The Financial Challenges Faced by European Football Clubs Amidst the Pandemic
Introduction
Over the past week, The Athletic has conducted an in-depth analysis of the financial situations of five prominent European football clubs: Everton, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Hertha Berlin, and Lyon. This investigation aims to shed light on how these clubs accumulated significant debt or losses and the obstacles they now confront.
The Unique Circumstances of Each Club
Despite their differences in size, location, ownership structure, and internal issues, these clubs share a common external factor: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The suspension of football matches and the absence of spectators in stadiums severely affected their financial stability.
The Impact of COVID-19
When football came to a halt in March 2020 and resumed with limited or no spectators for over a year, these crisis clubs were ill-prepared to handle such a shock. As explained by Matt Slater on The Athletic Football Podcast, the state of each club before the pandemic determined their ability to cope. Did they have contingency plans? Were they proactive in adapting to the circumstances?
Insights from the ‘Crisis Clubs’ Series
Denise Barrett-Baxendale, Everton’s former chief executive, attributed losses of at least £170 million to COVID-19, with potential additional losses of up to £50 million. However, an independent commission penalized Everton with a 10-point deduction for breaching the Premier League’s financial rules, dismissing their attempts to use the pandemic’s impact on the transfer market as a mitigating factor.
Barcelona faced a near-fatal blow from the pandemic. The closure of Camp Nou, their home stadium, deprived the club of significant matchday revenues, museum income, and merchandise sales.
Inter Milan’s parent company secured a €329 million loan from Oaktree Capital, an American asset management firm, at a high interest rate of 12% to survive the financial strain caused by COVID-19. The club must repay or refinance the loan, or face potential equity conversion and repossession by Oaktree.
Hertha Berlin’s financial troubles were exacerbated by their decision to repurchase shares from KKR, a U.S. private equity group, only to sell them again to London-based financier Lars Windhorst. This investment failed to bring about the expected transformation and hindered Hertha’s recovery.
Lyon, while not directly responsible for the challenges faced by French football due to COVID-19, suffered from the non-payment of TV rights by their broadcast partner Mediapro. The club heavily relied on player trading for revenue, but their performance in this area was subpar.
The Pre-Existing Vulnerabilities
All these clubs entered the pandemic in precarious financial conditions. They were already stretched thin, and the crisis of COVID-19 further exposed their vulnerabilities. While some bad luck played a role, it is evident that the pandemic affected each club differently based on their individual circumstances.
Conclusion
The ‘Crisis Clubs’ series by The Athletic has provided valuable insights into the financial challenges faced by European football clubs amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The written pieces and podcasts have aimed to inform and engage readers, and we appreciate your support and feedback.
(Top photos: Getty Images; design: Sam Richardson)