By David Owen
April 5 – UEFA, the European football body, generated revenue of €1.73 billion in its latest financial year to the end of June. The figure was marginally up on the prior year’s total of €1.7 billion.
Broadcasting rights to the Champions League, the flagship European club competition, were responsible for the lion’s share of this income, contributing €1.12 billion, with the Europa League generating a further €225.3 million. Commercial rights produced a further €328.5 million, up from €313.2 million.
It not being a European Championship year, the organisation reported a net loss of €42.4 million, double the prior year’s €21.4 million, but better than the €56 million loss budgeted.
UEFA tends to produce a surplus in European Championship years, the next being 2016, and a deficit in intervening periods. The body says its aim is to end each four-year cycle on a balance “close to zero”.
UEFA distributed just shy of €1 billion to participating Champions League clubs and a further €232.5 million to those making up the Europa League. The Champions League was a big money-maker for UEFA, generating a positive net result of €137.3 million, up from €128 million the previous year. The Europa League, however, produced a negative net result of €21 million, against a negative €17.4 million in 2012-13.
Employee salaries and benefits amounted to €64.6 million, up from €59.8 million. Total employees rose to 483 from 411. This implies an average figure for 2013-14 of nearly €134,000 per employee, down from €145,500 a year earlier. UEFA notes, however, that while the increase in employee numbers largely relates to preparations for Euro 2016, the impact on 2013-14 costs was “limited” due to the handling of Euro 2016 costs under its accounting principles.
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