check out why football is so highly paid

Football (soccer) is the world’s biggest sport. Over 3.2 billion fans watched the World Cup last year alone, while around 730m tune into matches every week. And the numbers continue to rise. In 2018, revenue increased by nearly 6%, reaching over £13bn. Let’s see below why football is so highly paid.

football

Money

The game of football generates a lot of money in sponsorship and TV rights. The most famous clubs have enormous fan bases and huge revenues. Clubs generate more than £3.5bn per annum between them. This revenue has been rising for decades. While the Premier League was once just three divisions, it now consists of 20 teams. It’s this expansion that means many players are earning well above their initial wage packets.

Fans

Top-flight clubs can attract millions of fans, who attend games regularly and spend heavily on merchandise. So as matchday income rises, club profits follow. But if you are not a Manchester City or Liverpool supporter, the cost of buying shirts and other paraphernalia can be higher than your weekly wages. If you want to watch English football at its best then there are only two places where you should go: Stamford Bridge or Anfield. Why? Because both Chelsea and Liverpool make far more money from ticketing than any other team in the league. Some 80% of revenues come from selling tickets – mainly to away supporters. However, those prices are some of the highest in Europe. For example, an average season ticket costs £1,181 at Arsenal but Chelsea charges £637. That’s a massive difference. Not even Barcelona can match that.

Players

A professional footballer earns more in one

month than many people earns all year. A typical player will earn around £500k per annum. With bonuses this figure balloons to around £ 1 million. These days footballers also take home big pay cheques after retirement. David Beckham reportedly made almost £80m when he retired in 2013. As with sponsorships, salaries are constantly increasing. In 2011, Brazilian superstar Neymar signed up with Paris Saint-Germain for £48.8m up front plus a further £4m a year until 2022. Then there is Gareth Bale. He earned £142m in 2014.

In conclusion, football is a very lucrative business which pays a salary worth more than many people earn their entire lifetimes!