Real Madrid Tops Deloitte Football Money League as Highest Revenue-Generating Club
Madrid, The Gulf Observer: Real Madrid has claimed the top spot in the Deloitte Football Money League for the 2022-23 season, surpassing Manchester City to become the world’s highest revenue-generating football club. The Spanish powerhouse reported a total revenue of 831 million euros ($907.78 million), marking their return to the leading position since the 2017-18 season.
Real Madrid’s revenue growth of 118 million euros over the previous year was attributed to robust retail performance, increased stadium attendance, and the recovery of sponsorship income. This 16% surge propelled them ahead of their competitors.
Manchester City, despite losing the top position, secured their highest-ever revenue for a season, reaching 826 million euros. Paris St Germain claimed the third spot with 802 million euros, followed closely by Barcelona at 800 million euros. Manchester United slipped to the fifth position with a total revenue of 746 million euros.
Notably, commercial revenue emerged as the largest income stream for football clubs, surpassing broadcast revenue for the first time since the 2015-16 season, excluding the COVID-19 impacted 2019-20 season. The trend signals the importance of a commercially focused business model for clubs seeking financial stability.
Tim Bridge, the lead partner in Deloitte’s Sports Business Group, highlighted the growing demand for live sports, pointing towards potential growth in commercial and matchday revenues. He emphasized that clubs must pivot to a more commercially driven approach to secure greater control over their financial stability, especially as exponential growth in broadcast revenue becomes less reliable.
Despite the overall growth in revenue, Liverpool reported a decline in rankings, moving from third to seventh. Atletico Madrid and West Ham United also experienced a drop in revenue. Among the top 20 clubs, Premier League teams now constitute eight, down from 11 in the previous year, with Eintracht Frankfurt, Napoli, and Olympique Marseille making notable entries.
The total revenue generated by Money League clubs in the 2022-23 season reached a record 10.5 billion euros, indicating a 14% increase over the previous year and surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
