The richest league is in England

Jozef Tokos – sports analyst and football agent

What stood out to you the most about the latest Deloitte Football Money League ranking?
Of course, the fact that Real Madrid became the highest-earning football club for the tenth consecutive year. But I was also struck by the sharp year-on-year revenue increases of clubs like Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain. They are the biggest climbers of the year, and in the case of the French club, it is incredible that while in 2010 their revenue was €82 million, last year it was already €474 million.

Manchester United’s economic success is also interesting, given that they increased their revenue despite having their worst season in the last quarter-century.
That speaks to the excellent work of the club’s management when it comes to securing lucrative sponsorship deals and selling licensed products. But in the top 20 ranking, this is more of an exception that proves the rule. The clubs that improved the most were generally those that also performed well on the pitch – Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Paris Saint-Germain.

Eight of the top 20 clubs in the ranking play in the English Premier League. What does that tell us?
That it is the richest football competition in the world. The rise of English clubs is mainly due to lucrative TV rights revenues. Thanks to these and to fair revenue distribution, even clubs like Everton and Newcastle have made it into the ranking.