Director of the Group, Paul Rawnsley, said: “Football fans are again demonstrating their commitment and loyalty to their clubs, despite the current challenging economic climate. Whilst football is not recession-proof, it is recession-resistant. Attendances in the Championship – which was the fourth best attended league in Europe in the 2007/08 season – averaged over 20,000 in the first round of matches last weekend, and bumper crowds are expected as the Premier League kicks off on Saturday.”
Alex Byars, Senior Consultant in the Sports Business Group, added: “We expect strong match attendances to underpin an increase in the total revenues of Premier League clubs to almost £2 billion in 2008/09, consolidating its status as the biggest revenue generating league in world football.”
Deloitte will publish its analysis of transfer spending in England and across Europe after the summer transfer window closes at midnight on August 31, 2008.
