from a political point of view that would enhance their competitiveness.
Henrik Berggren, CEO of Djurgården Football:
– I don’t really know what they have in mind. Tax relief for gamers might be a possibility.
– But today, I think we at Djurgården are doing well and competing internationally…
We at Djurgården are not interested in looking at and changing the 51% rule. We are proud of our association model.
If we receive questions about what we think can be done to increase competitiveness, we are always interested in participating in the foundation that develops Swedish football.
Niklas Karlin, CEO, Malmö FF:
As I see it, there are two important perspectives on the competitiveness of Swedish football.
On the one hand, we have to keep the big width that gives us the edge. This means giving as many young people as possible the chance to play football, and then it comes down to money and resources for the broader federations. The best decisions are not made there.
Those of us who are in the top positions need the same conditions or better conditions compared to the major leagues that we compete with, and then it comes down to the whole of Europe. There are countries with favorable tax rates for players and coaches. In Sweden we need our expert tax system that is simpler, more consistent and with better conditions for competition.
Manuel Lindberg, CEO of AIK Football AB:
Tax rules. Today, in Sweden we cannot compete with players and coaches when it comes to, for example, what the artist tax looks like in Denmark and other countries. I also think the tax regulations could be revised to increase the attractiveness of promising young players who want to stay longer in Sweden.
From the government side, municipalities with elite teams in both football and hockey could be incentivized to grant land for construction and expansion and invest more in training facilities for elite teams. Today, training conditions in many parts of Sweden, especially Stockholm, are very poor and reduce our competitiveness against other countries. Many municipalities do not prioritize this issue today either.
Stefan Enbaum, CEO of Luleå Hockey:
– It’s very difficult with the snow times and then I know we’re doing a pretty good job compared to what it looks like in Stockholm and elsewhere. I think politicians should think a lot about strengthening hockey and work so that we get more ice rinks in the country.
– There is a good spread across the country as we produce talented girls and boys who become elite players, and that ultimately creates competitiveness. If we produce good hockey players, we will have a good league as well. I think you should focus on that.
– To somehow regress so that the elite operations in Sweden have some form of parity with Europe so that they do not withdraw from Sweden as a hockey player due to tax legislation, but there is a different set of regulations. It would be the same for Finnish players to come to Sweden because there will be a good tax system here and Swedish players to go to Finland for the same reason. The existence of such a system between states is strange.
Do you want to change the structure of the association in Sweden?
– That’s as far from Luleå Hockey as you can actually get. We absolutely want to be a member-led association and have clearly chosen not to single out our elite activities. It is not an issue that we attach importance to.