SPFL Posts Record Turnover & Revenue Distribution
The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) group has distributed £42m to clubs, the highest figure in the league’s history, its newly published annual accounts confirm.
The accounts reveal total group distributions are up £4.1m (11%) to £42m from last year’s £37.9m.
SPFL group income totalled £50.4m, breaking the £50m threshold for the very first time, whilst fees paid to clubs by the SPFL also increased by £1.4m to £35.1m.
The increase in group distributions has primarily been driven by an increase in broadcast income. This includes a rise in revenue from the SPFL’s contract with Sky Sports, as well as the five-season deal agreed with Premier Sports last year to show 20 live William Hill Premiership matches per season in the UK and Ireland, which has since risen to 22 games.
The increase in broadcast revenue was further supplemented by strong growth in licensing, match data and sponsorship arrangements, with last season the first of a five-year, record-breaking sponsorship deal with one of the UK’s leading bookmakers, William Hill.
Neil Doncaster, SPFL group Chief Executive, said: “We’re extremely pleased to be able to announce the strongest turnover and total group distributions in the history of Scottish league football. These figures are by some distance the best financial figures in the 12 years of the SPFL.
“Against a backdrop of worldwide economic uncertainty, the strong cooperation amongst our clubs and a shared focus to continue to grow our game commercially has been vital to achieving these results.
“We’ve recently reported considerably higher attendances per capita than any other European league in a UEFA report for the third year running, and these figures also reflect the high level of interest in our game from broadcasters and partners.
“Whilst we will never be complacent, we are proud that the league continues to make significant progress, and these financial results represent an important milestone in the history of the SPFL.”
Murdoch MacLennan, SPFL Chairman, said: “Our latest results once again underline the strength and ambition of our game here in Scotland.
“Our small but dedicated team at the SPFL is focused on driving forward the league for our 42 member clubs and we will now look to build on this momentum in the months and years ahead.”
Group distributions include fees paid to clubs (through the ‘ladder’, which gives a fixed percentage of fees based on where each club finishes in the league), parachute payments, monies paid to ScottishPower Women’s Premier League clubs, prize money in the Premier Sports Cup and KDM Evolution Trophy, and facility fees paid in respect of William Hill Premiership matches shown on Premier Sports.
