The FA’s commercial director Navin Singh resigns following the governing body’s controversial decision to sell the international TV rights for the FA Cup to the Premier League
- The FA recently decided to sell the international TV rights for the FA Cup
- They were controversially sold to the Premier League earlier this week
- Their commercial director has now resigned to join Six Nations rugby
The FA’s commercial director has resigned after just 18 months in the role following their controversial decision to sell the international TV rights for the FA Cup to the Premier League.
Mail Sport has learned that Navin Singh resigned on Friday to take up a new role as Chief Operating Officer at Six Nations rugby.
Singh is the second FA commercial director to leave in less than two years following the departure of his predecessor, Kathryn Swarbrick, who also left after less than two years as commercial and marketing director to join adidas.
FA sources insist that Singh’s surprise departure is not related the FA Cup TV tender, which as Mail Sport revealed earlier this week has been won by the Premier League, although he had been leading that project.
Singh was responsible for fronting the negotiations with media rights companies including Infront Sports and Media, who were named as preferred bidder the FA Cup deal before the governing body chose to reopen the process earlier this month.
FA commercial director Navin Singh (pictured) has resigned from his position
The decision comes after the FA controversially sold the international TV rights for the FA Cup to the Premier League
Infront are now considering legal action against the FA after losing out to the Premier League, who have offered to increase their funding of the grassroots game in return for getting the Cup contract.
The FA’s willingness to cede control of their biggest competition has sparked a backlash from lower division clubs, who have accused them of effectively taking a Premier League bribe.
The top flight’s successful bid will give them control of the entire domestic calendar for 10 years from the 2024-25 season in a move which will lead to significant changes, including an end to FA Cup replays, early rounds taking place in midweek and the final being brought forward by a fortnight to the Saturday before the last weekend of the Premier League.
Singh’s impending departure follows several other resignations this summer from the FA’s technical department, with head of performance Bryce Cavanagh leaving for Chelsea and England under 20’s coach Ian Foster quitting to join Steven Gerrard as assistant coach at Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq.
The FA declined to comment.
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