Soaring television revenue will mean the West Midlands’ two Premier League clubs will be among the 40 richest in the world next year.
Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion are among the top 60 highest revenue-earning football clubs in the world, according to the Deloitte Football Money League published this week.
However, experts say the increase in broadcasting revenue in the English top flight – following the Sky Sports and BT Live TV deals worth a combined £3 billion, will catapult both further up the elite in this financial year.
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It will mean picking up broadcasting income of between £63 and £100 million a year – putting the two clubs on the list alongside the likes of Internazionale, Galatasaray and Hamburg, despite having incomparable fan bases.
This year’s Deloitte Football Money League sees Aston Villa sit just outside the top 30 clubs, with revenue of £81.7 million in 2012/13, a two per cent increase.
West Bromwich Albion’s eighth place finish in the Premier League allowed the club to generate revenue of £69.7 million in 2012/13, a five per cent rise.
However, a Deloitte spokesman said to expect a surge up the rankings next year.
She said: “Along with other Premier League clubs, Aston Villa will benefit from the uplift in value of the League’s broadcasting deals in 2013/14, which should drive the club’s revenues comfortably past £100 million in 2013/14.
“This will move the club into the top 30 revenue generating football clubs, and could even allow them to challenge for a top 20 place, a position Villa last achieved in 2009/10.
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“Both clubs will claim a place amongst the top 40 revenue generating clubs in next year’s edition given the revenue boost from the Premier League’s broadcast deals from 2013/14.”
The Deloitte Football Money League showed Revenue for the world’s 20 highest earning clubs reached £4.4 billion last season, recording growth of more than eight per cent.
Real Madrid top the Money League for the ninth consecutive year, beating Manchester United’s previous eight-year run, with total revenue of £424.9 million, after enjoying broadcast revenue of £154.7 million.
FC Barcelona hold onto second spot, whilst Bayern Munich’s treble winning season resulted in their overtaking of Manchester United for third place.
Although Liverpool, in 12th place, grew revenue strongly by nine per cent, the club was knocked out of the top 10 for the first time since 1999/2000.
Tottenham Hotspur maintained their 14th position despite an ultimately frustrating season on the pitch, while Everton, Newcastle United, and West Ham United are expected to challenge for top 20 positions next year.
Dan Jones, partner in the sports business group at Deloitte, said: “The combined revenue of the top 20 clubs, almost all of which grew their revenue during 2012/13, increased by eight per cent, far outpacing the wider global economy.
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“This growth comes even before the new record Premier League and Bundesliga broadcast deals, which will impact on clubs’ revenues in next year’s Money League.”
This year the Premier League champions can expect to earn close to £100million in broadcast earnings while the bottom club can expect their earnings to go up from £39.8?million, which Queens Park Rangers picked up last season, to around £63?million.
Currently both West Midlands sides are set fair for mid-table places – earning them more than £75 million, before commercial and ticket income is accounted for – far more than most top flight sides in Spain, Italy, France and Germany turn over.
Last year Aston Villa received £45 million and West Brom were given £48.2 million.