Everton in line for significant financial boost as £750m Premier League plan revealed
Everton could be in line to receive a portion of a £750million annual boost from the Premier League.
According to Sky News, the Premier League could receive this huge financial injection by centralising perimeter advertising sales and increasing the number of commercial partners associated with the English top-flight.
The report adds that Everton and the other 19 top-flight clubs were informed at a shareholder meeting this week that the Premier League had begun exploring an overhaul of some of its commercial rights.
It is said that its initial modelling, which could mirror a structure used by a number of elite American sports, projected that selling 60 per cent of pitch-side advertising on a centralised basis and expanding from seven to 10 top-tier partners could generate “an additional £750m of revenue” annually.
If that comes to pass, that could be a huge shot in the arm for David Moyes‘ side and club owners, The Friedkin Group. However, all their rivals would also get the sum, which could be around £37.5m each.
Cash injection likely to help Everton stay in the Premier League
For many years now, English Football League teams have grown increasingly concerned about the apparent gap in quality between them and the Premier League.
Prior to this season, all three promoted Championship sides had gone straight back down for two campaigns in a row.
While Sunderland and Leeds United are making a good fist of it to stay up this term, Burnley look primed to get relegated, as they try to compete with their cash-rich rivals.
Last March, Everton announced they had recorded a £14.7m increase in turnover to £186.9m – and that was before they left the smaller Goodison Park for their new home, Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Now, they are raking in a lot more in terms of matchday revenue, and instead of being a relegation candidate, they have their sights set on securing European football next season. Meanwhile, Championship sides simply cannot compete with that regularly.
However, if Everton were to start next season slowly, extra cash injections, like the aforementioned Premier League one, could make it easier for them to stay up and widen the divide between recently-promoted Championship sides.
Talk of financial redistribution agreements with EFL clubs is nowhere near a conclusion. And if this deal goes through, the disparity between the elite and the rest could grow, making the Premier League even more of a closed shop.
- Read more: David Moyes’ latest Everton admission will set alarm bells ringing for the Friedkin Group
Concerns raised over potential Premier League deal
It is important to add that Sky say the Premier League presentation was made on an “exploratory basis” and there is “no firm plans” to proceed with such a revamp.
Currently, the league’s syndicate of top-tier partners includes Barclays, Microsoft, EA and Guinness, and it has licensing deals with Topps, Football Manager and Sorare.
While many may be for this proposed deal, one club executive at the meeting reportedly raised concerns that an expansion in the number of Premier League partners would increase the chances of “conflicts” with individual clubs’ commercial deals.
So often, Premier League sides think with their own interests, rather than what is ostensibly better for the greater good.
Incidentally, Independent Football Regulator chairman David Kogan and CEO Richard Monks were also present at the summit.
They outlined plans for its inaugural State of the Game report to be prepared during the coming months. That could lead to another big shakeup in the sport.
For more information on Everton and The Friedkin Group, head on over to Football Insider for expert analysis.