The earnings of soccer clubs consist of three main components; Broadcast earnings, commercial earnings, and match day earnings. The broadcasting earnings that clubs receive come in competition both domestically and internationally. Commercial earnings are derived from merchandising and sponsorship deals. Earnings on match day are derived from ticket sales at the original games and annual membership renewals.
For the past seventeen years, the Sports Business Group in Deloitte has studied and profiled globally in the top twenty earning soccer football clubs. The top-earning clubs each year are listed based on their total income. The Sports Business Group in Deloitte also breaks down the makeup of total earnings and calculates the earnings by the three mentioned elements. This article lists the top ten highest-earning clubs of 2012/2013 based solely on their matchday earnings. These figures were detailed in the Deloitte Football Money League report published in January 2014.
Most of the top clubs’ desire to increase their stadium capacity underscores the importance of match day earnings. Arsenal moved to a much larger stadium in 2000, when Liverpool spent a decade trying to build a new stadium or renovate their existing one. Even clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona, which have some of the largest stadiums in Europe, are looking to expand in the name of increasing match day earnings. The English, Spanish, French and German leagues were the clubs earning the most match days in the previous season. Here are the top 10 earning day earning clubs from 2012/2013.
10. Tottenham Hotspur – 67.18 million
North London club Tottenham Hotspur started in the top ten earnings per day of the match. Tottenham’s / 201 67.18 million match days decreased by 2% from 2012/2013. A major limitation of Tottenham’s earnings on match day is the limited capacity of their stadium, White Hart Lane, which has a seating capacity of 3,230 and is the smallest stadium on any of the clubs on this list. Tottenham’s 2012/2013 average league attendance was 36,151. To boost their match-day earnings, Tottenham plans to build a new stadium with a seating capacity of 55,000 seats. Tottenham also hopes to win more home matches for the Champions League next season and therefore earn more.
9. Liverpool – 74.53 million
In ninth place sits another English club, Liverpool, who play all their home matches at the Anfield Stadium, with seating arrangements at 45,522. In 2012, Liverpool reached a disappointing seventh in the league and earned ৪ 4.53 million in match-day revenue despite being eliminated early in their two domestic cup competitions. In 2012/2013, Liverpool’s average league attendance was 44,758. This season has seen Ligpool emerge as a wonderful contender for the league title with a real chance to qualify for the Champions League. If they qualify for the Champions League and finally start expanding Anfield, their matchday earnings will definitely increase.
8. Paris Saint-Germain – 76.2 million
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) is the eighth French club to play their home match at the Parc des Princes Stadium with a seating capacity of 48,712. The average league presence for PSG was in 2012. In 2013, 43,239, they won their domestic league campaign. They reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League, helping to increase matchday earnings by 56%, with growing success on the field and the presence of some of the best players in the world, allowing PSG to raise ticket prices. To maximize matchday profits, PSG has announced plans to increase the seating capacity of Park des Princesses to join the clubs sitting at the top of the list.
7. Borussia Dortmund – 85.39 million
Borussia Dortmund’s match-day earnings were $ 85.39 million in 2012/2013, a season when the German club reached the final of the Champions League and finished second in the league. As a result of increased attendance and additional Champions League home games, Mill’s day earnings have increased by 32% over the previous year. Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park has an average attendance of 799,993, more than any other club on the list. Dortmund’s ability doesn’t seem to be a problem in terms of match-day earnings, but the relatively affordable price of tickets than other successful clubs puts them at the bottom of their list. Despite its huge presence, Dortmund ranks eighth of matchday earnings among the 20 richest clubs in 2012/2013.
6. Chelsea – 118.15 million
In the list, the third English club, Chelsea, earned ৮ 117.15 million in the 2012/2013 season and is ranked sixth in earnings on match day, a season in which they finished third in the league won the Europa League. Despite playing in a stadium where Chelsea’s presence is only 41, 83 of7, Chelsea is sixth in earnings on the match day. Stamford Bridge had an average attendance of 41,462 for league matches. The limited capacity of Stamford Bridge limits Chelsea’s ability to match the earnings generated by their top clubs on this list. The club is exploring options to build a new stadium or rebuild their existing one.
5. Bayern Munich – 124.83 million
Germany’s richest club Bayern Munich is in fifth place on the list, with a daily income of 4 124.83 million for the 2012/2013 match. 2012/2013 was a historic season for Bayern where the club won the league, the domestic cup, and the Champions League. This unprecedented success has increased average home attendance, with an average of 71,103 fans taking part in the Home Games at the fourth Allianz Arena among the clubs on this list. Bayern’s uninterrupted success at the start of the 2013/2014 season will ensure a competitive match on the day of the match with other clubs on the list.
4. Arsenal – 155.08 million
Arsenal is the third London-based club to top the list. 2000 / At the start of the 2007 season, Arsenal moved from their Highbury Stadium to their current Emirates Stadium. Their attendance capacity jumped from 38 419 to 60 338, and as a result, they were able to earn more on match day. In 2012/2013, Arsenal earned match 155.08 million with an average attendance in match0, 060 league matches, a season where they are in fourth place. Arsenal’s earnings per match day are higher than their commercial or broadcast earnings stream. Arsenal is the only club in the top 20 richest clubs whose match-day earnings are their biggest source of income.
3. Barcelona – 168.45 million
One of the top two Spanish clubs in the top ten, Barcelona ranked third in earnings on match day in 2012/2013 with 168.45 million. This figure represents a 1% increase from the previous season. In 2012/2013, Barcelona won the Spanish League title and reached the Champions League semifinals, with an average league presence of 711,222, just behind Borussia Dortmund and Manchester United in Europe. Barcelona’s Camp Nou Stadium has a capacity of 98,787, making it the largest stadium in Europe. Despite the huge attendance figures and their huge presence capabilities, increasing the capacity of the stadium to earn more was one of the priorities of former board president Sandro Rosell.
2. Real Madrid – 170.45 million
Real Madrid is the most valuable club globally and the number one club in terms of total income. However, in terms of matchday income in 2012/2013, they are in the second position. Madrid earned $ 170.45 million in 2012/2013, which was 6% less than the previous season. The average league attendance was 65,268, which was 8% less than the previous season. Their disappointing league promotion, where they finished second away from Barcelona, was one reason for their declining presence at the Bernabeu Stadium. The Bernabeu Stadium has a capacity of 85,000, making it the third-largest stadium in Europe behind Camp Nou and Wembley Stadium. In 2013, Real Madrid began a stadium reconstruction project to increase its capacity to 90,000.
1. Manchester United – 182.32 million
Despite being in fourth place in terms of total revenue in 2012/2013, Manchester United of England, who earned 172.32 million on match day earnings, is at the top of the club. United’s matchday earnings are up 11% from the previous season. United’s average league presence was 75,530, second only to Borussia Dortmund and a big contribution to their match-day earnings. Combined with attendance figures, nine Olympic matches were held at United’s Old Trafford Stadium. United’s control of the top spot is at risk for next season because they have performed poorly in the Premier League and are at risk of failing to qualify for the Champions League, which will reduce their earning potential.