European soccer revenues grew by 10% in the 2020-21 season despite most an almost total lack of fans in stadiums, according to a report published on Thursday.
The season was like no other with the COVID-19 pandemic curtailing virtually all matchday income, but Deloitte’s Annual Review of Football Finance showed the industry had held up across the continent with total revenues of 27.6 billion euros.
The so-called big five leagues in England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France enjoyed a combined 3% rise in revenues with Italy’s Serie A up 23% to 2.5 billion euros and England’s Premier League rising 8% to 5.5 billion euros.
Deferred broadcast revenues from the previous season, 48% in the case of Serie A, and the success of the postponed Euro 2020 tournament played across the continent in 2021, were behind the rise in European revenues, the report said.
“Clubs across Europe played a significant proportion of matches behind closed doors or with reduced capacity during the 2020/21 season which caused an almost complete loss of matchday revenue,” said Tim Bridge, lead partner in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte.
via Reuters
