tribalfooball.com - February 07,
2007
Manchester United have dropped down the list of the world's richest
clubs.
United have dropped from second to fourth in the list of the
world's wealthiest clubs, trailing Real Madrid, Barcelona and
Juventus.
United headed Deloitte's Football Money League for eight years
until being deposed by Real Madrid last year.
English clubs fill eight out of the top 20 spots in Deloitte's
table, based on revenues generated during 2005/6.
United remain the world's most profitable club, making a £49.7m
profit in the year to June 2006.
Deloitte said it believed this fall may only be temporary as
further expansion of their Old Trafford ground should significantly
boost the club's match day income.
"Manchester United may be in fourth position this year but with the
completion of their stadium development we can expect them to move
back up the list in 2006/07," said Deloitte's Paul Rawnsley.
With a lucrative new TV contract coming into effect next year,
Deloitte said Premiership clubs could fill more than half of the
list by 2007/8.
But Deloitte added that Spain's two footballing giants would not
give up their positions at the top of the table lightly.
"The two clubs have had contrasting strategies, with Real focusing
on driving commercial revenue from recruiting its Galactico players
and Barcelona having a more balanced revenue portfolio," said Dan
Jones, a partner in the firm's Sports Business Group.
Deloitte's top ten richest for 2005/06:
1) Real Madrid: £202m
2) Barcelona: £179.1m
3) Juventus: £173.7m
4) Man Utd: £167.8m
5) AC Milan: £165m
6) Chelsea: £152.8m
7) Inter Milan: £142.8m
Bayern Munich: £141.5m
9) Arsenal: £133m
10) Liverpool: £121.7m
