Here is your weekly financial football news round-up to keep you up to date with all things financial football! This is your round-up for the week commencing 5th March 2018, featuring Amazon, Manchester City, Bundesliga, Chinese Super League, Liverpool, Leicester and Wolves.
Amazon Infiltrate La Liga In New Documentary
Amazon continue to increase their presence in football with the consumer giants set to produce a documentary on La Liga.
The documentary, Six Dreams is to feature Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez and Athletic Bilbao forward Inaki Williams among others, following their day to day activities aimed at the Spanish football fans.
Amazon are producing similar documentaries with Manchester City and Juventus having completed one for Argentinian giants Boca Juniors, with rumours of a second series of Six Dreams featuring Real Madrid and Barcelona already rife.
The documentary is scheduled for a 2018 fall release.
Serie A Have A New Chief In Town
Gaetano Micciché has been unanimously approved as the temporary president of Italy’s Serie A by all Serie A clubs as the Italian league look to overhaul the division to better compete with their European rivals.
Micciché is presently the chairman of financial services group Banca IMI and will be hoping to bring a fresh look at the troubled league that with the exception of Juventus, have failed to progress on and off the pitch.
Their new TV deal significantly lags those experienced in Germany, Spain and England and will need a long term strategy to bridge the gap.
Manchester City Agree US Barclays Deal
Barclays have agreed a sponsorship deal with soon-to-be Premier League champions Manchester City to be their sponsor during their US preseason tour, where they compete in the International Champions Cup (ICC).
Barclays branding will appear on interview backdrops during pre-season player and manager interviews, while Barclays will hold various competitions and offers during the tournament.
IMG Win Chinese Super League TV Rights
Global sports agency IMG has agreed a three-year extension with the Chinese Super League for the distribution of the global TV rights to the upcoming league.
The new contract also includes in-flight rights, while IMG will also advise the Chinese Super League on television production for the league.
SWM Motors Secure Chinese Team’s Name
Continuing on a successful commercial week for the Chinese Super League, SWM Motors have also signed a sponsorship deal with the CSL club Chongqing Dangdai Lifan to rename the club!
The club will be named Chongqing SWM until 2020 for a fee of £21.3m, something that would cause complete outrage in England but is seen as financially wise in the forward thinking Chinese Super League.
Bundesliga are Completely Sleeved After Freiburg Deal
Freiburg have become the final Bundesliga side to sign a sleeve sponsor, signing a deal with energy company Badenova.
This means all Bundesliga clubs next season will sport sleeve sponsors, the first league to do this. The Bundesliga have done a good job of remaining financially competitive despite low TV rights compared to Spain and England and this is just another example of that impressive feat.
Wolves – Foul or Fair Play?
Wolves inevitable pursuit to the Premier League has hit a bump in the road after Championship clubs complained of Financial Fair Play, with accusations of suppressed transfer fees for their star players so they can
Wolves connections through super agent Jorge Mendes has lead to some of Europe’s top young talent now plying their trade in the Molineux Stadium such as Ruben Neves and Diego Jota, players who have been linked with top Premier League clubs for fees larger than they paid in the past.
Wolves are “entirely comfortable” with their compliance with Financial Fair Play. We will watch this develop with intrigue and keep you up to date with developments.
Flurry of Financial Statements
In a big week of financial announcements the following clubs have released their financial results:
Premier League
Leicester
Liverpool
West Ham
Watford
Championship
Cardiff
Ipswich
Nottingham Forest
QPR
Reading
Sheffield Wednesday
Wolves
League 1
MK Dons
Rotherham
We will be analysing all these accounts at FFN, stay tuned !
Directors On The Move
A new feature! Here is a list of Director movement at Premier League and Championship clubs this week:
- Chelsea
- In: Jonathan Guy Laurence
- West Brom
- In: Mark Jones Jenkins
- Out: Richard Garlick