In the world of football, results and finances are often a double standard for measuring a club's success. Recently, the report of "Manchester Evening" has shown us how Manchester City's blue moon is still facing new financial challenges behind the glory of the green field. Despite the impressive achievements in the 2023 year,Manchester City's business model still needs to be broken through, especially when it comes to matchday revenue.
Real Madrid, the long-established giant, has managed to overtake Manchester City in the Deloitte Wealth League rankings with its increased sponsorship deals, strong retail performance and the revamped Bernabeu Stadium. It's not just a win for football, it's a win for business strategy. Manchester City, on the other hand, despite a record year on the pitch, seem to have hit a bottleneck in terms of matchday revenue.
Here's a focus on Manchester City's matchday earnings83 million eurosThe numbers don't sound small, but there's clearly room for upside compared to the club's overall performance. Deloitte's Tim Bridge of the Sports Group points out how City can break the €100 million mark as a worthy question. After all, clubs with innovative new stadiums have made this number their new target.
Manchester City, on the other hand, is undoubtedly on the right path when it comes to increasing their global presence. Record high levels of TV ratings, as well as the significant growth in the number of CityZens members, is proof of this. The success of the Asian Summer Tour has brought a lot of net income to the club. These are positive results, but the question is how to translate them into more revenue.
The words of Manchester City CEO Ferran Soriano remind us that football is more than just a sport, it's a business. Win games, engage fans, and reinvest in better players and facilitiesThis virtuous cycle is an integral part of any successful club. City have done a good job of this, but clearly, they could have done better.
With the upcoming tournament and the planned stadium expansion planned, City's future is full of opportunities. Matchday revenue is undoubtedly an area they need to focus on. At the same time, the club's caution in raising season tickets** is also commendable, although this may cause some controversy. Ultimately, balancing the expectations of fans with the financial needs is one of the challenges facing City.
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire's analysis shows us that Manchester City's average income per fan is indeed a bit less than that of other clubs. It's not just a numbers game, it's a strategy game about how to elevate the fan experience and increase revenue. Manchester City may need to think about more innovative waysto attract fans to the stadium and provide them with more goods and services.
Finally, City's partnership with entertainment giant Oak View Group, as well as the upcoming opening of indoor stadium Co-Op Live, bode well for the club's revenue growth beyond matchday. It's not just about football, it's about how to transform a football club into an entertainment empire all year round.
All in all, City's road has been challenging, but it has also been full of opportunities. How to turn global reach into real revenuewill be the key issue they need to solve next. For those of us who are loyal Blue Moon fans, we will continue to support our beloved club no matter what and look forward to their even greater success in the future."