Uefa Wants Pay Cut For English Clubs

UEFA is to bid to get English football clubs to accept a pay cut in money derived from competing in the Champions League.

The governing body revealed the figures clubs earned from last season and stated that it was looking to address the imbalance in revenue distribution in national leagues.
 
Last season’s winners Manchester United netted £33.9m, runners-up Chelsea £28.7m, Liverpool £21.1m and Arsenal £18.3m. The figures did not include gate receipts or matchday revenue and stem largely from UEFA’s sponsorship and TV rights sales.

British clubs made up 26% of the £462m total Champions League television and sponsorship revenues.

UEFA spokesman William Gaillard said: ‘We’ve a situation fixed until 2012, so that’s plenty of time to review it. We are well aware there are some imbalances in the revenue distribution which have a negative effect in national leagues by widening the gap between the rich and not so rich.

‘We will talk to the clubs and see how they feel, and try to convince them that in the longer run it is not in their interest if, because of the way money is distributed, national leagues become too imbalanced.’

UEFA will try to earn the support of the European Strategy Council, the consultative body representing clubs, leagues, players and associations, to implement changes to the revenue structure.