Since our new owners came in, we’ve often been told that FFP issues have limited our ability to spend mega-money in the transfer market.
Unfortunately, Mike Ashley completely neglected commercial revenues during his time on Tyneside and we’re still suffering over 18 months later as a result.
One of his final deals was with Castore, the sports brand that pay us £5m-per-season as our kit manufacturer. It may sound like decent money, but it’s completely dwarfed by the deal ‘big six’ rivals Man Utd have just secured with Adidas, showing what we’re up against.
As revealed by Sky Sports News on Monday evening, the Red Devils have agree a record-breaking 10-year extension with Adidas that will earn them a “minimum” of £90m per-season. That’s 18 times what we receive from Castore and it’s reported that they’ll receive an additional £15m per-season each time they quality for the Champions League.
The Sela deal (£25m) is a significant improvement on our previous sponsorship deal with FUN88, the Amazon documentary is expected to earn us around £10m and we have Noon as our sleeve sponsor, but it shows what we’re up against and where we must improve when our current kit manufacturer takes in just £5m per-season, compared to the £90m+ Man Utd will receive each year.
We are gradually increasing commercial revenues thanks to the great work we’ve seen from Amanda Staveley, Darren Eales and Peter Silverstone, also appointing Simon Capper as our new chief financial officer. However, our commercial growth will take time and remains a key obstacle to help us compete with our big six rivals and overcome these constant FFP limitations.
Speaking about the deals (or lack of them) left over by Mike Ashley earlier this year, Staveley said: “We inherited very difficult contracts, FUN88, or contracts that were six or seven years in length, which were very much one way. So we were limited by the way in which we could drive our commercial revenues.
How come Chelsea can spend as much as they want yet everyone else is playing it safe ? Their is deffinatley something going on here . Makes no sense what so ever . FFP MY **** .
Scuba steve(Quote)
It’s going to take years to catch up but thats because Man Utd have been a successful club with worldwide fan base. They are a more attractive proposition for sponsorship. We have had a great season and long may it continue but we could also do a Leicester
paul pearson(Quote)
And how should the bottom half of the Premiership view this? Billionaire money has totally screwed up the game which has become a brutal contest of the Haves vs the Have nots. I love NUFC and have done for 50 years but I find all this spewed out cash has left us all morally impoverished.
Paul(Quote)
Just look at the money Chelsea have brought in with player sales.
Douglas Sweeney(Quote)