Sporting triumphs bring Manchester City record revenues

Manchester City have converted last season’s colossal sporting success into colossal financial success. Victories in the Champions League, national championship and the National Cup allowed him to receive a record income for English football – £712.8 million (€815.14 million), significantly increasing revenues in all major items.

There is nothing strange in the fact that Manchester City’s financial report, covering the previous financial year, that is, in fact, the previous football season, turned into big news for all the leading English media resources. It contains figures too impressive not to pay attention to them.

In October, in a similar document, Manchester City’s neighbor Manchester United reported record income for English Premier League (EPL) clubs of £648.4 million. But the achievement did not last long and was beaten with a margin. Manchester City’s revenues for the 12-month period to June 30, 2023 amounted to £712.8 million. Moreover, this figure is almost £100 million more than the club showed in its last report (profits doubled from £41. 7 million to £80.4 million). Moreover, he is no longer just aiming for an internal, but a world record. Formally, it still belongs to Barcelona. In 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic led to a serious decline in the football market, it recorded revenues of €990 million. But then experts doubted the absolute relevance of a number of figures, suggesting that the real income of the Catalans was still a little more modest.

In the case of Manchester City, the origin of the breakthrough, which took place despite a significant increase in wages at the club (and the size of its payroll increased by almost £70 million compared to 2022), is quite simple to explain. In fact, he is the perfect illustration of how to effectively convert athletic success into financial success. And last season the Manchester club had great results. He won three prestigious trophies at once: gold in the English Championship, the National Cup, and most importantly, for the first time in history, after a long series of misfires on the close approaches to the prize, he excelled in the Champions League.

In fact, “first of all” Manchester City itself pointed to these victories in the report, talking about how, for example, it was able to achieve such a jump in revenue from television broadcasts. And they rose by 20%, almost breaking the £300 million mark.

Manchester City’s more productive performances in cup competitions meant they played four more matches at the Etihad Stadium last season than the season that preceded it. And they, coupled with increased interest in the fans’ games, provided the club with “extra” £17.4 million under the matchday item, which includes income directly related to the holding of meetings, primarily the sale of tickets for them.

Finally, the 2022 summer transfer campaign turned out to be excellent in every sense for Manchester City. As part of it, he bought Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund for €60 million (Transfermarkt estimate), who instantly became one of the team leaders and demonstrates amazing performance. But sales were no less successful. The transfers of Gabriel Jesus and Alexander Zinchenko to Arsenal and Raheem Sterling to Chelsea, without negatively affecting the quality of Manchester City’s play, brought him £125 million.

However, the overall triumphant report also contains mention of “certain risks” that could have a “material impact” on the club in the future. What is meant is not difficult to guess.

Back in February, the Premier League opened proceedings against Manchester City, which were charged with 115 counts. The club is suspected of numerous violations of the financial regulations of the structure in the period from 2009 to 2018, as well as refusal to cooperate with the authorities investigating them. Manchester City, which has flatly denied the accusations, faces a wide range of sanctions: from a small fine by its standards to deprivation of points and even expulsion from the Premier League.

Alexey Dospehov