Bundesliga breaks 2 billion
January 23, 2013
Bundesliga clubs posted a combined profit after tax of 55 million euros and a total turnover of 2.08 billion euros, the German football league (DFL) said Wednesday in its annual Bundesliga report.
Turnover has increased 7.2 percent from the 2010-11 season, with 14 of the league's 18 clubs being profitable. In the 2009-10 season only seven clubs posted a profit. In 2010-11, 12 were profitable.
The league, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this season, has now doubled its income over the past decade from 1 billion euros in 2001-02.
"The Bundesliga confirmed its sustainable growth and healthy development. The league is well equipped for the coming challenges," DFL chief executive Christian Seifert said.
"The League Association, the DFL and the clubs will work intensively on continuing their successful way. The foundations for that are economic rationality as well as aimed investments in athletic performance and infrastructure."
Second division clubs also posted a record turnover with 384.5 million euros – a 7.4 percent increase from last season.
On the rise
League profits are not the Bundesliga's only rising figures.
Coach salaries have risen by 0.9 percent to 929 million euros, meaning their wages make up 37.8 percent of the overall salary/revenue ratio. It is the lowest figures in six years according to the DFL, and far below the 64 percent European clubs spend on average on players and coaches. Players earn an average of 1.6 million euros per season.
The Bundesliga is also the most popular league in the world in game-by-game attendance, boasting an average of 44,293 fans per match last season - an increase of 2,000 from 2010-11. The next most popular football league, the English Premier League, averages just under 35,000 fans per match.
"The Bundesliga remains, in terms of attendance, the world's leader," the DFL said.
The Bundesliga has managed to balance its revenue streams to a larger extent than other major leagues, with advertising bringing in 26.6 percent of revenues, media rights 26.2 percent and ticket sales 21.2 percent.
"Media partners contribute in Spain, England and Italy between 45-60 percent of the league's turnover. In the Bundesliga the figure is stable at 26 percent despite the clubs receiving more and more money every year for the broadcasting of games," the DFL said.
dr/jr (Reuters, dpa, AFP)