Word: seasonings
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...likely; as a storied and well-supported club, Liverpool generates healthy revenues and profits. But difficulty raising fresh funds has meant plans for a new stadium - promised when Tom Hicks and George Gillett bought the club two years ago - have yet to get off the ground. With the new season two months away, the off-season buying spree at least provides a fun distraction...
...What recession? Defying the downturn, Europe's clubs could well smash the transfer-spending record this close season. English Premier League teams - which, according to Deloitte, spent $280 million on new players during the January transfer window, more than the amount spent in any of Europe's next four biggest leagues - are again in the mood to shop. The benevolence of billionaires helps. London club Chelsea, bankrolled by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, reportedly bid $74 million on June 9 for Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero. Manchester City, owned by Sheik Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, a member of Abu Dhabi...
...benefactor, Real Madrid, the favored club of Spain's establishment, owes its deep pockets to a powerful brand and unrivaled commercial skills. Owned by 80,000 of its supporters, it's the richest soccer club in the world, with revenues of more than $500 million for the 2007-08 season, double the level of seven years ago. Free to negotiate its own broadcast-rights deal - top teams in England or Germany, say, must sell TV rights collectively - Madrid is halfway through a $1.4 billion, seven-year contract with broadcaster Mediapro. (See the 100 best TV shows of all time...
...Locking in long-term revenue is typical in the sports business and crucial to spending during a downturn. Besides the broadcast deal, by far the world's biggest with a single sports club, Madrid has another season left in its three-year shirt-sponsorship contract with online betting company bwin, and kit sponsor Adidas is signed up until 2012. Although commercial revenue dipped as a share of Madrid's takings in 2007-08 - the departure of Englishman David Beckham, who helped increase merchandise profits 137% during his four years with the club, had a lot to do with that...
...theory, top-flight European soccer, with its loyal fan base and long-term contracts, should be shielded from the worst of the recession. Indeed, attendance across the big five European leagues - England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain - rose 2% in the season just finished. And German and English clubs will all enjoy new and improved broadcast deals in the coming two seasons. But that's not to say the downturn doesn't throw up stiff opposition. "Beyond that very affluent, élite core," says Chadwick, "the mood of austerity is still very, very strong...