KRC Research assembled 12 of Europe’s leading football and business experts, from England, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Croatia, on behalf of MasterCard, an official sponsor of the UEFA Champions League.
The experts, from a range of academic and business organisations found that the winning club is likely to enjoy increased sponsorship, TV revenue, gate receipts and player value
The victorious club’s home city will also enjoy a massive economic boost, the research said. When Liverpool FC won the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final, the city of Liverpool benefited from an estimated £47million cash injection over the following year, through increased consumer spending, tourism, sponsorship and commerce. FC Porto’s home city also enjoyed a financial boost after its 2004 win, estimated to be up to £8million.
“The stakes are high for AC Milan and Liverpool FC, both on and off the field, “ said John Stuart, Senior Vice President, Sponsorship, MasterCard Worldwide.
“Beyond the enormous prestige of winning such an illustrious tournament, our research with some of Europe’s leading football and business figures suggests that the financial benefits of lifting the UEFA Champions League trophy are vast and home cities also experience the benefit too.”
Although the estimated reward of up to £67million is less than many of Europe’s top clubs have spent on transfers and wages in the past few seasons.
Liverpool FC and AC Milan will battle it out for a windfall of up to £67 million when the 2007 UEFA Champions League Final kicks off tonight, according to research commissioned by MasterCard.
