COVID-19 To Cost Top Clubs Over £1.7bn

The coronavirus pandemic will cost Europe’s 20 richest football clubs over £1.7billion by the end of this season.
The Deloitte Football Money League survey found that the clubs had already lost around £976million up to the end of the extended 2019-20 season.
Clubs have suffered considerable losses on both broadcast and matchday revenue.
Barcelona generated more money than any other club in Europe, but still had the second-largest revenue fall in absolute terms.
The Catalan club saw a drop from £741.1million to £627.1million but remain narrowly ahead of La Liga rivals Real Madrid, whose revenue fell from £667.5million to £627million.
Bayern Munich (£556.1million), Manchester United (£509million) and Liverpool (£489.9million) make up the top five with Liverpool moving up from seventh last year, replacing Paris St-Germain.
Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus make up the remainder of the top 10.
Eighteen of the 20 clubs retain their places from last year’s survey – with Zenit St Petersburg (15th – £207.4million) and Eintracht Frankfurt (20th – £152.6) replacing AS Roma and West Ham United.
Coronavirus has caused havoc in the world of sport for much of 2020 and into 2021.
It led to the postponement in March of top divisions in England, Spain, Germany, Russia and France. The French Ligue 1 season was cancelled, while the Bundesliga resumed in mid-May with other leagues following in June – all behind closed doors.
Clubs suffered an £832million drop in broadcast revenue, primarily due to the delayed ending of the 2019-20 season meaning the deferral of broadcast revenue into the financial year ending in 2021, but also because of broadcaster rebates related to the disrupted 2019-20 season.
For example, Manchester United said in October that their broadcasting revenue had been reduced 41.9percent from £240.2million to £141.2million.
There was also a £228million overall fall for the 20 clubs in matchday revenue, although there was a £93million increase in commercial revenue.