According to a report by the Sports Business Group at Deloitte, the collective turnover of English Premier League soccer clubs hit a record £2.03bn (US$3.33bn) in the 2009-10 season and will have exceeded £2.2bn ($3.61bn) in the latest campaign.

Alex Byars, senior consultant in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte, stated: “Of the £49m increase in Premier League clubs’ revenues, less than 10% (£4m) fed through to operating profits, which increased from £79m to £83m. The challenge for clubs continues to be converting impressive revenue growth into sustainable profits that allow for investment in both infrastructure and talent.”

“The record pre-tax losses of £445m in 2009-10 are a concern, particularly as credit is likely to remain less available to football clubs than it was two or three years ago. This may also, in part, explain why gross transfer spending by Premier League clubs decreased by more than 20% from the record £713m in 2008-09 to £559m in 2009-10.”

Dan Jones, partner in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte, added: “Despite the difficult economic environment, Premier League clubs’ revenues increased by 2% in 2009-10. Broadcast revenue grew by 7% to £1.04bn to become the first £1bn revenue stream of any domestic football league, even before further growth in 2010-11 from the uplift in overseas broadcast deal values.”

However, the Review of Soccer Finance added that the total European football market grew to a record £13.3bn in 2009-10, with Germany’s Bundesliga proving the most profitable major league within the continent (£1.4bn revenue). However, the report suggested the high revenues of English clubs would place them in a strong position ahead of the new UEFA financial fair play rules to come into practice from the 2013-14 season.

Spain and Italy followed (£1.3bn each) and France (£0.9bn) all trailed the Premier League in the revenue stakes. However, for a second successive year the increase in Premier League clubs’ total wage costs of £64m (5%) exceeded the rise in revenues (£49m), driving total wages up to over £1.4bn and resulting in a record wages to revenue ratio of 68%.

The new deals follow an announcement yesterday about a three-year extension to ESPN’s Bundesliga rights, and come as the broadcaster plans for the future after losing out on a new Premier League deal to BT. 

ESPN is clearly positioning itself as the home of European club football, with France’s Ligue 1 coming to the broadcaster for the first time.

Serie A has been aired on ESPN since the broadcaster launched its UK channel in 2009, and it will remain so under a renewed deal. 

Agreements to Dutch and Russian top-flight club football have also been renewed. 

“The addition of France’s Ligue 1 and the renewal of Serie A, Dutch Eredivisie and Russian Premier League means ESPN is the home to the very best domestic league football from across Europe,” said Jeroen Oerlemans, the vice president of TV Channels, ESPN EMEA.

“Our portfolio of live football on ESPN is combined with our growing range of sport, which includes rugby, cricket, darts, motorsport, UFC, boxing and more.”

Gianni Infantino, general secretary of European soccer’s governing body UEFA, has heaped praise on preparations for Euro 2012 and insisted that doubts about Poland and Ukraine’s ability to co-host the tournament have been “wiped out”.

The news comes as a huge result and boost to organisers after UEFA president Michel Platini questioned progress in the host countries last year after particular concerns were raised about stadia in the Ukrainian cities of Kiev and Lviv.

Since then, construction work at the Kiev venue is expected to be completed in August or September and Infantino said at a press conference yesterday, June 8, that all preparations were now on track exactly one year ahead of the start of the competition.

Infantino stated: “It is impressive what is going on in Ukraine. There are many milestones but we are now on the final straight and have achieved much in Poland and Ukraine. The road was not an easy ride – the project was at a high risk (of cancellation) due to delays to facilities. Our doubts have now been wiped out; we are going in the right direction at the right pace.”

Football Federation of Ukraine president Hryhoriy Surkis added: “Eighteen months ago we felt it (the project) was seriously threatened, but today no one doubts it. We are on the final lap.”

Infantino also expressed confidence that the recent spate of hooliganism in Poland would not be repeated at Euro 2012. “As far as hooliganism and crowd trouble are concerned, England had this problem for many years and have more or less eradicated it through the work of the government and the authorities. I am convinced that the same thing will be happening in Poland to stop this being a problem at Euro 2012.”

Polish Football Association chief Grzegorz Lato added: “There are measures in place to stop this (hooliganism) from happening again. I am sure that at Euro 2012 Polish people will be sitting next to English fans or Greeks or Spaniards and there will be no problem with hooliganism.”

Scottish Football League’s (SFL) Ramsdens Challenge Cup have renewed their deal with BBC Alba for a further three-years.

The new agreement extends the partnership that has existed between BBC ALBA and the SFL since 2008.

The Gaelic language channel’s coverage of this season’s tournament begins on Sunday when Brechin host Rangers.

SFL chief executive David Longmuir said: “We are delighted to have reached this agreement with BBC ALBA who have supported the Scottish Football League since the channel launched in 2008.

“The coverage which the channel provides has helped to bring Scottish football at community level to wider audiences not only in Scotland but throughout the UK. We look forward to continuing our relationship with BBC ALBA for the next three years.”

Members of the Scottish Football Association (SFA) voted unanimously in favour of restructuring organisation yesterday, June 7.

At its meeting, proposals from former first minister Henry McLeish’s Scottish football review were ratified by the SFA members after the report was commissioned by departing SFA president George Peat.

SFA chief executive Stewart Regan said: “This is truly an historic day for the SFA. I’m delighted our members share our vision for the future.”

In a resounding result, all 93 of the SFA’s member clubs voted to implement all of the recommendations to modernise the way the game is governed in Scotland, with main changes including the reduction of the SFA board from 11 officials to seven, including an independent member.

In turn, the SFA say the board will become more strategic than representative and focus on “corporate strategy and top-line decision-making”.

In addition, two new boards will be created under the main board – one for the professional game and another for the non-professional game, while the much-maligned disciplinary procedures will be rewritten and a compliance officer will quickly decide whether cases will be heard by the new semi-autonomous judicial panel.

As part of the ruling, the numerous SFA committees including the disciplinary, general purposes and emergency panels, have been immediately disbanded, though an audit committee will be formed to ensure the efficient running of the organisation.

Regan added: “These are the most significant changes in the 138-year history of the SFA. The decisions made today will allow us to change and modernise the association.

“I was pleasantly surprised that it was unanimous. Going into an AGM you are never quite sure how things will go. We put the groundwork in, covering the miles across Scotland trying to explain the benefits of what we’re doing.

“I’m really proud, I’m proud for my staff, the board and the members that they have had the guts to make the change. It really is a huge day for Scottish football.”

Also at the meeting, Campbell Ogilvie’s election as president, replacing Peat, was confirmed, while Cove Rangers chairman Alan McRae was voted first vice-president and Hibernian chairman Rod Petrie second vice-president.

The outgoing Peat predicted a “brighter future” for Scottish football and added: “I’m proud to leave my post as president of the Scottish FA on such a positive note.

“I commissioned Henry McLeish’s Review of Scottish Football because it was becoming increasingly apparent that our game had to modernise.”

America ONE Sports and the Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL) today announced that they have entered into an agreement for the broadband telecast distribution of PASL games. PASL games are scheduled to begin airing on America ONE Sports this fall.

The PASL, cialis with teams coast-to-coast, is the largest arena/indoor soccer league in the US. Each team plays 16 regular season games, 8 at home and 8 away as the league embarks on its fifth season this October. Additional playoffs will be available on America ONE Sports. America ONE Sports, an operating company of ONE Media Corp Inc., is a leader in live broadband sports featuring more than 5500 live and exclusive sporting events.

“Our partnership with America ONE Sports will allow our teams to broadcast more games with a higher quality video,” said PASL Commissioner Kevin Milliken. “Combining that with the addition of new teams, the PASL will have a much broader presence online this season.”

“We are pleased to bring the PASL to soccer fans across the country and around the world,” added Bruce LeVine, America ONE Sports Director of Programming. “Indoor soccer is fast paced and exciting entertainment. Broadband telecast distribution on America ONE Sports makes global visibility for the PASL both efficient and economical..”

Spanish soccer giant and UEFA Champions League winner Barcelona’s vice-president of finance, Javier Faus, has admitted that the English Premier League’s top clubs are ahead of the Catalan club in efforts to tap into the potentially lucrative Indian market.

Barcelona confirmed yesterday, June 7, that its leading officials will travel to India in September on a fact-finding mission in an attempt to build on other commercial links in Asia. The news comes as a continuation of the sides development in emerging markets after kicking off ‘Project China’, in partnership with main partner Nike, while the club sold its shirt sponsorship for the first time in its history to the Qatar Foundation late last year.

Faus told The Times of India: “The Spanish clubs are behind the English clubs when it comes to exposure in India and Asia. The reason is that in the last 20 years we have concentrated on Europe, Latin America and the US…But it’s changing now…We are now analysing our strategic plan on how to tackle the Indian market and the president of the club and I will probably travel to India in September. We plan to spend a week there understanding the market dynamics and setting up a strategy for our club in India for the next five years.

“You have to remember the English prominence in India for over 100 years. That’s exactly the same thing that happened with us in Latin America. That’s why we are so strong in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela, where the first team is Barcelona.”

He continued: “We understand that the Indian market is so important and we are trying to enter into the market even though we don’t have the special touch that the English clubs have. Taking into consideration the way Barca plays, and the stars we have, it is an advantage to enter the market, and we’ll definitely want to tap that potential.”

The NFL’s San Francisco 49ers have reached a radio broadcast agreement with 860 AM ESPN Deportes that will run through the 2018 season, the team announced Tuesday.

“We are pleased to partner with KTRB-AM 860 ESPN Deportes,” Director of Broadcasting Bob Sargent said in a statement. “This is a great way to provide 49ers programming, specifically live game coverage, to our Hispanic fan base. This agreement allows us to reach Spanish language audiences like never before.”

KTRB 680 is a 50,000 watt station that covers the entire Bay Area and reaches deep into Northern and Central California markets like Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto and as far south as Merced.

Michael Sher, general manager, 860am ESPN Deportes Radio in the Bay Area, said: “The 49ers are a first class organization and are a high profile addition to our top notch sports line-up. Hispanic sports fans throughout Northern California are the big winners. Now they can enjoy all the action and excitement the 49ers and the NFL bring to the airwaves.”

American investment firm Colony Capital have confirmed the sale of a 70 per cent stake in Ligue 1 Orange soccer club Paris Saint Germain (PSG) to Qatar Sports Investments (QSI).

Colony will retain 30 per cent of the 95 per cent shareholding it purchased in PSG in 2006, but will concede control over the club’s affairs to QSI.

French daily newspaper Le Monde places the value of the deal between US$43.24m and $57.66m.

Sébastien Bazin, the chief executive of Colony Capital SAS, the group’s European division, said: “We met a lot of people who were interested in Paris Saint-Germain. It was necessary to choose one who was serious, ethical, responsible, credible, and also, one of great discretion. That’s why I speak of these new Qatari investors like a rare pearl. We didn’t have the right to make a mistake. What is certain is that next year’s budget, built together, is a budget which includes a commitment to development and to participating in the [transfer] market this summer.”

Robin Leproux, the president of PSG, added: “This is excellent news for the club. Sébastien has welcomed a prominent, powerful shareholder which is very invested in the development of sport. For the club, it’s an historic moment. I very much look forward to a club which has matured. So much has been invested that we can dream bigger. The whole of the Paris Saint-Germain team is very enthusiastic.”

ESPN UK has signed a new multi-year rights deal for German Bundesliga football until 2015

The majority Disney-owned ESPN has today announced a new deal with DFL Sports Enterprises, the body responsible for all domestic and international sales of commercial rights of the Bundesliga.

The three-season agreement means that live coverage of the Bundesliga will remain on ESPN in the UK and Ireland from next season up to 2014/15. The broadcaster has shown German football since 2009.

ESPN will have exclusive rights to televise games from the League live in the UK, as Bayern Munich attempt to wrestle back the Bundesliga title from Borussia Dortmund. It will also screen action from the German Supercup, as well as highlights packages and video on-demand.

“We’re very pleased to continue our successful partnership with ESPN in the UK and Ireland. ESPN has been an excellent and most reliable partner for years, not only in the UK but in several parts of the world, among others in Brazil and the US,” said Jörg Daubitzer, the managing director of DFL Sports Enterprises.

ESPN’s Jeroen Oerlemans added: “The Bundesliga is a fantastic league that features some of the best football in Europe and we’re very pleased to continue our relationship with them for another three seasons.

“UK football fans are among the most engaged and knowledgeable about the game. They appreciate top quality play, players and clubs, and keeping the Bundesliga as a key part of our schedule alongside other top football and a range of other sport serves those fans well.”