Barcelona's 2019 Budget Reveals Biggest Income in World Sports, $1B Expenditure
September 19, 2019
Barcelona have announced their projected budget for the 2019-20 campaign includes a record €1 billion turnover, the highest mark in worldwide sports.
The Catalans took to Twitter to share the financial details:
According to sports writer Samuel Marsden, the Blaugrana had planned to hit the mark by 2021:
The financial details also include a slight increase in profit, moving up from €5 million to €11 million after tax.
The team spent well over €200 million to sign the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Frenkie de Jong, Neto and Junior Firpo, among others. They sold a fair number of players as well, though, and the total transfer dealings accounted for just under €100 million.
The additions added to the wage bill, which could take another hit if Lionel Messi signs a new deal. According to Mundo Deportivo (h/t AS' Santi Gimenez), the Catalans want to hand him a lifetime deal, removing a clause that would allow him to leave at the end of the season.
Barcelona are consistently ranked among the most valuable teams in sports, coming in at No. 4 in Forbes' 2019 list, right behind rivals Real Madrid.
The two giants have long profited from unbalanced Spanish TV deals, and even after the introduction of a collective deal, they still receive significantly more than the rest of La Liga, per Swiss Ramble:
Swiss Ramble @SwissRambleEven after the changes, Barcelona and Real Madrid still receive by far the most TV income from La Liga’s TV deal with around €140m apiece, followed by Atletico Madrid €100m, then a big gap to Sevilla and Athletic Bilbao €70m. Lowest payments went to Girona and Leganes €40m. https://t.co/M3OqlJlqqp
On the pitch, the La Liga champions have struggled to start the season, winning just two of their first four matches in Spain's top division. Borussia Dortmund held them to a 0-0 draw in the UEFA Champions League in their last outing.