Over the years, Spanish La Liga has been one of the top three professional soccer leagues in Europe. It currently stands at a second spot in the UEFA League rankings this year, losing first place to Premier League for next year’s Champions League qualifications.
La Liga has also secured 12 Champions League titles, more than any other European league and 12 teams from La Liga have so far participated in the Champions League, higher number than any other European League.
In revenue La Liga stands at a combined second position with Bundesliga in annual turnover for 2007-2008 at eight percent annual growth. The decline in exchange rate of British pound and because of low tax rate of just 24 percent for temporary non-Spanish residents will help La Liga in luring foreign players.
The Big Two?
Real Madrid and FC Barcelona are definitively the “Big Two” of La Liga by a large distance from other clubs and will not be relinquishing that place anytime soon by the looks of it.
Barcelona
Barcelona has 19 La Liga titles and three Champions Leagues peaking UEFA Club ranking five times. The third richest soccer club for 2007-2008, that despite no income from shirt sponsorship fee, and, currently comes off a best season for any La Liga team.
A Sport+Markt study earlier this year has concluded that Barcelona is the most popular soccer club in Europe with 44.2 million fans on the continent and Real Madrid was second with 41 million fans.
Club has a fierce rivalry with Real Madrid and game between them is called El Clásico, perhaps the most anticipated and watched soccer game in the world. Already fans on both sides are looking forward to this contest after the arrival of megastars at Real Madrid and Barcelona’s triumphant last season.
Barcelona’s local derby is called El Derbi Barceloní played against underdogs Espanyol but this has mainly been a one-way event making its result significant largely to Espanyol.
In all their history, Barcelona has not sold their shirt rights to any sponsor when they could have made a large sum from shirt sponsorship fees. In 2006, Barcelona reached a five-year agreement with UNICEF to wear its logo on their shirt. That when even the smallest clubs sell shirt space to get the money to bolster their finances.
Camp Nou—Barcelona’s stadium—with its official capacity of 98,787, is biggest in Europe. Year 2007 saw the announcement of remodeling of the stadium at the cost of €250 million, set for beginning in 2008, with enhancement of 10,000 in seating capacity along with retractable roof.
Expected to be finished in 2013, this will make Camp Nou one of the biggest soccer stadiums in the world.
Façade of remodeled Camp Nou will be covered in translucent mosaic of polycarbonate and glass panels, using colors of team uniform and flag of Catalunya, hanging in cable mesh. A beautiful facade will make, with light transitions with day and nights events, a riveting experience.
Club was not to raise ticket prices to finance the construction but instead improved broadcast deal with Mediapro and uniform sponsorship with Nike will help fund the project. Barcelona said officially "the remodeled stadium is designed such that it can be built with minimal disruption to FCB normal football activity."
Barcelona also had plans for a MLS franchise for 2010 season to be based in Miami, because of its predominant Hispanic population, but was forced to cancel this US$20 million enterprise due to the current global economic situation considering it a financial risk.
Yet this was an evidence of club’s efforts to build up its brand overseas and it may renew its interest once economic conditions improve.
Increased revenue may soon see Barcelona overhaul Manchester United or even Real Madrid as the richest soccer club in the world.
Real Madrid
The club is most successful Spanish club with 31 La Liga and nine Champions Leagues titles, receiving FIFA Club of the Century award for its achievements. Real Madrid was also the first club to win UEFA Cup back to back in 1985 and 1986, one of only two clubs to achieve that. Real has topped UEFA Club ranking an unrivaled 14 times.
Real Madrid is one of only five European teams to have received the UEFA Badge of Honor, qualified to wear it permanently.
Real is the richest soccer club in the world for 2007-2008 and have doubled its revenue since 2002. This is notwithstanding underperformance in UEFA Champions League and loss of lucrative BenQ shirt sponsorship fee through firm’s bankruptcy which was replaced with somewhat less fee with Bwin.
While no club has ever defended Champions League title in its current form, Real Madrid won it five times in a row when it started in 1956-1960 and also has played semis a record 21 times. Team captain Raúl is the Champions League’s all-time top scorer.
New York based BBDO Consulting in late 2007 put brand value of Real Madrid at higher than any other soccer club with FC Barcelona second on the list. This clearly demonstrates marketing potential of both clubs when it comes to attracting sponsorship revenues.
According to Sport+Markt survey it has 490 million fans around the world, more than any soccer club.
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