Sports
Promotion To EPL Worth £120m For Clubs
Promotion to the Premier League will be worth £120m to both Watford and Bournemouth, according to leading football finance experts.
Watford earned promotion at the weekend and the Cherries all but sealed their place in the top flight on Monday.
Only defeat, a Middlesbrough win and a 20-goal swing on the final day of the season can deny them promotion.
“The reach of the Premier League is extraordinary,” Trevor Birch, of business advisory experts BDO, said.
“It’s now in more than 200 countries and reaches four billion people so Bournemouth, in that respect, is going to be catapulted into the world’s view.”
For Bournemouth, promotion to the Premier League would be their first season in the top flight while Watford return after an eight-year absence.
It is a stark contrast from the administration-hit years of 1997 and 2008 when the Cherries came close to liquidation.
Rob Wilson of Sheffield Hallam University added to Tidesports source that “an estimate for a newly-promoted club is £120m”.
That comes from around “£100m from television and media” as well as “another £20m from commercial revenue” in the form of advertising in the last season before the new £5.1bn Premier League TV deal comes into effect.
Birch added: “They will then also have an enhanced value in terms of sponsorship because you are being broadcast across the world. They will have slight uplift on the stadium revenues but it won’t be significant compared to the TV revenues.”
With a current capacity of 11,700, Bournemouth’s Goldsands Stadium will be the smallest in the Premier League and with a population of 90,300, Watford will also be one of the smallest towns in the top flight.
And while there may be a small uplift, Robert Barnard, who specialises in leisure and hospitality for BDO, says Bournemouth’s stadium capacity will limit any major benefits for the town.
“It’s all relative to the capacity of their ground,” Barnard told our source.
“Yes once it is in the Premier League it will gather a lot more interest.
But at the moment Bournemouth does very well as a south coast town. It benefits from having party conferences, for example, but also has a pretty robust corporate life. There is good demand for the hotels down there.
“If they were to expand there could be a knock-on effect. Bournemouth last year did 78% occupancy so only 22% of its rooms went unoccupied for the year and in fact its performance versus 2013 improved by 8.5%. That shows Bournemouth is not at all dependent on away supporters filling its hotel rooms, it can do it for itself.”
And while the figures of £120m sound extraordinarily large, there was a word of warning for both Watford and Bournemouth.
Giwa FC players celebrating their away draw with Lobi Stars in Makurdi at the weekend
The Nigerian, who arrived in China fresh from winning gold at the African Senior Athletics Championships in Ghana earlier on Wednesday, clocked a season’s best of 12.41s behind Olympic champion Masai Russell and Bahamian star Devynne Charlton.
Russell produced a dominant display to win the race in a meeting record and world-leading time of 12.25s, improving on her previous world lead of 12.40s.
Charlton, the reigning world indoor champion, finished second in 12.38s in one of her strongest outdoor performances to date.
Amusan, whose world record of 12.12s remains the fastest time ever run in the event, improved significantly from her previous season’s best of 12.84s set during her victorious outing at the African Championships in Accra.
The 29-year-old was competing in a stacked field that included reigning world champion Ditaji Kambundji of Switzerland, Jamaican pair Megan Simmonds and Ackera Nugent, China’s Wu Yanni and Americans Tonea Marshall and Danielle Williams.
Kambundji, who won the world title in Tokyo last year with a Swiss record 12.24s, finished fifth in 12.82s, while Jamaica’s Nugent placed sixth in 12.98s.
Marshall and Williams failed to finish the race.
Following Amusan’s victory in Accra, the three-time Diamond League final winner expressed gratitude to her supporters while insisting she remained determined to achieve more success this season.
“Beyond grateful to God, my team, supporters, and everyone who continues to believe in me through every season. Historic feeling. Still hungry for more. The mission continues,”
The 10-time African champions are scheduled to take on the Teranga Lionesses on June 5 and 8 at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State, in what will form a key part of their build-up to July’s continental tournament.
The fixtures were confirmed on social media platform X by Super Falcons Show, which announced the details of the encounter and venue.
“Nigeria’s senior women’s national team, the Super Falcons, will take on Senegal Women’s National Team in a double-header international friendly scheduled for June 5 and 8,” the post read.
“Both matches will be played in Ikenne, Nigeria.”
The friendlies come after Nigeria’s proposed training tour of the United Kingdom, which included a planned match against Jamaica, was cancelled due to scheduling complications linked to FIFA’s official women’s international window. The timing meant clubs would not have been obliged to release players.
With that tour shelved, the Senegal fixtures now offer a timely opportunity for coach Justine Madugu and his technical team to assess squad options, test tactical systems and strengthen team cohesion ahead of the WAFCON campaign and longer-term qualification targets for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Senegal are expected to provide a competitive regional test, with their physical style and disciplined organisation likely to offer Nigeria a different tactical challenge across both matches.
The Super Falcons, who have dominated African women’s football for decades, will be aiming to use the double-header to fine-tune preparations as they pursue another continental title in Morocco next year.
Dr Bojuwoye, a seasoned medical professional with extensive experience in road running events across Nigeria, is expected to bring added value to the race through his expertise.
As medical director, his responsibilities will include overseeing emergency medical response, coordinating first aid stations along the course, ensuring athlete safety, and supervising medical volunteers and paramedics.
His role is critical in safeguarding the health of both elite and recreational runners, as well as spectators.
In addition to unveiling its new medical director, the organisers also announced five corporate partners for the 2026 edition.
The Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), Petralon Energy, Razzl Drink, Dan Oil, and Carloha Motors have joined as sponsors, reflecting the race’s growing appeal across diverse sectors of the Nigerian economy.
The Okpekpe race, organised by Pamodzi Sports Marketing Company, has steadily risen in prominence since becoming the first road race in Nigeria to earn World Athletics label status in 2015.
It has since advanced to Gold Label Race status, attracting elite athletes from around the world and cementing its reputation as one of Africa’s benchmark road-running competitions.
Edo State, under the leadership of Governor Monday Okpebolo, has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the race, citing its role in promoting tourism, community pride, and international recognition for the region.
Race Director Zack Amodu noted that the new partnerships underscore the event’s stature and its impact beyond sport.
We are delighted to welcome DBN, Petralon, Razzl, and Carloha Motors as partners for the 11th edition. Their support, alongside the backing of Edo State, not only strengthens the race but also reinforces its role as a platform for promoting excellence, youth empowerment, and community development,’ Amodu said.
Beyond its sporting significance, the Okpekpe International 10km Road Race has become a catalyst for social, health, and economic benefits.
It encourages fitness and healthy lifestyles, fosters social cohesion by bringing communities together, and generates economic activity through tourism, hospitality, and local commerce.
The event also showcases Edo State’s cultural vibrancy while contributing to Nigeria’s growing reputation in global athletics.
The 11th edition is expected to draw elite athletes, local participants, and international attention, further consolidating Nigeria’s place on the global athletics calendar.
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