By David Owen
May 18 – An analysis by Sport + Markt, the sports marketing consultancy group, has underlined the scale of Chelsea’s task tomorrow when they try to win the UEFA Champions League for the first time.
Not only is the West London club unlucky enough to have to play the final in the home city of their opponents, Bayern Munich, but Roman Abramovich’s (pictured above) side are up against an outfit that is an even bigger commercial powerhouse than they are.
According to figures assembled by Sport + Markt from Deloitte’s Football Money League and other sources, Bayern’s total revenue in the 2010-2011 season outstripped Chelsea’s by €321.4 million (£258.5 million/$408.9 million) to €249.8 million (£200.9 million/$317.8 million).
This is mainly because of the German club’s towering commercial revenue of €177.7 million (£142.9 million/$226.1 million), versus just €62.8 million (£50.5 million/$79.9 million) for their opponents.
High English ticket prices mean that Chelsea have a narrow edge (€74.7 million (£60.1 million/$95 million) to €71.9 million (£57.8 million/$91.5 million)) on matchday revenue, in spite of their smaller stadium.
The Londoners also hold a comfortable lead on broadcasting revenue (€112.3 million (£90.3 million/$142.9 million) to €71.8 million (£57.7 million/$91.3 million)).
Last month’s lucrative deal between the Bundesliga and Sky Deutschland for the four seasons from August 2013, suggests that this gap may have narrowed before such time as the two clubs clash again in European club football’s showpiece occasion, however.
Sport + Markt estimates that Bayern’s massive 9.4 million-strong domestic support compares with around 1.7 million Chelsea fans in the United Kingdom.
However, it says Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Co have more fans worldwide.
It cites Peter Rohlmann of PR Marketing, who says: “We estimate Bayern will sell around one million football shirts worldwide this season – the majority in Germany.
“Chelsea will be close to that figure, at around 900,000, but most of their distribution will be overseas.”
Tomorrow, of course, there will be only one indicator that matters: the number of goals each side manages to plant in their opponent’s net.
Contact the writer of this story at zib.l1734786644labto1734786644ofdlr1734786644owedi1734786644sni@n1734786644ewo.d1734786644ivad1734786644
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