BREN’S BHOYS COULD LAND £40M WINDFALL
CELTIC could land an incredible pay day of approximately £40 million if they reach the Champions League group stage after UEFA revealed prize money for next season’s competition had been increased by an astonishing 50 per cent.
Should they get past the four qualifying rounds, Brendan Rodgers’ side would have the potential to rake in such an astronomical figure when television money and gate revenue is also taken
into consideration. Booming broadcast and commercial revenues will increase the prize fund for both European club competitions, the Europa League has also been given a 25-per-cent hike, which is a huge incentive for Aberdeen, Rangers and Hibernian.
The total income from the Champions League, Europa League and Super Cup is estimated to hit £2.85 billion in 2018/19, up nearly £800m on last season’s figure. This translates to a prize pot of £2.23bn, with UEFA’s costs and solidarity payments accounting for the rest.
The lion’s share, as ever, will go to clubs in the Champions League, with qualification for the group stage worth a guaranteed £13.35m, plus £2.36m for a win and nearly £800,000 for a draw.
There are further bonuses for progressing through each round of the knock-out stages, with the winner collecting a further £44.65m in prize money.
And then there are further payments that depend on each club’s record in UEFA competitions over the last 10 years – the performance-based coefficient – and each club’s share of its national broadcast ‘market pool’.
Taken altogether, a Champions League victory would be worth more than £100m to a British club next season.
Celtic made an estimated £30m from their progress in the previous campaign and should they reach the group stage for a third successive year, and are able to pick up more points than they did last season, it is feasible the Parkhead club could earn up to £50m.
The total prize fund for Europa League contestants has moved to £446.5million – but a British win could be worth more than £25million.
In fact, UEFA is making so much money from its club competitions that a domestic champion, that loses in the preliminary round of Champions League qualifying will still get £430,000.