Football in England has undertaken a massive upturn over the years and now has one of the biggest and richest leagues in world, the Premier League. With millions of people across the globe viewing matches, the English game sees no sign of slowing down. Throughout this article we will be looking at how the game has transformed to the multi billion pound global enterprise it is today.
TV Revenue
There’s no doubt that majority of money that is pumped into football across England comes from TV revenue and as a result, is the main source of income for most professional clubs.
Companies such as Sky, BBC and ITV spend massive amounts to fight for the broadcasting rights to showcase the beloved game. You only need to look at one of the richest one off games in modern football, the Championship Play off Final. The winner of the final gains promotion directly to the Premier League and is worth an estimated £60 million in TV rights alone. An astronomical figure!
Premier League games are pumped around the world and into over 90 countries as it has become one of the most watched football leagues in the world.
Foreign Imports
As English football becomes more and more competitive, it’s become a great showcase for the world’s best footballers. Players from around the globe strive to play in England and many see it as the pinnacle in their careers.
Some of the best players to have played the game have all played in England. Thierry Henry, Eric Cantona and Cristiano Ronaldo made their names in the Premier League and have gone on to become some of the best players to have strapped up their boots. Over 300 foreign players are currently playing the Premier League alone, with over 60 countries represented.
Billionaire Playground
With the money and prestige that comes hand in hand with the English game at the minute, comes money. No longer are clubs looking for millionaire owners to pump funds into the club to attract the best players in the world, they are looking for billionaires.
Clubs like Manchester City and Chelsea have their respected billionaire owners who have invested hundreds of millions of pounds into their club. It’s widely thought now that if you are not a billionaire, then you have no place in the Premier League.
Facilities
Without doubt the English game boasts some of the best football and training facilities in the world. Many stadiums host 40,000+ people on match days with stadiums such as Old Trafford (~80,000) and The Emirates (60,000) leading the way.
It’s simply another factor as to why the English game is growing and a fantastic selling point for a club to attract the best players in the world.
How long will it last?
It’s tough to put a time frame on how long clubs can recklessly go out and splash money about on players and facilities. Clubs such as Portsmouth have already faced the financial wrath and demise due to their high wage bills which they were unable to pay.
Its likely more clubs will follow Portsmouth’s footsteps before owners (or the FA) say enough is enough and implement changes t protect the longevity of a club. For now though, the English game continues to boom and will do for the foreseeable future.
