Uefa Champions League Final Worth £272m
This year’s Champions League Final between Manchester United and FC Barcelona will be worth upwards of £272m in total to the European economy, with the city of the winning club benefitting from about £13m in profits.
A new study commissioned by MasterCard, the official sponsor of the UEFA Champions League, has found that Barcelona and Manchester Utd stand to profit from positive economic impacts such as increased squad value, prize money, sponsorship deals, television rights and growth in season ticket sales, with even the losing side making at least £57m while the winner takes home close to £97m.
It has been speculated that the 2009 final will generate a greater economic boost than last year, with the global economic downturn acting as a positive factor by creating a new community of football fans and organisations worth £22m in spending power to the European economy.
This economic trend was already identified at other major sporting events in 2009, such as the NFL Superbowl, which saw increases in both number of viewers and advertising spend from the 2008 to 2009 event, making it one of the biggest in history.
Recent UEFA Champions League matches between major clubs have also shown significant levels of interest, such as when Real Madrid played against Liverpool in this year’s knockout phase, with 42% of Spain’s TV viewing audience tuned in. Similarly, the knockout game between Chelsea and Liverpool saw 34% of Britain’s TV viewers watch the game.
According to the study, the host city of the final, Rome, also stands to earn a profit: more than £40m. This economic boost will result from a short-term positive commerce, as well as a longer-term economic legacy, through increased tourism, civic sponsorship and a greater likelihood of hosting future ‘mega-events’.
The city of the winning club will also benefit from a boost of around £13m following the 2009 final. This will be felt through positive economic impacts such as enhanced city image and reputation, leading to increased tourism, and a boost to consumer confidence resulting in increased spending, after the city’s bars, pubs, shops and bookmakers have enjoyed a short term financial boost around the final itself.
