Cash boost for Blues

June 01, 2009

Eastlands

CITY earned over £44million in prize money and TV cash from all competitions last season, making them the seventh highest earners from those sources in the Premier League.

However, that figure does not include ticket money and merchandise income.

City's coffers will have been boosted by their run to the UEFA Cup quarter-finals.

The Premier League chairmen will gather for their summer meeting this week facing the reality that the four clubs at the top are increasing their financial stranglehold on the English game.

Figures for the 2008/9 season reveal the Champions League is now worth around double the amount to the top four clubs than it was three years ago.

Premier League champions United earned a total of £90million in prize money and TV cash from all competitions last year - nearly £60million more than bottom club West Brom - with £33.7million coming from their march to the Champions League final.

Fourth-placed Arsenal earned £73.4million compared to fifth-placed Everton’s £49.5million with the Gunners bringing in £23.4million from European football.

The rise in income from the Champions League is partly due to the strength of the euro against the pound, partly to the increase in the value of the competition’s TV rights and also to the fact that English clubs have dominated the latter stages of the competition in recent years.

A UEFA source admitted revenue distribution from the Champions League could have a negative effect on national leagues.

The source said: “We acknowledge imbalances can widen the gap between the rich and not so rich. We are talking to the clubs to see if there is a way the money can be distributed so the national leagues do not become too imbalanced.”

It was the disparity between the top four and the rest that led to Bolton chairman Phil Gartside to outline revolutionary proposals for a two-tier Premier League, but those are not on the agenda for this week’s meeting in Leicestershire and appear to have been put on the backburner.

Nevertheless, the figures may increase pressure in some quarters for the Premier League members to look once again at how their income is distributed among the 20 clubs.

Despite a recent change to the distribution, the number of times a club’s Premier League matches are screened live still has a significant impact on earnings.

For example, no fewer that 25 of United’s games were screened live and for each of those the club earned £480,000, totalling £12million, compared to the eight clubs who received the minimum payment of £4.8million - fees for at least 10 games are now guaranteed even if a club has fewer televised matches.

Even relegated Newcastle brought in £9.6million from 20 games compared to £4.8million for neighbours Sunderland.

The clubs are likely to be told on Thursday and Friday that they should receive a bigger chunk from overseas TV rights in the future - these are shared equally between clubs.

They are currently worth £13million per club annually and when the deals for the 2010-13 period are finalised that could reach close to £20million.

THE MONEY LEAGUE TABLE
Earnings, in millions of pounds, by Premier League clubs in 2008/09 season (not including gate receipts or merchandise income) calculated by the Press Association.
Club PL Europe Cups Total
Man Utd 52.3 33.7 4.0 £90.0m
Liverpool 51.1 20.4 0.8 £72.3m
Chelsea 48.4 27.7 5.1 £81.2m
Arsenal 47.2 23.4 2.8 £73.4m
Everton 45.4 0 4.1 £49.5m
Aston Villa 45.2 0.4 0.8 £46.4m
Fulham 40.6 0 1.0 £41.6m
Tottenham 43.2 0.4 0.8 £44.4m
West Ham 41.0 0 1.0 £42.0m
Man City 40.7 3.7 0.2 £44.6m
Wigan 37.5 0 0.6 £38.1m
Stoke 36.8 0 0.2 £37.0m
Bolton 36.0 0 0.2 £36.2m
Portsmouth 35.2 0 0.6 £35.8m
Blackburn 35.0 0 0.5 £35.5m
Sunderland 33.7 0 0.3 £34.0m
Hull 33.0 0 1.4 £34.4m
Newcastle 37.0 0 0.2 £37.2m
Middlesbro 31.4 0 1.4 £32.8m
West Brom 31.6 0 0.3 £31.9m
Premier League earnings: prize money (max £15.2m, min £761,000); TV cash (£13.9m per club plus £480,000 per televised match - minimum payment 10 matches); overseas TV, sponsorship and licensing money (£12m per club).
European: Champions League earnings (TV money and performance bonuses); UEFA Cup (TV money and performance bonuses).
FA Cup: prize money (£75,000 for third round win rising to £2million for final win); TV money (£160,000 to £275,000 per live match). Carling Cup: £100,000 per live televised match.
Sources: Premier League, UEFA, FA, Football League.

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Arabian Blue , Chelmsford (01/06/2009 at 16:15)

Its maddness.

The amount of money being generated by all clubs yet most will report a trading loss is insane. Football needs to have a look at itself before it implodes and loses its soul (the fans).

Robo - Denton Blue, Denton (01/06/2009 at 16:16)

like we need the money.....

Tommy "Chopper" C, Oz. (01/06/2009 at 16:25)

Great news for the scum, they`re only 670 mil in debt now.

I Belong To Eastlands !!!, Vegas (01/06/2009 at 16:37)

Never mind the pittance from tv rights... all I want to know is ..... will I be able to buy the new kits in time for my hols !!!!! Does anybody have any idea when they will go on sale

ARTHUR MULLARD'S BEAUTICIAN, WORSLEY (01/06/2009 at 16:39)

can you imagine the rags without their £90m. It's no wonder they can't afford to drop out of the top 4. Here's hoping the day will come sooner rather than later.

Cityman 5 (01/06/2009 at 16:43)

peanuts

Urmston Blue, Manchester (01/06/2009 at 17:06)

We got £3.7 million for our UEFA Cup exploits. That's amazing! We could buy Danny Shittu with that!

Andrew Shaw (01/06/2009 at 17:15)

The source said: “We acknowledge imbalances can widen the gap between the rich and not so rich. We are talking to the clubs to see if there is a way the money can be distributed so the national leagues do not become too imbalanced.” I think we all know what the answer to that will be when UEFA talk to the big four and their colleagues from Europe! The only way to match that and break in to the party is to throw as much private money at it as they are winning until it works and the only club who can afford to do that is us! Everybody else is swimming against the tide until the distribution of the prize money is changed.

Frankboff, in th sunshine (01/06/2009 at 17:19)

it all adds up....... haha

Bob the Baker, Preston (01/06/2009 at 17:19)

Just do the Maths & you can see that the rags HAVE to keep winning things just to pay the interest on their debt.£90 mill will just about cover that.Dear oh dear,they'll have to start selling The Big Issue soon,or pass round the begging bowl at the swamp.

No wonder they're running scared about another kid on the block.

Tameside Blue, Tameside (01/06/2009 at 17:40)

It's obvious where all the money is going, the players

And they won't be happy until they've bankrupted the whole of football through greed

The latest farce involving Arshavin, upset because the UK taxation rate doesn't suit him, is just the latest in a long list of ridiculous happenings in football.

It's beaten only for farce by the MP's expenses.

I'm alright Jack and you, muggins, are paying for it

MJ, Ontario, Canada (01/06/2009 at 18:08)

So to EUFA and the media and "fans" of just about every other club, please tell us again why City are the ones destroying football when Utd get more than double - 45M more this year - to spend as they please? And except for getting a rich owner that can not only make up this difference but fund 100s of millions to catch-up to what they've been able to spend in past years (and have 100M in players sitting on the bench), how exactly is it that any club is supposed to compete and have a chance?

The smear campaign against City over the past few months is beyond hypocritical, and with money like this being handed to the same small number of clubs each year to continue funding the monopoly UEFA have created, they're the last ones that should ever be critical of other clubs trying to rise above their mandated station. I just wonder how much of the additional money the big four get ends up in the hands of those same individuals and groups having a go at City?

Sam Haggar Stephen Ireland is a Blue (01/06/2009 at 18:26)

We should give that money to does club who are struggling like Darlington or Stockport

Bigkecks (01/06/2009 at 18:31)

I love being rich

We have been poor

I prefer rich

canape anyone?

maddogblue, Cheadle (01/06/2009 at 18:55)

Manchester United as sure as hell won't budge an inch in getting their snout out of this very deep trough, the reasons being:
a). it's not in the nature of the place, or those in it,
and,
b) they now need every last penny they can scrape together, and from wherever they can get it, as their days of domination, (borne out of vast cash sums hoarded away), are now slowly being being eroded away under the weight of unbearable massive debts, and the knowledge they can no longer throw money around with impunity.

Wigan Blue, Wigan (01/06/2009 at 20:03)

Look at the gap between the top four and the rest. And that's been going on for what? 17 seasons? Who says they haven't bought success? But don't change the rules now that WE'VE got our noses in front!

Portsmouth Blue (01/06/2009 at 20:54)

We could have earned more if it had not been for forest and brighton lol

BristolStevefromOldham, bristol (01/06/2009 at 21:28)

If you notice, even the clubs who made it to the final of the FA cup only made about 6% of their total income from it. No wonder clubs lose interest. Unless something is done to reverse this huge imbalance we will have the same top four for decades to come,with the only "interest" being which one wins the league. For most people that is nil interest. If Utd have made nearly £34M from the CL, just think what would happen if they, or any of the top4, failed to make it. City are the only club with the clout to break into this virtually closed circle.

StretfordBLUE in America, Born a BLUE and Forever (01/06/2009 at 21:46)

Really, our owners don't need 40 mil quid; I say it goes to tickets for the fans.

Bristol Blue, Bristol (01/06/2009 at 22:33)

Blimey, even West Brom 'earned' more than £30 million. No wonder they can afford the extortionate wages they pay. Talk about a gravy train!!

MAN-KEY-UNION, MANCHESTER (01/06/2009 at 22:51)

Tameside ' Tory Blue' So us Muggins pay for it, you don't frequent the stadium then? I'll remember that on your next posts. Power to the people! that means the players, not the hangers on.

Phil , Sacramento, CA U.S.A. (02/06/2009 at 02:26)

Tommy "Chopper" C, Oz: Every last bit of that 90 million will go to servicing their debt for yet another season!

Deano58 (02/06/2009 at 07:01)

The fact is that the two highest TV earners United and Liverpool threatened to break away and form a European superleague. Instead of telling them to go ahead, the other clubs, sensing the chance to make a quick buck (which they did) set about appeasing those clubs with the formation of the PL and the uneven distribution of money that we now see. They formed the European League anyway and got the best of both worlds.

Now the situation is worse because the European league is not just a concept but is up and running and the major earner for those clubs. The clubs in the European legaue can now afford two squads and are quite happy to field the second string in the domestic competitions.

As history shows, appeasement never works with bullies and the European league idea is currently back on the agenda and, I suspect, that is why we are cultivating associations with the likes of Barcelona. If anyone thinks it is going to be easy to break into the European four then think again. Why do you think United are backing the 6+5 business ? they are ploughing millions into their youth set up quietly paying ridiculous money for youngsters from around the world. Quite simply, the dearth of decent English players means that the future likes of Rooney, Ferdinand, Carrick and Hargreaves, for example, will command ridiculously inflated fees(as they already do, only worse)and be available to only 4 clubs. work it out. Even if the European 4 only have 4 England players each, that's the entire England squad gone and the rest of the clubs have to acquire (and play) a share of the remnants. When you look at the England fringe players, that really doesn't leave any quality for the rest to choose from.

That's why I believe the single most important development has been our poaching of a couple of highly rated youngsters such as Zander and the young German keeper. This will be the way forward, but, in the meantime expect the European 4 to use every weapon at their disposal to keep us out of the cartel. Should be interesting.

True Blue Middlesbrough, middlesbrough (02/06/2009 at 07:07)

Bob the Baker,Preston.

I posted an article a couple of weeks ago about UTD and the fact that they will have to win the premiere league and get into the Champs league final for the next ten years just to sustain the interest payments on their current debt.If you see the domestic cup competitions don't generate enough income.

And if old bacon face decides to jack it in before the 10 yrs is up they will only install a manager with champs league winning experience so that will rule out Moyes and all the good British managers.Most of the rag supporters havnt woken up to these facts yet.

Co. Kildare Blue (02/06/2009 at 08:25)

Tameside Blue hits the nail on the head.

All the cash goes to footballers, club directors and managers. The FA do naff all with it on behalf of the rest of the leagues. Grass roots football doesnt get a look in and whether England ever wins anything again or not they couldnt give two hoots.

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