UEFA, Clubs To Share $1.55B From Champions League

Friday, 21 August 09, 01:27 PM · Comments (0)

UEFA Champions League

The world's most lucrative club soccer competition, the European Champions League, will earn a record $1.55 billion in marketing and television revenues for clubs and organizer UEFA this season.

The payouts will be matched for two more seasons after the European governing body signed global television and sponsorship deals-including top-tier partners Ford, Heineken, MasterCard, PlayStation, Sony and UniCredit-through 2012.

Each club is guaranteed a $10.1 million participation fee before play begins in September and will get bonuses based on results. A group stage victory pays $1.14 million, while the final next May is worth an extra $12.8 million to the winner and $7.4 million to the runner-up.

Reigning champion FC Barcelona earned almost exactly that amount last season with television money included. Runner-up Manchester United got the biggest payout, $53.8 million, in part because England is a more valuable television market than Spain.

The biggest market pool earner last season was Bayern Munich ($30.6 million), because it was the only German team to reach the knockout stage, while BATE Borisov from the tiny market of Belarus got a $60,000 share.

The 20 clubs currently taking part in 10 playoff ties-including Arsenal and Atletico Madrid, plus Austria's Salzburg and FK Ventspils of Latvia-will each receive a fixed $3 million payment.

UEFA is also spreading $71 million in compensation among clubs who don't play in either competition but must try to compete for domestic success against those who pad their wealth from regular Champions League appearances.

The European Club Association, a recognized lobby group that counts more than 130 clubs as members, will receive at least $3.6 million.

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