Guernsey Press

Championship play-off winners to land jackpot of at least £160m

Promotion to the Premier League is the biggest prize in world football.

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The winners of this weekend’s Sky Bet Championship play-off final between Aston Villa and Fulham will land a jackpot of at least £160million.

Promotion to the Premier League is the biggest prize in world football and the winners could rake in more than £280million if they survive their first season in the top flight.

Villa and Fulham hope to join Wolves and Cardiff in the Premier League next season with victory in Saturday’s annual winner-takes-all clash at Wembley.

The winners will benefit from future additional revenue of at least £160m across the next three seasons, which could rise to in excess of £280m if they retain their Premier League status.

The figures, released by Deloitte, are the same as last season with this year’s showdown falling in the second year of the latest, record-breaking three-year television rights deal.

“All eyes will be on Wembley on Saturday afternoon for this winner-takes-all clash,” said Deloitte’s head of the sports business group Dan Jones.

“It will be, as ever, a fantastic advert for the competitive intensity of the Championship and the financial attraction of the Premier League.”

Jones said the financial rewards for the winners of the Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid in Kiev later on Saturday pale in comparison.

“Whilst in football terms the UEFA Champions League final is the bigger game, the financial rewards on offer in Kiev are dwarfed by those at stake in north London,” Jones added.

“The difference between winning and losing for Liverpool this weekend, is a mere £4m in distributions from UEFA and they are already assured of appearing in next year’s competition.”

Cardiff and Fulham both received their final parachute payments in the 2017/18 season, having been relegated from the Premier League in 2014.

Champions Wolves are not currently in receipt of parachute payments, having been relegated to the Championship in 2012, while Aston Villa received their second of three parachute payments in the 2017/18 season having been relegated in 2016.

As a result, Cardiff, Fulham and Wolves can expect increased revenue of around £170m over three years if relegated from the Premier League after just one season, Deloitte said.

“The financial prize for Fulham or Aston Villa, as well as Wolves and Cardiff, becomes at least £280m if they survive the first season in the Premier League,” added Deloitte’s sports business group consultant Sam Boor.

“This figure could rise further once the Premier League concludes the sale of all live broadcast rights.

PA Graphic
PA Graphic

Deloitte’s figures show financial rewards for promotion via the Championship play-off final continue to increase in line with each new television rights deal.

For each of the last three seasons, the winners’ increased revenue is nearly three times that of Burnley and Blackpool, who saw a minimum revenue uplift of £60m for winning the play-off in 2009 and 2010 respectively.

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