Bayern Munich, Juventus Turin, Paris Saint-Germain – there have been no big wins for this combination bet for years. Juventus won the title in Italy for the ninth time in a row at the weekend, Bayern had previously won the Bundesliga for the eighth time in a row, and Paris had been at the top of the table in France for the seventh time in the past eight years.
When it comes to the national title, there is mostly yawning boredom in Europe’s top leagues. Especially in Spain only Real Madrid and FC Barcelona alternate cheerfully. Only in England is the list of candidates a little wider with Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United.
The reason for the monotony – the dear money. Which is why a heated debate is currently underway in Germany on how the TV money should be distributed fairly in order to get a little more competition in the league. “We have been talking about the widening gap between the clubs for years, but we are doing nothing about it,” complained Fortuna Düsseldorf boss Thomas Röttgermann.
Explosive surge in Champions League revenue
Bayern should receive around 70 million euros from the national marketing of the TV funds next season, about eleven million euros more than the up-and-coming Hertha from Berlin – and more than twice as much as Union Berlin is awarded (33.37) . Now, as in the case of Hertha, eleven million euros are a lot of money, but they are not the reason for the great gap between Bayern and the rest of the league. If you really want to narrow the gap between the top clubs and the rest of the league, you have to choose a different lever.
The main reason why Bayern, Juventus and Paris are moving further and further away from the rest of their national leagues is the explosive increase in proceeds from the Champions League, which will continue with the knockout games next week. “The sales of the Champions League have grown steadily. And above all: Fewer and fewer top clubs are getting an ever larger share, ”says Stefan Ludwig, head of the Sport Business Group at auditor Deloitte, describing the big dilemma.
The payouts in the UEFA competitions increased by 13.8 percent from the 2010/11 season to the 2018/19 season. From 0.9 billion euros to 2.54 billion euros – of which 1.98 billion euros went to the clubs in the Champions League in 2018/19. “No other sport generates so much income from marketing an international and cross-league competition,” says Ludwig. The effect is reinforced by the break-away pillars of revenue such as stadium visitors: for many there is a gap that cannot be closed, and a few can be bridged not least by the premier class. For the majority of the league it is more of a grave, for a small, elitist circle it is season after season like a guaranteed resurrection.
The major Champions League reform for the 2018/19 season has widened the gap between the scissors. Under pressure from the top clubs and fearing that they could join together in their own European league, Uefa decided to take measures that further cemented the dominance of the top clubs. Since then, the four elite leagues from Spain, Germany, England and Italy have four safe starting places. It will therefore be almost impossible for the national industry leaders not to qualify for the premier class.
In addition, Uefa decided to redistribute the proceeds in favor of the top clubs by introducing a fourth pillar in addition to entry fees, success bonuses and funds from the so-called market pool, which depends on the value of national TV rights for the Uefa competitions. Depending on past successes, club revenue increases. So if you are successful, you will get even more money and will be even more successful.
Only if this cycle is broken will there be a chance of more excitement – both internationally and nationally. “The TV money from the international competitions is poison for competitiveness in the national leagues,” said Röttgermann recently. “You would have to distribute the media revenues of the Bundesliga, nationally and internationally, in the same way,” said FSV Mainz 05 Commercial Director Jan Lehmann, most recently in the “Kicker”.
There is a fundamental will among the top clubs. “I think we have always been able to find fair and serious solutions. And I am convinced that we will be able to do this again this year, ”said Bayern’s chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, referring to the national revenue.
When it comes to the big chunks of international revenue, the top clubs will not be so generous. Especially since they are also hard hit by the Corona crisis, although not nearly as existential as Schalke or Werder Bremen. “A major financial slump is to be expected in the coming year,” said Rummenigge. Really big concessions are therefore not to be expected. “The distribution of the Champions League funds is one of the greatest challenges of modern football,” said finance specialist Ludwig, summarizing the dilemma. It is unlikely that it will be successfully mastered and that more tension will return. Rather, the combined bet Bayern, Juve, PSG should continue to bring little revenue.
The Champions League timetable
Round of 16 second leg
Juventus Turin – Olympique Lyon (7. August)
Manchester City – Real Madrid (7. August)
FC Bayern – FC Chelsea (8. August)
FC Barcelona – SSC Neapel (8. August)
Quarter-finals
Atalanta Bergamo – Paris St. Germain (12. August)
RB Leipzig – Atlético Madrid (13. August)
The rest of the games are still open
Semifinals: 18. August.
Finale: August 23. Because of the Corona pandemic, all duels are taking place in Lisbon. They are divided between the Estádio da Luz, where Benfica Lisbon normally plays their home games, and the Estádio José Alvalade, the home of Sporting Lisbon. The final will be played at the Estádio da Luz.
Here you will find our live ticker with all relevant updates on the Corona crisis.
“Vaccines until the middle of next year at the earliest”
Minister of Research Karliczek once again calls on the population to adhere to the hygiene regulations and to remain cautious. A corona vaccine for the general population is not expected until the middle of next year.
.
