Skip to main content

Bayern Munich are one of Europe's most profitable clubs

The authoritative Swiss Ramble takes a look at Bayern Munich's latest accounts. They are one of the most profitable clubs in Europe. Indeed, they have the highest profit before tax (€46m) of any of the leading clubs that have published 17/18 accounts to date. Amazingly, this is the 26th consecutive year that Bayern have been profitable.

Profit before tax fell from €66m to €46m (profit after tax €29m). Revenue (per Bayern’s definition) rose €17m (3%) to a record high of €657m including €28m profit on player sales, mainly Douglas Costa to Juventus. The board described the figures as 'outstanding'.

Bayern Munich have become increasingly reliant on player sales with average annual profits rising from just €11m between 2009 and 2013 to €41m in the last five years. Excluding player sales, revenue has grown by a third (€155m) in the last three years from €474m to €629m, mainly from broadcasting €71m (67%) and commercial €71m (25%) with match day up €14m (16%). Revenue has doubled since the €321m reported in 2011.

Bayern's revenue advantage over Borussia Dortmund, their closest domestic challenger, increased to €312m in 2017/18, the highest ever gap. In fact, Bayern’s €629m revenue is almost twice as much as Dortmund’s €317m.

They have the fourth highest revenue in the world (per Deloitte Money League 2017, based on 2016/17 results), though they were as high as 2nd in 2003/04. There are three other German clubs in the top 30: Borussia Dortmund, Schalke 04 and Borussia Mönchengladbach.

The club had the highest commercial income of any football club globally in 2016/17 with €343m, ahead of Manchester United €325m, Real Madrid €301m and Barcelona €296m. Closest German clubs are Borussia Dortmund €148m and Schalke 04 €95m. They have an excellent kit deal with Adidas (€60m a year) and good shirt sponsorship agreement with Deutsche Telekom (€35m), though Real Madrid earn almost twice as much.

Bayern have earned significantly more revenue (€284m) from European competition than any other German club in the last five years. Champions League revenue rises by 54% in 2018/19. There is also a new UEFA coefficient payment (based on performance over 10 years), where Bayern has the 3rd highest ranking, guaranteeing them €33m.

Their wage bill shot up €38m (14%) from €265m to €303m in 2017/18, which means that wages have risen by a third since 2015, exactly in line with the revenue growth rate. Wages to turnover ratio held in a healthy narrow band between 44% and 49% in last eight years. Bayern have one of the lowest ratios among the leading clubs, only beaten by Tottenham 41% and Arsenal 47%, but significantly better than Barcelona 70% and (domestically) Dortmund 59%.

Using the broadest definition of debt, Bayern's total liabilities are only €280m, which is one of the lowest of the leading European clubs. Manchester United are almost €1 bln higher at €1234m, followed by Juventus & Tottenham (€700m), then Real Madrid & Arsenal (€600m).

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Threat of financial calamity removed from Baggies

West Bromwich Albion had effectively been in decline ever since the club was sold to a Chinese consortium in August 2016, paying a figure north of £200m to buy former owner Jeremy Peace’s stake. Controlling shareholder Guochuan Lai’s ownership was fairly disastrous for the club, but his unloved tenure finally came to an end after Bilkul Football WBA, a company ultimately owned by Florida-based entrepreneur Shilen Patel and his father Dr Kiran Patel, acquired an 87.8% shareholding in West Bromwich Albion Group Limited, the parent company of West Bromwich Albion Football Club. This change in ownership was urgently required, due to the numerous financial problems facing West Brom, including growing high-interest debt and serious cash flow concerns, following years of no investment from the former owner. Indeed, West Brom’s auditors had already rung the alarm bell in the 2021/22 accounts when they cast doubt on the club’s ability to continue as a going concern without making player s

Gold standard ground boosts Tottenham's income

The gold standard in European football grounds is the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in north London, a £1bn construction project completed in 2019. Its impact on the club’s finances has become increasingly clear as the effects of the pandemic have faded. Previously, the average fan would spend less than £2 inside the ground on a typical match day, but now that figure is about £16, thanks to new facilities including the longest bar in Europe and an on-site microbrewery. Capacity has gone up from 36,000 at the club’s previous home of White Hart Lane to 62,000.  The new stadium — built on land adjacent to White Hart Lane — has opened the door to a broad range of other events that have helped to push commercial income up from €117mn in 2018 to €215mn in 2022. Last year, Tottenham hosted US singer BeyoncĂ© for five nights on her global Renaissance tour, two NFL matches, as well as rugby games and heavyweight boxing bouts.  Money brought in from football has gone up too. Match day income is

Spurs to sell minority stake

Tottenham Hotspur is in talks to sell a minority stake in a deal that could value it at up to £3.75 billion and pave the way for Joe Lewis and his family to sever ties with the Premier League football club. Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is seeking an investment that values the club at between £3.5 billion and £3.75 billion, including debt. While the terms of any deal have not been finalised, City sources expect Spurs to sell about 10 per cent. The club is being advised by bankers from Rothschild on the sale. Tottenham wants to raise fresh capital for new player signings and to help fund the development of an academy for its women’s team, as well as a 30-storey hotel next to its north London stadium. The financier Amanda Staveley, who brokered the deal for Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund to take over Newcastle United, is understood to be among the parties to have expressed an interest in Tottenham. Staveley’s fund, PCP Capital Partners, has raised about £500 million to depl