Championship play-off final worth ‘at least £160m to winners’

Joe Williams

The Sky Bet Championship play-off final between Aston Villa and Fulham on Saturday could be worth at least £160million for the winners.

Villa and Fulham hope to join Wolves and Cardiff in the Premier League next season and the prize on offer in the annual winner-takes-all clash at Wembley is still the biggest in world football.

The figures, released by Deloitte, are the same as last season with this year’s showdown falling in the second year of the latest, record-breaking three-year television rights deal.

The winners will benefit from future additional revenue of at least £160m across the next three seasons, which could rise to in excess of £280m if they survive their first season in the Premier League.

“All eyes will be on Wembley on Saturday afternoon for this winner-takes-all clash,” said Deloitte’s head of the sports business group Dan Jones.

“It will be, as ever, a fantastic advert for the competitive intensity of the Championship and the financial attraction of the Premier League.”

Jones said the financial rewards for the winners of the Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid in Kiev later on Saturday pale in comparison.

“Whilst in football terms the UEFA Champions League final is the bigger game, the financial rewards on offer in Kiev are dwarfed by those at stake in north London,” Jones added.

“The difference between winning and losing for Liverpool this weekend, is a mere £4m in distributions from UEFA and they are already assured of appearing in next year’s competition.”

Cardiff and Fulham both received their final parachute payments in the 2017/18 season, having been relegated from the Premier League in 2014.

Champions Wolves are not currently in receipt of parachute payments, having been relegated to the Championship in 2012, while Aston Villa received their second of three parachute payments in the 2017/18 season having been relegated in 2016.

As a result, Cardiff, Fulham and Wolves can expect a minimum revenue uplift of around £170m over three years if relegated from the Premier League after just one season, Deloitte said.

“The financial prize for Fulham or Aston Villa, as well as Wolves and Cardiff, becomes at least £280m if they survive the first season in the Premier League,” added Deloitte’s sports business group consultant Sam Boor.

“This figure could rise further once the Premier League concludes the sale of all live broadcast rights.

“Huddersfield, Brighton and Newcastle all successfully stayed up this year, a rarity, and any club that enjoys a sustained period of Premier League participation will challenge for a place in the top 30 of Deloitte’s Football Money League.”