Sports
How to Make a Premier League Team Profitable
Shockwaves rippled through the footballing world this week after it was confirmed Newcastle Football Club has been bought out in a £300m deal, ending owner Mike Ashley’s 14-year tenure.
The takeover leaves Newcastle in the hands of the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF), which now owns 80% of the club. The other 20% is split evenly between Amanda Staveley and the Reuben brothers.
After years of frustration and disappointment, Newcastle fans are now full of hope for the future as their new owners are the wealthiest in the sport, worth an eye-watering £700bn. To put that into context, Manchester City previously had the wealthiest owners in the Premier League, who are worth £23bn.
That is not to say Newcastle is now worth £700bn, but they will now have a war chest which dwarfs all others, giving them the financial means to bring in big players.
This news might tempt you to check a major football betting site like 888Sport to see what Newcastle’s chances are of winning the Premier League this season, but their odds remain largely unchanged. City are still hot favourites to lift the trophy at odds of roughly 10/11.
So, besides a takeover from a wealthy consortium, how do Premier League clubs make their money? Their biggest revenue stream comes from television broadcast rights for the league.
The English top-flight is the most popular league in the world, in any sport; the viewing figures back this up. As such, the cost of domestic broadcast rights are astronomically high; they’re now in the billions.
Sky Sports and BT Sport are the two main contenders for this content, though Amazon Prime and the BBC also contribute.
Exactly half – 50% – of this revenue is split evenly between the 20 Premier League clubs. A further 25% is then distributed according to how many times a team is broadcast live (these are known as facility fees) and the final 25% is based on where a team places in the league (merit fees).
So, a team that is shown live on TV more often will receive a larger chunk of the facility fees, and likewise, a club that finishes high up in the league table will be rewarded with higher merit fees revenue.
This, in theory, should create more of a meritocracy and allow clubs to earn more money based on their performances. However, in reality, big clubs like Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United will always get more airtime and, thus, more money.
International broadcast rights revenue is split evenly between the 20 clubs, however, those that make it into the Champions League will get even more funds from TV rights. This is because of separate deals for this competition, and the amount they get largely depends on how far they go in the Champions League.
The TV rights battle only properly boomed over the past decade or so, leading to the staggering figures that are forked over by broadcasters nowadays, which only seem to keep growing.
A more traditional form of revenue for clubs are ticket sales. Clubs will charge each and every person that attends a game for their seat in the stadium, and these prices will vary depending on their position in the venue and the context of the game itself. A London derby between Chelsea and Tottenham will cost more to attend than a game against Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge.
Clubs will also make money from season ticket holders, who will pay a lump sum to have tickets in the same seats for every home game for their team.
On top of this, most Premier League clubs also offer exclusive hospitality and business packages to those willing to splash out on game day. These are particularly attractive to companies that want to impress clients or reward their colleagues. These packages cost a lot more than regular tickets and can be decent earners for Premier League clubs.
In a similar vein, major clubs provide tours of their stadiums outside of match days, charging people to look around and inside the venue to get a closer feel.
Aside from ticket sales, clubs will also be charging for food and drink inside the stadium, and these can generate huge sums of money when totalled up.
Then, of course, there is merchandise. Clubs will have their own shops and stalls on site that sell things like shirts and scarves, but they also have websites where fans can purchase these items as well.
Last, but certainly not least, are the shirt sponsor deals that Premier Clubs can command. Brands like Chevrolet and Yokohama pay tens of millions of pounds to have their logo featured prominently on the shirts of players, providing these teams with yet more income.
However, it isn’t all plain sailing, even for the world’s biggest football teams. Just look at FC Barcelona, who are facing the worst financial crisis in their long history. Their debt is over the £1bn mark, and they have a lot of work to do before they’re out of it.
A large part of their problems stem from player salaries which, according to club president Joan Laporta, represents 103% of their total income. Obviously, such a business model is not sustainable, particularly as they will have many other costs elsewhere.
Obviously, managing the finances of a major football club is no easy task and while it’s not possible to get a detailed look at exactly what has gone wrong at Barcelona, it’s clear that inflated salaries have been a huge issue.
Premier League clubs earn revenue from numerous streams, some of which aren’t wholly under their control but will still have a significant impact on their bottom line. Salaries will be their main outgoing so, as long as they can keep these in check, profits should come.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Super Falcons of Nigeria have been drawn in Group C with Egypt, Zambia and Malawi for the defence of their Women’s’ Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title in March, which will be hosted again in Morocco.
Last year, the Nigerian team won the record 10th tournament after defeating the host nation, Morocco, 3-2 in a spectacular final after going down 2-0.
The 2026 edition will be played in Morocco from March 17-April 3, eight months after the last tournament.
The last edition slated for 2024 was postponed by a year for logistical reasons as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) could not get interested hosts.
The next edition which will be the 14th edition and Nigeria will be hoping to win the women’s tournament for the 11th time.
Nigeria’s dominance is only rivalled by Equatorial Guinea which won as hosts of the 2008 and 2012 editions. South Africa won the 2022 edition to become the third African nation to ever win the tournament.
The next edition carries added importance because it serves as qualifying for next year’s Women’s World Cup, with the top four finishers taking up Africa’s slots in the global tournament to be hosted by Brazil.
GROUPS
Group A (Rabat Moulay Hassan Stadium): Morocco, Algeria, Senegal, Kenya,
Group B (Rabat Al Madina Stadium): South Africa, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Tanzania
Group C (Casablanca): Nigeria, Zambia, Egypt, Malawi
Group D (Fes): Ghana, Cameroon, Mali, Cape Verde.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Chairman of BUA Group, Mr Abdul Samad Rabiu, has reaffirmed his commitment to reward the Super Eagles with the promised $500,000 despite losing the semi-final match against Morocco in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on Wednesday night.
The Nigerian senior national football team lost the tie against Morocco 4-2 on penalties after both sides failed to break the deadlock after 120 minutes.
In a post on his official Instagram on Thursday, the billionaire industrialist commended the football team for their determination and unity throughout the competition.
Mr Rabiu said the players displayed admirable grit and commitment on the field, adding that although the trophy eluded them, their performance inspired pride and admiration among Nigerians at home and abroad.
“To our brave Super Eagles, You fought with your hearts, gave your all, and showed true courage and determination on the pitch. Though it wasn’t meant to be this time, you have made every Nigerian proud.
“Sometimes, even our best efforts don’t bring the outcome we hope for, but the spirit, passion, and unity you displayed are what truly matter. You left everything on the field, and that is worthy of celebration.
“As a token of appreciation for your remarkable journey and effort, I am still going ahead to fulfill the pledge of $500,000. This is in recognition of your hard work, dedication, and the joy you have brought to our nation.
“Keep your heads high, Super Eagles – the experience, lessons, and spirit will fuel even greater success next time. Nigeria will always be proud of you, and we believe in your future victories!” the statement read.
Nigeria failed to advance to the final of the 2025 AFCON yesterday after losing to Morocco’s Atlas Lions in a tense penalty shootout, a result that sent the North African side through to the final.
Moroccan goalkeeper, Yacine Bounou saved kicks from both Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi, allowing Youssef En-Nesyri to convert the winning kick and spark wild celebrations inside the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
Nigeria will play Egypt in the bronze medal match on Sunday, January 18 while Morocco will face 2021 winners, Senegal for the chance to win the trophy for the first time in 50 years.
Midweek football delivers decisive moments across three competitions as the Carabao Cup reaches the semi-final in England, Serie A’s title contenders play their games in hand, and the Africa Cup of Nations narrows down to its final two. Fans can follow every fixture live on SuperSport across DStv and GOtv.
Carabao Cup: Semi-Final Second Legs Decide Wembley Places
The Carabao Cup semi-finals conclude with two heavyweight fixtures as clubs push for a place in the final at Wembley.
On Tuesday at 9:00 p.m., Newcastle host Man City at St James’ Park. Newcastle enter the second leg as defending Carabao Cup champions and come into the tie in strong domestic form, having recorded three straight league wins and progressed in the FA Cup after a penalty shootout victory over Bournemouth.
City arrive after a heavy FA Cup win against Exeter City but are still searching for consistency in the league following a run of draws. Both sides have navigated the competition efficiently so far, setting up a finely balanced contest.
Wednesday’s second semi-final sees Chelsea host Arsenal at 9:00 p.m. Chelsea begin the second leg under new manager Liam Rosenior after a convincing FA Cup victory over Charlton, though league form has been less consistent following a recent defeat to Fulham.
Arsenal, meanwhile, arrive as Premier League leaders and remain active in all major competitions this season. Their FA Cup win over Portsmouth maintained momentum as they look to secure a return to Wembley.
Both Carabao Cup semi-final matches air live on SS Premier League (GOtv Ch. 65, DStv Ch. 203).
Serie A: Games in Hand Shape the Title Race
Serie A’s midweek programme features three fixtures involving clubs playing their game in hand, with implications at both ends of the table.
On Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., Napoli host Parma. Napoli were held to a draw by Inter Milan in their previous outing and sit fourth, level on points with Juventus. With other contenders also in action, a win could lift them further up the standings. Parma arrive after a narrow victory over Lecce and continue to look upward from mid-table.
Later on Wednesday at 8:45 p.m., leaders Inter Milan face Lecce at the San Siro. Inter saw their winning run halted by Napoli but remain three points clear at the top. Lecce arrive having suffered consecutive defeats and will be aiming to secure a positive result in a difficult away fixture.
Thursday’s action concludes at 8:45 p.m. as AC Milan travel to face Como. Milan sit second but have been held to back-to-back draws and will be seeking a return to winning form. Como, coached by Cesc Fàbregas, have impressed this season and sit sixth, boasting one of the league’s strongest defensive records.
All Serie A fixtures are broadcast live on SS Africa 2 (GOtv Ch. 64, DStv Ch. 208).
AFCON 2025: Semi-Finals Decide Finalists
The Africa Cup of Nations reaches its penultimate stage with two semi-final clashes scheduled for Wednesday.
Senegal face Egypt at 6:00 p.m. in Tangier in a renewal of a recent AFCON rivalry. Senegal, winners of the 2021 edition, have progressed with control and balance, while Egypt have relied on resilience and decisive moments in the knockout rounds. The matchup once again brings together key figures from both sides as a place in the final is at stake.
Later at 9:00 p.m., Nigeria meet hosts Morocco in Rabat. Nigeria advanced after a disciplined quarter-final performance, while Morocco continue to combine defensive organisation with efficiency in attack. With home support behind them, Morocco face a Nigerian side that has shown attacking consistency throughout the tournament.
Both AFCON semi-finals air live on SS AFCON (GOtv Ch. 59, DStv Ch. 202).
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