Deloitte study finds North West football clubs took a financial hit as result of COVID-19

• North West clubs accounted for third of all revenue in top four English leagues.

Revenues at the North West’s leading Premier League and Championship football clubs dropped off as the European football market contracted as a result of the impact of COVID-19.

Despite accounting for a third of all revenue generated in the top four divisions in England, the region’s top seven clubs saw revenue decrease in 2019/20 according to the 30th Annual Review of Football Finance from Deloitte’s Sports Business Group.

Deloitte’s analysis also found that attendance numbers at Premier League and Football League games in the North West were down in 19/20 from eight million to just five million, due to the number of games that were either played behind closed doors or cancelled as a result of COVID-19.

The total league attendances up to the point of suspension for the five North West Premier League clubs was 3.5m.

Premier League clubs’ revenues are expected to rebound in 2020/21 due to the deferral of some revenue from the 2019/20 financial year before reaching a new record high in 2021/22 – matchday attendances permitting.

Tim Bridge, director in Deloitte’s Sports Business Group, said: “We’re now beginning to see the scale of the financial impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on clubs in the North West.

“As Championship clubs, and to a greater extent, League 1 and League 2 clubs rely more heavily on matchday revenue than Premier League clubs it will likely be sobering to see the impact of a full season with very limited matchday attendance in next year’s edition.

“Despite the initial shock of COVID-19, football clubs have shown great resilience during this testing period and it is hoped that the 2021/22 season will be a step towards normality, resulting in a strong recovery in revenue terms across the coming seasons.”