Tottenham revenue: How much they earn from TV, matchday and commercial

Paul Macdonald

Updated: 23 May 2023 08:37 CDT
6 min read

Dejan Kulusevski, Tottenham, 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. Tottenham and their ambitious new stadium have plans to solidify themselves in the Premier League top four across the next decade.

HOW DO TOTTENHAM EARN REVENUE?

Tottenham’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.

Tottenham are very much outside of the big teams in terms of commercial revenue and global appeal, but their new stadium is likely to transform their revenue generation capabilities.

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.

Tottenham’s previous stadium, White Hart Lane, was reasonably small and restricted what Spurs could reasonably generate on matchday. But the Tottenham Hotspur stadium is absolutely state-of-the-art and is establishing itself as an experience as well as having increased capacity. That’s reflected in their 2022 total, easily their highest ever year for this metric.

Year	Matchday Revenue (€m)
2015	54
2016	55
2017	53
2018	85
2019	93
2020	108
2021	2
2022	125

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.

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.

Tottenham’s commercial capability has been below average until late, when the club has taken strides to move to the next level. Their stadium move coupled with the Champions League final appearance has seen their commercial revenue exponentially rise.

In 2022 they generated almost three times as much as they did in 2017; their deal with the NFL, which is now a regular visitor to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium for matches, has also proven extremely lucrative.

Year	Commercial Revenue (€m)
2015	78
2016	78
2017	84
2018	117
2019	152
2020	183
2021	171
2022	215

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.

Tottenham are of course in a beneficial position given the strength of the Premier League and their revenue has increased in line with the success of the EPL. Tottenham’s recent Champions League run also meant 2019 was their best ever season.

If Tottenham can retain a regular position in the Champions League, it can make their broadcast revenue among the most competitive in the world.

Year	Broadcasting Revenue (€m)
2015	125
2016	148
2017	219
2018	227
2019	277
2020	155
2021	233
2022	182

TOTAL REVENUE

Tottenham’s new stadium has moved them to a different level in terms of how they can generate revenue across all three main revenue streams.

Their Champions League run this season should ensure that next year’s revenues will likely be their best ever, if not quite at the least of English football’s giants.