Premiership tops rich list as Deloitte names three clubs

THE Premiership is once again the richest league in the world with three of its clubs clinching top-five spots in the latest Deloitte Football Money League.

With annual revenues of more than €315m, Manchester United captured back its spot as the second-richest club in the world, coming in behind Spanish club, Real Madrid (€351m), which this year completed a hat-trick of first-place finishes.

Barcelona (€290.1m) meanwhile dropped one place from second to third.

With revenues of €283m Chelsea climbed two places to fourth while Arsenal (€263.9m) is the biggest climber in the league, rising four places to fifth.

Dan Jones, partner in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte said: “This is the first time that any country has had three clubs in the top five of the Money League. Arsenal’s move to the Emirates Stadium has transformed their revenues whilst Chelsea’s revenue increase sees them return to the top five.”

Analysis in the Football Money League is based on the latest financial information for the 2006/07 season when Real Madrid and Manchester United became the first football clubs to generate more than €300m in a season.

“With the new Premier League television deals now online for the 2007/08 season, Manchester United have the opportunity to significantly close the gap on Real and a successful Champions League run may even see them challenge again for the number one position,” added Mr Jones.

The top 20 clubs’ collective revenues grew by 11% to €3.7 billion in 2006/07, the highest rate of growth since 2002/03.

The top 20 clubs now generate more than three times the combined revenues of the clubs in the first Money League in 1996/97.

Six English clubs feature in this year’s Money League, with Tottenham Hotspur (€153.1m) and Newcastle United (€129m) both coming in the top 20.

Director in the Sports Business Group, Paul Rawnsley said: “Clubs such as Aston Villa, Everton, Manchester City and West Ham United are already just outside the top 20 and with the revenue uplift from the new broadcast deals now benefiting the clubs, we expect to see the bottom half of next year’s Money League dominated by English teams.”

The four clubs that have dropped out of the Money League top 20 this year are Manchester City, Rangers, West Ham United and Benfica.