How much do Man City earn from TV, matchday and commercial revenue?

Paul Macdonald

Updated: 1 May 2023 15:46 BST
5 min read

Erling Haaland, Man City, 2022/23 — © ProShots

The 2023 version of the Deloitte Money List has been released and it shows the various sources of revenue for the top 20 clubs in world football.

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The list is dominated by the Premier League, with 11 of its 20 entrants coming from there, while 16 of the top 30 are based in England. Manchester City have topped the list in each of the last two years.

HOW DO MAN CITY EARN REVENUE?

Man City’s revenue generation comes from three distinct places; matchday revenue, broadcast revenue and commercial revenue. These three areas combine to create a club’s overall revenue for a season.

Man City’s revenue has grown exponentially since their takeover by the Abu Dhabi group in 2008; in particular the broadcast revenue attached to playing in England, coupled with their ability to grow to huge commercial levels.

WHAT IS MATCHDAY REVENUE?

Matchday revenue consists of all revenue generated on a matchday. This includes ticket sales, food and merchandise, as well as hospitality offerings.

Man City have looked to increase the capacity of the Etihad at every opportunity and have done so of late, but their official capacity of just over 50,000 is well below what some of Europe’s elite sides are able to command, leaving them short in this regard.

Year	Matchday Revenue (€m)
2015	57
2016	70
2017	60
2018	64
2019	62
2020	48
2021	1
2022	64

WHAT IS COMMERCIAL REVENUE?

Commercial revenue is everything related to the overall sponsorship and brand activities of a football club. In the modern game this takes on many additional forms. Previously the only additional commercial revenue would be related to in-stadium advertising and perhaps a shirt sponsor arrangement.

© ProShots - Kyle Walker, Manchester City

But now various parts of real estate attached to the club can be monetised; everything from sleeve sponsors, to sponsors of the stadiums themselves, commercial managers are looking at any possible way to successfully generate revenue by building relationships with a whole host of brands.

City’s questionable rise to becoming one of the most effective commercial entities in world football - recording a record commercial year emerging from the pandemic - is more than questionable, as is the nature of the brands which are being commercialised.

But there is no denying that City are better run and a slicker operation than they have ever been before and their on-field talent helps to take their brand to new heights.

Year	Commercial Revenue (€m)
2015	228
2016	239
2017	231
2018	266
2019	261
2020	285
2021	308
2022	373

WHAT IS BROADCASTING REVENUE?

Broadcasting revenue relates to monies earned by the negotiation of showing a club’s matches domestically and internationally in each competition they are entered into.

Domestic TV deals are the most lucrative, with the country in which the league is played happy to pay inflated fees to fill their broadcast schedules with as many football matches as possible. Leagues are also free to negotiate with individual countries and regions to show their matches in that territory.

© ProShots - Phil Foden, Manchester City

The Premier League’s continued dominance in this space allows City to record revenues far higher than that of clubs in other countries. They are in effect competing only with other Premier League clubs, and much is dependent on how deep they go into the Champions League if their revenue is to move further upwards.

Year	Broadcasting Revenue (€m)
2015	178
2016	216
2017	237
2018	239
2019	287
2020	217
2021	336
2022	294

TOTAL REVENUE

Overall City are in a hugely strong financial position, emerging from the coronavirus in a strong place and able to attract players of the likes of Erling Haaland.

The nature of their commercial revenue remains up for debate and, like PSG, it is largely been driven by state-owned partners. But that is unlikely to change any time soon.