Leicester City FC likely to rake in £150m from Premier League win
Leicester City FC are in line for a £150m windfall after their unlikely Premier League title win, according to figures compiled by sports and entertainment intelligence specialists Repucom.
This cash bonanza will be composed primarily of a £90m ‘Merit Payment’ comprised of revenue and prize money for clinching the title as well as an anticipated rise in gate receipts accrued from qualifying for the UEFA Champions League next season.
Entry to the exclusive continental contest will net the side a participation bonus equivalent to a further £33m with an additional £3m in performance related bonuses available. Should the team finish third in their group stage and qualify for the Europa League they could be on track to earn a further £20m.
Repucom have also bumped up their valuations for Leicester’s sponsorship and fan base numbers, estimating that the newly elevated club will continue to see TV audiences soar having already jumped from 785,000 to 1m per game this season.
This success is mirrored globally with audiences jumping 30 per cent internationally; including a doubling of traffic in Italy and a 70 per cent uptick in the US – bringing with it corresponding increases in sponsorship clout.
Spencer Nolan, head of consulting, Repucom UK&I, said: “The figures Leicester City could be making are in large part thanks to the Premier League revenue share, which is split relatively evenly across the league, and from Champions League qualification. Of course if Leicester were to win the Premier League next year, thanks to the increased broadcast rights it could receive nearer £146m for finishing top.”
On top of the cash windfalls from this season's success the club is well position to capitalise commercially on its soaring brand value. New analysis from Sports Revolution and Brandtix has measured the club's on-pitch performance data and combined it with social media reach and fan sentiment. Using the three metrics the analysis has shown Leicester to be the number one trending Premier League team in terms of brand value. On top of this the club is increasing its fan base by 25 per cent week on week.
According to Brandtix's data the club could attract many US sponsors given that the US is now Leicester City's second biggest market. Looking to the promising prospects which the Asian market offers, the Foxes third biggest fan base is in Indonesia which, on top of its Thai owners, leaves the club in a good position to attract sponsors in the region.