£7.4 Billion Club Cash‑Cow Chronicles: Real Madrid Touts Premier League Money & Big Six
Behind the Curtain of the Deloitte Money League
For the 2017‑18 season, Deloitte pulled back the curtain on how clubs stack up financially – from pricey TV rights and sponsorships to the cash that streams in at the stadiums.
And guess who stole the limelight? Real Madrid jumped up a rung, snatching the top spot from Manchester United with a hefty £674.6 million haul, after snapping up a record‑breaking Champions League win.
Big Six, Taking the Top‑10 Gold
For the first time ever, all six English powerhouses – Man Utd, Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham – sit in the top ten. The English juggernauts prove that the Premier League still runs the money train.
Real Madrid: A Crown of Cash
- Shattered the 750 million‑euro barrier; first club to hit the “three‑quarters of a billion” prize.
- Record 12th Money League title – the most ever on this list.
- Booted off the scorecard with a 12th unbeaten year in the Champions League.
What Made United’s Decline? A Quick Look
- Early Champions League exit (last‑16) cut the TV prize money.
- Spanish clubs saw a boom in their commercial income.
- Old Trafford grew revenue by only 2 % – a modest bump to reach £590 million last season.
- Authors Dan Jones & Deloitte called it a “bull market” for Euro football, which still puts a slight drag on the currencies.
London’s Big Three – A Boost from the Turf
- Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham: all “north London” clubs reached the top ten for the second time, with healthy turnover rises.
- Tottenham’s time at the national stadium roiled fans but still dented the match‑day record by £26.5 million.
Liverpool’s Big Leap & Arsenal’s Small Slide
Liverpool’s Champions League run gave them a thunderous £90.6 million revenue boom, driven mainly by a £222.6 million spike in broadcast earnings.
Arsenal, however, fell short, losing nearly £30 million and sliding from 6th to 9th – a sharp reminder that Champions League TV money is a major lifeline.
Other Ups & Downs in the Top‑20
- Everton and West Ham stayed steady at 17th and 20th.
- Leicester & Southampton slipped out of the top 20 to 22nd and 23rd.
- Newcastle worked their way up to 19th, keeping the Premier League nine clubs in the top 20.
All Europe’s Five Leagues, One Big Stack
The top 20 clubs – all from one of Europe’s “big five” leagues – piled up £7.4 billion, a healthy 6 % uptick over last year.
So, the court’s money game is fierce, but one thing’s clear: Real Madrid’s bank balance is booming, English clubs keep flexing their financial muscle, and the Premier League knows how to keep the top‑ten drama alive.
