Bundesliga clubs post record €4.42bn of revenue, says DFL

By Paul Nicholson

February 13 – Germany’s DFL is reporting a 14th consecutive annual uplift in professional football revenue to €4.42 billion for the 2017/18 season, an impressive average annual growth of 8.6%.

The Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 revenue for last season was a 10% increase over 2016/2017 with the main driver of increased revenue being from media deals.

The ‘2019 DFL Economic Report’ shows its top tier Bundesliga generating total revenue of €3.81 billion – a 13% compared with the 2016-17 season (€3.37 billion). That is almost double the figure recorded seven years ago in 2010-11 (€1.94 billion).

The report also found that the economic growth was across the league with 17 of the 18 Bundesliga clubs reporting revenue of more than €100 million in the 2017-18 season.

The report also looks at equity value finding Bundesliga clubs total equity value now stands at €1.6 billion, double the value of the 2013-14 season (€807.3 million).

The 18 clubs in the second tier – Bundesliga 2 – generated more than €600 million for the third year in succession in 2017-18 (€608 million0.

With big revenue numbers comes big tax bills and the DFL reported its €1.28 billion in taxes paid by the 36 clubs and limited companies. More than 55,000 people are now employed by the clubs and their subsidiaries.

DFL CEO Christian Seifert said: “German professional football has continued its positive development. This is driven in particular by revenue from the current national media contracts, which are reflected in the balance sheets for the first time.

“Digitalisation and globalisation will open up new opportunities for German professional football in the coming years. In order to create the optimal environment for the clubs and existing and potential partners alike, the DFL is working consistently to enhance the conditions. This includes expanding its innovation leadership in the area of new technologies as well as its presence on international markets.”

Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1711652409labto1711652409ofdlr1711652409owedi1711652409sni@n1711652409osloh1711652409cin.l1711652409uap1711652409