Premier League : 'Big 6' Want Greater Share of Profits

steemsports (80)in #steemsports • 7 years ago

Profits are shared equally amongst all Premier League clubs

SteemSports Presenter: @mojorisin

SteemSports Editor: @ldauch / @velimir

The very essence of what makes the Premier League so attractive to watch - competitiveness - is under threat from what is being viewed upon as greed. The ‘Big Six’ clubs want a greater share of overseas broadcasting money because they believe it is they who fans tune into, and so they should recieve a greater share of the pie.

Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester City have seen the overseas profits rise by 40% over the last three years, and this trend is expected to continue as the Premier League goes from strength to strength.

The exponential rise of Premier League tv profits

At a meeting last week, the so called 'Big 6' put forward their argument that it is they who attract foreign support and so they should get a greater share of the profits. Unquestionably, the other clubs failed to agree.

At the meeting, a plan was devised to allow 35% of the share to goto a team's standing in the league, while the other 65% being shared equally. However, the so-called smaller clubs would not agree to this, and so the issue did not even go to a vote.

Champions Chelsea attract huge support overseas

The current overseas deal amounts to £3billion for 3 years, which earns each club £39million per year. This is less than the current domestic tv deal, which is £5.1billion over the same period. However, overseas revenue is expected to keep growing at 40% and will soon dwarf domestic revenue.

The 'Big 6' say that the present method is out-dated, and that they should be rewarded for their popularity. Without question the teams involved are the most popular teams overseas, and that is who most fans tune in to watch. So why shouldn't they get a bigger slice of the cake?

Richard Scudamore is trying to agree a consensus with all 20 clubs

If revenue was to be handed out due to popularity, or where a team finishes in the league, it would no doubt give the bigger clubs a greater competitive advantage. While at the same time putting the so-called smaller clubs at a disadvantage.

Some might say it is only fair. In Spain, La Liga distributes profits to how popular a club is and as would be obvious: Barcelona and Real Madrid get the lions share.

La Liga revenue distribution favours the big 2 massively

Distributing profits this way would be detrimental to the Premier League, however. The one thing that attracts viewers from overseas is how competitive the Premier League is. In Spain, it is a two-horse race almost every season. Players there score hat-tricks many times in a season and score almost every week.

There is no real competition for Barcelona and Madrid. Yes, Atletico have been good in recent seasons, but if you look to the Premier League, from top to bottom there are rarely any easy games.

The competitive nature of the Premier League draws the crowds

Therefore, if profits are to be distributed on a popularity basis, the ramifications could be worse for the clubs who are demanding more money. A not so competitive league wouldn't be as attractive to watch, which could and most likely would harm future overseas tv deals.

No doubt some clubs deserve more money than others, and the Premier League need clubs like Manchester United and Liverpool. But, surely it is up to their marketing teams to capitalise on their teams' success. After all, it's teams like Burnley and Leicester that make the Premier League more interesting with their competitive nature.

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