English Premier League earns highest revenue among Europe's elite

Manchester United were alone responsible for €376m of revenue in the Premier League

The Premier League, which made €2.9bn in 2011/12, is ahead of all its rivals at the top of Europe’s money charts. The nearest challenger is the Bundesliga, which trails by almost £1bn, according to the annual report by accountants Deloitte. Manchester United alone were responsible for €375m of revenue, while there were eight other clubs that made a profit during 2011-12. The top five clubs by revenue in 2011/12 were Manchester United, Chelsea (€306m), Arsenal (€276m), Manchester City (€271m), and Liverpool (€221m).

Source: Deloitte

It is also estimated that the Premier League revenue is expected to rise by 25 %, according to Deloitte.

The revenue is said to have grown more than €2.9bn in 2012-13, and will grow by a further £600m, or 25%, in 2013-14, when the league’s new broadcast deal kicks in.

Dan Jones, who is a partner in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte, was quoted by BBC as saying: “Despite operating in a challenging economic environment, English club football’s profile, exposure and increasingly global interest have continued to drive revenue growth for the top clubs.”

In 2011/12, almost 75% of the Premier League clubs’ revenue increase in 2011-12 was spent on wages.

“It is the age-old picture; revenues continue to be healthy and wage levels continue to be a concern. Championship clubs continue to overstretch off the field as they seek playing success to reach the Premier League,” added Dan Jones.

Now that the UEFA’s own break-even requirement will apply to clubs in its competitions for the first time in the 2013/14 season, Deloitte said: “The new era of cost constraints aims to help clubs across Europe to achieve a more sustainable balance between their costs and revenues and encourages investment for the longer-term benefit of football.”